Here is What Elon Musk Thinks About Aptera

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In true Aptera fashion, its cofounders shared a video update outlining the company’s progress in bringing a solar EV into scaled production. The webinar which debuted live this morning can be viewed in full below and offers a slew of news surrounding grants, funding, tooling overseas, and solar development. Here’s the latest.

As one of the few companies on the planet attempting to bring a viable (and hopefully scalable) solar EV to the masses, Aptera Motors is not only powered by the sun, but also by outside the box thinking. As a startup relying heavily on its community and other financial backers to eventually reach production, Aptera remains refreshingly open about its progress and the hurdles it still faces.

[chrispewkreme]

Aptera has been saying “soon” since 2007. I really doubt Tesla is worried.

[jonathand.wieand]

Really doesn’t provide much if any description of what Elon Musk may think about the Aptera and progress to date idea itself.

[davidherbert]

This video is a big Con job.
Your headline reads "Here is what Elon Musk Thinks About Aptera", but we never hear Elon Musk speak one word.
If you don't let the man speak, you should change the head line to read,
"Here is what some commentator thinks about Elon Musk."

I'd really like to see Aptera succeed, but please keep your words simple and true.

[RichardJansen-jq]

I wish success for Aptera, they will need giant cash infusion to scale up for maximum production. I don't think the average buyer will choose Aptera's design.

[barnabasseadog]

Aptera filed with the SEC on 7/20/23 stated in part: DELIVERIES START Q2 2024, 7000 vehicles by 2025, 20, 000 vehicles by 2026, 43, 000 reservations with a cancelation rate under 5%, fulfilled by 2027.
Musk wouldn't know, he's busy making some truck.

[stevesedio]

As an engineer, I expect Aptera to succeed for 2 reasons.
1. They are modelling and testing their ideas to make the right tradeoffs. Even things as simple as a motor for each driven wheel, because it eliminates the weight and losses in the drive train. But, that increases unsprung weight, which could impact handling on rough roads (which they have also tested). In addition, putting the motor weight as far out as possible improves cornering stability.
2. Working with Sandy on manufacturability. No matter how good the idea, the resulting product has a market price. $50, 000 (raw price, w/o rebates) for a 1000 miles of range, along with 40+ miles per day solar panels add, is very attractive. Shorter ranges cost less.

Their base idea was to make a vehicle as efficient as possible. Wind resistance is the biggest factor, doubling speed requires 8 times the power. 10 miles / KWh is 3 times what I get in my Bolt, over twice what the Tesla Model 3 gets. That will improve if the DOT allows cameras to replace the wing mirrors (the entire card has the wind resistance of the one wing mirror on a Ford F150).

[tristanwwsd]

Maybe what Musk means is Aptera has been threatening to produce a car for almost 20 years and hasn't.

[madmotorcyclist]

A two seater is a different market from Tesla. But until Aptera really starts a mass delivery Musk is right. Musk had the advantage of a big piggy bank to launch Tesla, and now Aptera just needs to meet its pre-orders and get some real customer on road experience to claim success.

[SteveBueche]

Since most new drivers won’t travel more than 40 miles a day to work, this is perfect for the newbie, single or second vehicle. At the starting price of $26, 900 it’s most affordable.

[thomasedmonds]

I think he was basically down playing Aptera. He is probably highly concerned about the competition!

[aftonline]

Aptera's execution has actually been well thought through. I think Aptera's production plan will work well. It may have taken a long time, but from what I can see, they are using technology effectively to optimize the production of the Aptera.

[ApteraEV]

1:40 Exactly!!!❤ Ideas 1st, 💡Mental Knowledge Work, 2nd Physical Work!❤

[dsds]

Aptera is known for it's claim to have an efficient vehicle. They've never provided any evidence to support their claims.

Musk is right. It's easy to sit around coming up with ideas, but it takes a lot of skill and hard work to make them reality.

[ApteraEV]

I didnt hear any remarks from Elon, Thanks for sharing!

[carsgunsandguitars]

This is more of an Elon hit piece than news about Aptera

[tajdvl-advocate]

Musk does not think that ideas are trivial. He knows that they are just one link in a development chain and that they are of no value without execution. Execution success is spread out temporally over development and production execution. Execution is a coherent series of steps. Ideas are, in a way, far easier. Execution is grueling, exhausting and far more multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. Áptera had ideas and failed before being resurrected later. It has failed so far not because of ideas but because of poor development execution.

[williamspilman.]

Aptera has been working on this concept car for years and years and still I wonder what kind of production and fulfillment they can actually do.

[thbiosphere]

It is very unfortunate that Elon isn't manufacturing a vehicle like this

[ronstahl]

I think you need to spare us the rationalizations and deliver a product at the proposed price.

[deanlipska]

I have been following them for two years. They have a great idea but, have not delivered any yet. What's up