Engineering recently released this video of some of the ride and handling development that has been done on the 2e chassis. The testing is performed with our chassis/dynamics mule (pp8). In these tests, the vehicle development team takes the 2e through a course that includes large and small diameter circles, decreasing radius turns, a slalom, right and left hand sweeping turns, and straight line accelerations.

In this series, the top speed is held to below 60 mph. This is to simulate basic driving characteristics, not high performance driving, as we are focused on getting a feeling for how the vehicle responds to basic driving inputs. This allows the team to validate the chassis design and better understand typical road load characteristics.

Now in case you are wondering, this test vehicle was not equipped with the production power train, so overall performance is less than the production intent vehicle. We don’t know how you feel about that, but we tend to feel that a little more performance can only be a good thing.

(Chart A)

The second insight we received from our clinical research last year was that while our interior roominess was… well “roomy”, it could be better (as seen in Chart A above). So we went back to the drawing board to figure out how to squeeze more room out, while not compromising the overall vehicle design.

Here are some of the benefits of the result:

1. Improved occupant headroom

2. Improved hip room

3. Reduced drag 9%

4. Addition of drop glass

5. Improved armrest position.

(Chart B)

(Chart A)

In December of 2008, Aptera conducted clinical research of the Aptera 2e. During the research, we discovered that nearly all of our respondents had difficulty entering and exiting the Aptera (see Chart A above). For production, the door opening to the body has been expanded at every point vs. the pre-production vehicles (see Chart B below). Your chiropractor can thank us later.

(Chart B)

Kathy MacDougall has been Aptera’s gatekeeper since July 2008, applying her 20 years of human relations background to build and nurture a diverse team of employees. Whether in the office or away from work, her passion and enthusiasm motivates everyone with her “can do” spirit.

Question: What is it about startups that you’ve fallen in love with, particularly at Aptera?

Answer: I’m a high-energy person who likes to manage a full life with a lot going on, so startups fit my style really well. Being part of a startup is risky and challenging, but the action-oriented nature of the startup means I can help in a variety of areas, often doing things way outside of HR for Aptera. Additionally, the challenge and innovation of working with entrepreneurs creates a lot of energy and creative breakthroughs, without the constraints and deficit-based thinking you can get from more traditional organizations.

Q: How does hiring people at Aptera differ from a more traditional organization?

A: I have the best job in the world because I actually have candidates coming to me.  Even though it takes a lot of time, I make contact with every single candidate who submits a resume, makes a phone call or sends an email because those could be my future employees.

My job is to find the very best, talented, brightest and excited individuals. So when I recruit, I look for the whole person. I want to know what they do outside of work, who they are, what their essence is at the core; not because I’m being nosy, but because I need to make sure it’s a good fit for Aptera.

Startups aren’t for everybody. It’s high stress.  I want to know they have an active, exciting life outside of work. I want the whole person with all of their wonderful brilliance, as well as the warts that come along with them.  People hopefully don’t leave Aptera on their own; they come and stay, becoming part of a family.

Q: Has it been difficult to merge the automotive and tech minds into one cohesive unit?

A: There are more similarities than there are differences between the two groups. I had expected an explosion when we added the automotive folks to the existing non-automotive group. They’re two very different mindsets, perspectives and social value structures trying to blend together. But the mutual respect, engagement, enjoyment and understanding of the differences between the groups has been a delightful marriage. That speaks to the character of the people we have in the organization.

Q: Are the company and employees representative of the vehicle?

A: When I recruit I try to use the same branding that we do for the vehicle, with that delightful, fun, engaging and casual SoCal feeling. I want to make sure we have that fit all the way through and, as a result, we have employees with incredible diversity of background, experiences, desires and life goals. We marry all of that together, it’s playful and exciting, we joke with each other and I think the friction we create very much mirrors the vehicle. There’s nothing bland about the vehicle or the company, it’s just not in our DNA.

Q: How would you describe the corporate culture at Aptera?

A: Culture can be a tricky business because it happens whether you tend to it or not. Because we’re a startup and have a clean page at Aptera, the leadership team spends a lot of time thinking about and discussing culture. It’s a factor in so many decisions because we don’t want to wake up one day and say ‘Oh, this is the culture we ended up with at Aptera.’ Rather, we want to develop and create it here, starting with the core values that we live, breathe and hold ourselves accountable to.

Q: What are some of those Aptera values?

A: Safety is definitely at the forefront of everything we do, from what we design into our product to the way we do things internally. I’m working to create an environment where the fabricators leave every day in the same condition they came, where the greatest danger in the front office is a paper cut and where people treat each other with respect. It also means providing a safety net for our employees through a good benefit package and a valid compensation plan, letting them know they’ll be rewarded, challenged and appreciated at work.

Another core value for us is transparency and keeping everything open, which means we’re going to stand behind and own our decisions. We’ll be open, approachable and available, and communicate often, even though it’s tough. With everyone working on the vehicle, fundraising, marketing and hiring, it takes a concerted effort to dedicate time as a leadership team to being transparent.
We value efficiency and thrift, making sure everything we do is purposeful. From the design of the vehicle or the policies and practices we put in place for the business, to each time that we stand in front of the press or meet with a potential employee, everything we do is purposeful and nothing is taken for granted.

All of these aspects speak to our culture, including the way we communicate, the flow of the office, the open spaces and the fact that no executive has an office or different desk or special chair. We’re all in this same boat together.

The Acceleration at Aptera
F = M x A (Fun = Motion x Aptera)

Most drivers associate sports cars with driving fun, which usually means brisk acceleration, powerful braking and nimble, crisp handling.  Not surprising to us, the same things that make a good sports car are generally found in a very efficient vehicle — like the Aptera 2e.

For anybody who’s taken a physics class, remember that Force = Mass x Acceleration (F = M x A). To find acceleration, divide force by mass, which means acceleration is proportional to the force needed to move the mass. More simply, acceleration is a matter of power to weight, and the Aptera 2e’s power to weight ratio verges on sports car numbers, much better than most hybrid or economy cars, so it really scoots!

And acceleration isn’t just about moving forward. Braking is essentially a matter of deceleration, and lateral acceleration speaks to handling. The smaller and lower the mass of the vehicle, the quicker it’s slowed during braking and the more nimble it becomes when flicked side to side. So the strong, lightweight design of the Aptera composite chassis, combined with the dense battery weight sitting low in the vehicle’s belly, means better braking and handling that will (and has) embarrassed a lot of other cars.

By the way, the Aptera 2e’s aerodynamic shape doesn’t just increase its range; it’s a key to de-limiting high-speed performance. The top speeds of most performance cars are ultimately restricted by their inability to slip through the air, needing vast amounts of power to overcome the wall of air they’re fighting. But the 2e doesn’t fight; it slices – right through the air. And while Aptera NEVER condones unsafe driving on public roads, its low-drag-shape allows it to exceed 100 mph with only 23 HP and break 200 mph with just 150 HP. I can’t confirm or deny that either of those has been done. All I can say is: this is a FUN vehicle to drive!

3.17.09 – It’s not every day that you get told your “cool factor is priceless,” especially not by the hosts of The CBS News Early Show. They put Aptera right at the “intersection of innovation and environmentalism” in this live feature from Washington, D.C.
See the link here.

3.17.09 – The Wall Street Journal reported on the Aptera-supported “Innovative Vehicle Act,” which would level the playing field for three- and four-wheeled vehicles being considered for the low-interest Department of Energy loan program. See the link here.

3.20.09 – Our name is Greek for wingless flight, and Car and Driver writer Steve Siler feels the aeronautical similarities are best observed while launching from a standstill, writing, “on full tilt it feels not unlike a Piper or Cessna on takeoff.”
See the link here.

3.20.09 – The ABC World News feature touted the Aptera, stating “you feel like you’re just in a regular car,” while highlighting the practicality and safety for the everyday commuter. See the link here.

4.1.09 – We caught the attention of the U.S. Department of State, who spent a day at Aptera conducting interviews and filming the Aptera 2e in action. They understand what we’re all about and created this two-minute video for America.gov, exposing Aptera to our nation’s leaders and a vast worldwide audience. You can also find it among the top ten videos in their Multimedia – videos page. See the link here.

4.21.09 – Wired Magazine has closely followed the progress of Aptera, so we stopped by their offices during our San Francisco trip and put writer Chuck Squatriglia in the driver’s seat. They left and wrote a detail-filled story calling the Aptera a “real car” that “moves with authority”. See the link here.

5.18.09 – Jay Leno knows a thing or two about cars, so when he called the Aptera 2e “the coolest electric car you’ve ever seen,” on The Tonight Show, it carried some clout. You can hear the rest of Leno’s glowing endorsement in this ten-minute video on Jay Leno’s Garage. See the link here.

6.28.09 – Leno also devoted his column in The Times, London’s biggest newspaper, to Aptera. He used phrases like “eco chic,” and “oodles of cool” to describe how Aptera “…has solved the biggest problem all eco-cars face – how to look chic while saving the planet.” See the link here.