I went by Smooth's on my way home from work. The Aptera was parked in the restaurant's sidewalk seating area that in the winter is roofed over and enclosed with vinyl fabric. 25 or 30 people were there along with another eight or so Aptera employees as identified by their logo shirts. There was no organized presentation while I was there, but the vehicle could be touched, photographed (I only had a cellphone) and at least for a while some were allowed to sit in it.
I was not aware that this was the first time an Aptera had been shown in public. Several of those in attendance excitedly recited their reservation numbers.
I was told the car was a driveable pre-production unit and that some features would be changed. This one had the rear quarter windows and outside mirrors but not the opening door windows shown on the website. Aptera used it for VIP rides at the TED conference earlier in the day (supposedly including Tesla founder Martin Eberhard).
Questions on battery specifics, observed range, powertrain details etc. were all left TBA.
The vehicle is striking in appearance and was very well finished inside and out. The interior, controls and switches all seemed production grade. Exceptions were the A/C air vents which were complex and delicate looking plastic pieces that I was cautioned not to touch.
The car looks small but is dimensionally large; nearly 15 feet long and over 7 feet wide across the outboard front wheels. The aero tail is relatively high but the front looks very low. I was initially surprised at the small size of the manufacturer's license plate on the car until I remembered the Aptera is classed as a motorcycle. I would have liked to have seen the car on the street around other cars for perspective.
The car was powered up to the extent that the flat-panel dash, Nav displays, parking and brake lights worked. I was able to get a few seconds in the driver's seat. The seats were comfortable, but not deeply contoured. Footwells seemed wide, and head and legroom were good. Front visibility was very good, but not so to the rear : the side mirrors were tiny and the rear window presented a small aperture a long way back.
It is far too early for performance claims but Aptera will likely beat Tesla for eventful ingress/egress. I've owned a Lotus for years and got in and out without a problem, but I watched just about everyone else hit their heads either on the "butterfly" doors or on the doorframe or both.
An Aptera 2e demo ride video with Aptera founder Steve Fambro from the 2009 TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference recently posted by Josh (Aptera forum member):
Josh's TED Aptera 2e Ride With Steve Fambro from A Nonymous on Vimeo.
E-mail notification of Aptera in the Wild:
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 11:36:10 -0800 From: Aptera Subject: Aptera in the Wild Dear Aptera Family Member, In our last newsletter we announced that Aptera would be giving 2e test drives to attendees of the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference in Long Beach. We know most of you aren't attending this exclusive event, so when Smooth's, one of Long Beach's premier night spots and sports bars, offered us an opportunity to showcase the vehicle for the rest of our followers, we seized it. Join us 6:00pm Thursday night, Feb. 5, at Smooth's to see the vehicle in person and meet other Aptera fans. We know that this is last-minute, but we want you to know about any opportunity to see the Aptera in a public setting. When: 6pm to 9pm Thursday, February 5, 2009 Location: Smooth's Sports Grille, 144 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802 Thank you, The Aptera Team - Aptera Motors 2009
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Join us 6:00pm Thursday night, Feb. 5, at Smooth’s to see the vehicle in person and meet other Aptera fans. We know that this is last-minute, but we want you to know about any opportunity to see the Aptera in a public setting.
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