I know the topic of the 88” width has been discussed before, but I haven’t seen a discussion about street parking restrictions and city ordinances. I researched some California city ordinances and found some alarming results pertaining to parking this vehicle on city streets. As much as I want this vehicle to succeed and I love the Aptera Motors business philosophy, it seems like these parking restrictions could turn this amazing vehicle to an impractical “car show only” vehicle. I would love to drive the Aptera everywhere I go without constantly worrying about some envious traffic cop ticketing or towing it.
I’m hoping something can be done to get the final design to less than 80” wide. Simply replacing the tire covers wouldn’t work because the front track measurement was listed as 77” and the P195/45R16 tires would still make the width around 84.6” and push it past the 80”-84” “oversized/wide” classification of certain U.S. cities.
Shortening the suspension arms would affect aerodynamics, but could they be made manually adjustable so there could be two different configurations for the vehicle: 88” “Track Mode” and <80” “City Mode”? As long as it’s still safe, I’d be willing to accept a drop in overall performance if it meant the vehicle would be legal everywhere I drive and park it.
I would honestly buy an Aptera as soon as they're available if I felt confident about parking it anywhere, but sadly this is a deal-breaker for me.
Some of the results I found:
Patterson, CA
"any vehicle or combination of vehicle and trailer or dolly or bed mounted camper the dimensions of which exceed eighteen feet in length, eighty inches in width or eighty-two inches in height."
https://www.codepublishing.com/CA/Patterson/html/Patterson10/Patterson1022.html
Mountain View, CA
"Defined by the City of Mountain View, an oversized vehicle is any vehicle, or combination of connected vehicle which exceeds 22-feet in length, 7-feet in height or 7-feet in width."
https://abc7news.com/mountain-view-rv-rvs-oversized-vehicle-parking/5566653/
Goleta, CA
"A large vehicle is described as any vehicle which exceeds 25 feet in length, or exceeds 80 inches in width, or exceeds 82 inches in height."
https://www.cityofgoleta.org/i-want-to/apply-for/large-vehicle-parking-permit
Santa Barbara, CA
"An “oversized vehicle” is any vehicle or combination of vehicles(i.e. a vehicle and a trailer)that exceeds 25 feet long OR 80 inches wide OR 82 inches high."
https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=224760
Ventura, CA
"Oversized vehicle means any vehicle which exceeds 25 feet in length; or exceeds 80 inches in width; or exceeds 82 inches in height"
https://library.municode.com/ca/san_buenaventura/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=DIV16VETRRE_CH16.217OVVETRPA
Simi Valley, CA
"The parking restriction applies to: All oversized vehicles (OSV’s) or combination of vehicles that exceeds 23 ft. in over-all length, 7 ft. in width, or 8 ft. in height"
https://www.simivalley.org/home/showdocument?id=52
Westlake Village, CA
"Vehicles or trailers exceeding twenty-one (21) feet, eighty (80) inches in width, or eighty-two (82) inches in height may not park on any streets within the City for longer than four (4) hours at any one time."
https://www.wlv.org/451/Oversized-Vehicle-Permit
Manhattan Beach, CA
""Oversized vehicle"" as used in this chapter shall mean any vehicle, as defined by Section 670 of the California Vehicle Code, or combination of vehicles, which exceeds twenty-two feet (22') in length, Seven feet (7') in width or eight feet (8') in height"
https://library.municode.com/ca/manhattan_beach/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT14TR_CH14.46REPAOVVETR
Torrance, CA
"As defined in Ordinance No. 3686, an oversized vehicle is: Any vehicle, as defined by Section 670 of the California Vehicle Code, or combination of vehicles, which exceeds twenty feet in length, Seven feet in width, or eight feet in height"
https://www.torranceca.gov/our-city/community-development/planning-/permits-applications/oversized-vehicle-resident-visitor-registration-forms
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
"any motorized vehicle or combination of motorized vehicles and/or nonmotorized vehicles or trailers that exceeds any of the following: twenty-two (22) feet in length; eight (8) feet in height; Or seven (7) feet in width"
https://www.rpvca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2083/Ordinance-Number-492-Oversized-Vehicle-Parking-PDF
Long Beach, CA
"Parking of oversized vehicles (exceeding 85 inches high, or 80 inches wide, or 22 feet long) is prohibited on city streets in residential neighborhoods without a valid permit."
http://longbeach.gov/press-releases/public-notice-oversized-vehicle-restrictions/
Huntington Beach, CA
"Motor vehicles longer than 22 feet in length or 84 inches wide are prohibited from parking on any public street or highway in the City of Huntington Beach without a valid oversized vehicle permit."
https://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/services/rv_permits/
Aliso Viejo, CA
"Municipal Code Section 9.02.030 defines an oversized vehicle as any vehicle with a length in excess of 24 feet, or with a width in excess of 84 inches"
https://avcity.org/Faq.aspx?QID=85
Dana Point, CA
"“Wide vehicle” shall mean and refer to any vehicle that has a width that is in excess of eighty (80) inches"
http://qcode.us/codes/danapoint/view.php?topic=12-12_08-12_08_050&frames=on
Thank you, fellow Aptera fans, for all the great points and information.
Today I measured a few of the compact spaces at my workplace (unfortunately, most of them are compact), and they were 85" stripe to stripe. Aptera at 88" is wider than those spaces. Maybe the definition of compact also varies with municipality?
My current car, at 76" including mirrors, is a full 12" narrower than the Aptera, and already more of a parking challenge than I'd like at times, particularly at work (urban southern California). Of the times I have managed (carefully!) to squeeze into a remaining compact spot, sometimes I can't even get out of my car. To open the door enough to get out, squeezing my legs through 6" between door interior and frame exterior (I'm tall and thin), requires an additional 7" beyond the mirror width. Inches matter!
I next measured a few of the standard (non-compact) spaces: 96" wide. In an 88" wide Aptera, that's a mere 4" on either side if dead center. After over 20 years of driving, I still don't have the skill to so precisely, in a tight parking lot, turn 90 degrees into a parking space with such little margin... not to mention get in/out of the vehicle afterward with so little space (but maybe with the Aptera the doors opening up require *no* additional space beyond the 88"... not sure?).
I do really, REALLY want an Aptera (since 2008!) and I'm still really excited to get my Paradigm edition! But, regulations aside, I am definitely concerned what it will be like (if even possible) trying to park at some places I have to regularly go (like work). While the efficiency is incredible, if it's routinely a pain (or worse) to park, what good is that?
If it's truly too late for the Paradigm to be narrower, my hope is that there are plenty of future Aptera owners in less-urban/dense areas for whom the current width is no problem at all, so Aptera succeeds, and goes on to eventually produce a more narrow version (among others!), even if not quite as efficient (or quite as spacious a cabin). If I have to wait, I will... it's an amazing vehicle.