(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.

The Aptera e-store is live here!

Now you’ll be able to wear your Aptera pride on your sleeve – or even your hat, water bottle and tote bag. Whenever possible, we’ve chosen materials that are as eco-conscious as they are stylish.

Along with reading this blog, don’t forget that we’re also on Facebook and Twitter, along with hundreds of fellow Aptera fans that you can network with.

Aptera President/CEO Paul Wilbur recently spent some time with Jay Leno at “Jay’s Garage”. The result is this 10-minute piece that beautifully showcases the 2e, including an enthusiastic endorsement from Leno. Be sure to check-out the 2e next to the jet on the runway at Burbank Airport.

Jay also mentioned Aptera on the “Tonight Show” last night. You can check it out here.

We have heard your concerns and we are working to accommodate each and every one of your requests. Please bear with us. To be honest this event filled up faster than anyone could have imagined (more than 450 people in less than 45 minutes). Please keep in mind the San Diego event is only one of  6 that will be taking place over the next few months. All of this before our major launch event in the fall, to which all depositors will be welcome. Rest assured, you will be accommodated.

The Aptera team was busy during its inaugural visit to Capitol Hill, turning the heads of passer-bys and congressional leaders. The team gave test rides around the block in the congested traffic around the Capitol and grabbed a few shots of the vehicle in front of the city’s historic landmarks. We’ll be adding many of these images to our Flickr account soon, so keep an eye out.

We thought we’d take a minute to share some of the great press coverage from the trip, in case you hadn’t had a chance to check it out. If you were out and about at the Capitol and saw the Aptera 2e, let us know in the comment section and post a link to any pictures (we love seeing them).

CBS Nightly News Video:

Watch CBS Videos Online

ABC Video about the “Three Wheeled Aptera 2e”

And, some articles about Aptera’s trip to the East Coast:

American Chronicle “Aptera Goes to Washington”

AutoBlogGreen “Aptera to go to Washington to fight for DoE loans”

Wall Street Journal “Aptera: Still No Love for Three-Wheeled Vehicles”

Automobile “Three-Wheel Vehicles Don’t Qualify for DoE’s Advanced Vehicle Loans”

BNet Auto “Are Three Wheels Better Than Four? Aptera Says Yes.”

Though he’s not first Aptera employee, Brian Gallagher has been a part of the company longer than anybody else. He’s now worked with co-founder Steve Fambro at two companies and is responsible for connecting Fambro with his other half, co-founder Chris Anthony.

Q: How did you become the matchmaker for two entrepreneurial spirits like Messers Fambro and Anthony?

A: While I was still working as an engineer at Illumina, my former employer where I met Steve (Fambro), I was working on my own suspension project in my free time. We used to get together and talk about our projects and, while I thought the scale of his efficient vehicle concept was crazy, the idea made a lot of sense to me.

Through another co-worker I met Chris Anthony, who was using composites to build his own wake boat in San Diego and working hard at something he believed in – just like Steve. After riding in the boat and seeing his composite technology, I was so impressed that I made the next step, set up a dinner and it just spun off from there.

Q: When did you start working with Aptera?

A: I’ve unofficially been with Aptera since it was still a concept, while I was still working with Steve at Illumina. When things started developing back in 2006, I did pro bono work on the dynamic controls and suspension, while also getting the integrated infotainment system off the ground. Then in January 2007 I started doing electrical engineering as an official employee.

Q: What was it that made you finally believe this Aptera concept was really feasible?

A: The concept of the vehicle, which I saw in the early stage because I knew and worked with Steve, and the ability to change the way people think about designing transportation clicked for me. But it was Steve’s, ‘I’m going to do my own thing, make it happen and blaze my own path,’ mindset that made me really believe in the company. Lots of people can dream up new ideas, but it’s only the ones who stay up at night to execute and work on them that will succeed.

One day I got a call from Steve saying that he was leaving Illumina to pursue his ultra-efficient vehicle concept. At that point he wasn’t looking to do anything big, just raising money to prove the concept, but I knew his challenge would be convincing others to believe. Then I saw that some investors had joined and I was convinced that this was realistic and I knew I’d be part of it.

Q: How is your role as electrical engineering manager different at Aptera compared to most automakers?

A: We’re fortunate because an electrical engineer at a typical automaker might only focus on the component side of the modules, not fully understanding the hardware that functions and tests it. But at Aptera it’s so open and we each have knowledge a variety of different arenas, from low-voltage body control components to the high-voltage area that works with the drivetrain and batteries.

Plus, rather than being assigned a specific project with a narrow scope, we’ve been really flexible to innovate and come up with new ideas that fit with Aptera, prototype them out and see what works. It’s like being given the key to someone’s house and being told to do whatever you want to the inside, and what engineer wouldn’t want to work like that?

Q: It seems that so much about Aptera is innovative. What have you contributed to the vehicle in that respect?

A: My core thing was always the infotainment platform. Convincing Steve we could create a PC platform in the vehicle that could be customized with software, like an iPhone, was huge. We didn’t just want the typical audio system because they’re 100 light years away from what we’re doing, and when we met Automatiks, who had the infotainment software to make our vision a reality, it all came together.

Q: What’s keeping you busy everyday as we near production?

A: Right now I manage the day-to-day operations of the electrical engineers, focusing on making all of the subsystems fit on the vehicle for production. All of the freedom to be creative means a lot of responsibility to make it work, but we get things done.