If Aptera would bring back the third seat option that apparently existed at one time, I am doubly in. Reading earlier posts, the execs mentioned there was not much demand for a third seat, which I find very surprising. There is more demand for a trunk tent option than a third seat...? ๐ I would rather have the third seat โroadsterโ version than the proposed longer term TBD 4 seat sedan. And the trade off on fewer batteries / lower range is understood and fine.
I am very excited about Aptera and am just thinking I will be a bit patient and let these option concepts hopefully get worked out in the overall purchase process longer term. I would literally pre-order today if there was a third seat since my wife doesnโt want an only two seater and that is our main blocker to ordering. Everyone essentially needs to wait a while, anyhow, so the pre-order is just a small step in a longer journey. ๐. Weโll see if they bring back their earlier third seat option at some point. Hope so!
Steve, thanks for posting this positive update!
They are almost definitely adding a 3rd seat option for the lower range vehicles. This is Chris Anthony's response on wefunder. 1. Will the solar panels be able to charge the car while it drives? - They will.
2. Will the solar panels be able to charge the car while it is charging from a plug? - Yes, but possibly not when DC supercharging.
3. Please make a removable or foldable third seat an option. - We've been hearing this a lot now so its back on our list to make it an add on in our lower range offerings ;)
Thanks again for the support!
A new thought....I saw this design about 10 years ago on a hyper super car. PUT DRIVERS SEAT IN CENTER...both passengers seats would be a little behind the driver which gives easy visibility and access. The added benefit of not having to make a right side driver for the Australian and English markets. Problem solved...get it done.....{^_^}
Hm...3rd seat would allow for %100 more passenger accommodation. Although I would think that most people would use the seat to throw what ever extra gear they may have, possibly a coat, purse or a briefcase. Still all in all, much more marketable, as I feel that many people would love to just experience the ride. I vote for 3rd seat!
Maybe configure as an option, I wager that you will have 3/4 of the orders have checked off 3rd seat option.
@Petrocelli Here's an image that might help you better understand the space available. Founder Chris is seated almost touching the door frame so depth-of-field/perspective isn't all that relevant to what the image describes. The average Caucasian male upper arm (in the US) is approximately 16" in length. The rear of the prototype is filled with wrapped packages: Note the bottom edge of the lowest package - it's at about the same level as Chris' elbow. Going by this general metric, that would place the height of the cargo area directly behind the seats at approximately 24" from deck to roof crossbeam. At most, the largest possible occupant would be a toddler in a car seat.
If there are headroom problems, the seat could be facing backwards, that way you maintain headroom and have the feet within the sloping cargo section. The seat could be rotating with a locking latch, that way you allow for easy entry/exit, safe position for a crash, and maintaining good headroom. If the seats would be orientated back to back there could be room for two of them, making the car a 2+2. The only setback is the child would be facing backwards, but in this crazy world, you could slap a screen in the back of the car to keep the child entertained. It would be their own little world back there which I am sure children would love.
A third seat would be huge. I think a small seat in the back that can be removed easily would be best. That way you retain the 2 seater design and functionality of the car, and when need be you can add a third seat for a child or small person. Nobody is saying it should be for a 6'-6"tall person, however a third seat option would definitely increase the market size and appeal of the vehicle due to the fact that average family size in the US is 3.15 persons. Unlike a 2 seater, a 3 seater would appeal to the majority of families, reflecting positively in the sales and demand of this car.
Personally, I think I prefer a two-seater and having the back for camping / stowage / dog. Pretty good chance this isn't going to be a families primary car, anyway. At least it HAS two seats, unlike the SOLO. Deal-breaker, there.
@limlwl It sounds like you just need to get 26 people to use your referral code and then it'll be wife approved. :)
I understand where you're coming from, but I think from a technical standpoint, there are too many challenges with adding that third seat to make it practical. Like I said above, I think the only potentially feasible option would be adding a bench seat configuration while maintaining current chassis dimensions.
I guess we'll see, though. Maybe Aptera's team of engineers and designers are more clever than I'm giving them credit.
I'm not opposed to a third seat option. I'd just hate to see the core benefits of the car compromised for the sake of an additional passenger.
I have had a Fiat Multipla with 3 seats in front, it came about to be very practical. Simca Matra sports car used to have 3 sport seats, that was rather nice. I do believe that the interior of the Aptera could be wide enough for three seats, maybe the middle seat a little to the back or both passenger seats a little backward positioned. I definitely would opt for the third seat.
I agree that the utility of the vehicle increases with a third seat option, however I do not think it is the appropriate choice for Aptera as a company at this time. As is stated, the design philosophy for Aptera and this vehicle in particular is efficiency. Based on the current layout, there is not room for a third seat. To comfortably fit one, the body would have to be enlarged. If the third seat was placed above the rear swing arm, the roof height would need to be increased. If the seat were to be centered behind the front two, the cab would need to be lengthened. If you wanted to fit three abreast, the body would need to be widened or the independent seats replaced with a bench seat. Nobody wants a bench seat.
If the body was enlarged to incorporate a third seat, more material would be required in manufacturing and more parts would be needed for assembly. In addition, the existing structure would need more reinforcement to handle the greater load it would now carry. Further, a larger body means more drag and more weight which in turn mean more power is required to move the vehicle. Unfortunately itโs a positive feedback loop where many of the core benefits of the car are compromised, albeit slightly.
What Iโve mentioned above also doesnโt take into consideration a multitude of other downstream effects including production delays, increased cost, handling characteristic changes, crash test safety performance, a higher thermal load, etc.
However, the main reason I donโt think adding a third seat option is wise, results from the vehicleโs intended audience. To be frank, if any of you actually needed to transport three people, would you want to use this vehicle? No matter where they put the third seat, it would be awkward to get into and likely not very comfortable. Also, with a third seat, the cargo room would be very minimal. If you are taking two kids to school, for instance, they may have to carry their backpacks in their laps. Or if you ran to the store for groceries before picking them up, how would you fit it all in? It seams that for a utility vehicle, something like a Tesla (especially when they come out with their $25,000 model) would make much more sense.
To me, Aptera fills the void of an affordable but track worthy commuter vehicle. You could take it to work every day, put tens of thousands of miles on it per year, and theoretically have very little in the way of operation and maintenance costs. All that in a stylish package with impressive performance capabilities are the big selling points for this vehicle. In my opinion it does not make good business sense to develop a vehicle (specifically as a first model) which may compete with Tesla and other midsize EVs. Rather, it seems prudent to develop a vehicle that fills a void in the market that no one else is tackling.
I would love to see Aptera grow and offer a larger vehicle in the future (heck, Iโd love to see their take on an EV pickup), but I think a three-wheeled auto-cycle is a good place to start. For what it is, I think their design is pretty much spot on.
In my day, before child abuse, you could use the cage for both.
Mounts for a third seat could be used to affix child seats and animal carriers and other such delicate loads, even if no adult seat is ever placed there.
Single father with two children here cheering for a third seat as well...
from wefunder:
Chris Anthony CEO
FOUNDER
I would say to just stay away from the 100kWh version if you're looking to get the third seat option. And we should be in the EU and Australia within six months of starting deliveries everywhere else. We will try for sooner, but paperwork for compliance stuff is THICK and usually not quick... But I know we have a lot of interest in your area of the world so we want to get there QUICK and eventually have an assembly plant there ;)
I suppose you could always strap the third person down in the trunk like luggage.๐
On another thread people are arguing with me that there's plenty of market demand for two seaters, while I'm saying only 2 seats make it a deal breaker for many. A removable third seat or a child seat mount might be an attractive option.
It would be fine for me if you could move the passenger seat to the door and place a safe temporary seat in between the main seats.
I agree that the Aptera definitely needs a 3rd seat, there are 3 of us in my family and having 3 seats would be priority for me as I don't want to leave anyone at home while we go on holiday, especially as Aptera should travel up to 1000miles/1600km per charge, that would be fantastic to take a drive across Europe.(even 600miles/800km would be fantastic) So please think about it. Aptera.
I know Sondor's electric car will have a third seat. This is an interesting thought for this. If resurrecting Aptera has happened then anything is possible!
I read this from Chris on the Wefunder page: "Thanks for the support, Michael! I did like the third seat option myself but it didn't seem to get much attention last time. We still have it on the list for future options but want to start with the best packaging for efficiency. But it seems easy to add to the lower range vehicles ;)"
@Scott The trunk tent is an optional attachment to the vehicle and doesn't require a fundamental redesign of the vehicle's structure, as would the fitting of a third seat.