Did Aptera Pricing Just Leak??

[michaelbramel]

Cost of ownership is a thing for those who know there is a future. Pennsylvania is instituting their EV gas tax registration next year, starting at $200/year but going up to $250 in 2026. Autocycles are exempt, so there's another $2000 savings over 8 years of operation.

[rkbarker]

I am currently sitting around #300. I was OK with the $33, 000 maybe even going up to 35 or 36 but 39 or 40 for the LE. That’s where it starts getting sketchy. No belly pan cooling, no in wheel motors, no all wheel drive, no Comma AI. Have I forgotten anything else?

[googleuser]

It's a really tough sell at $40k. Even a base model 2025 Camry or Prius is actually a smarter buy for almost everyone. I'm an investor and a reservation holder (#19, 500 ish range), so hopefully they have a budget model and tax credit by then. Otherwise, my 2015 low mileage Prius makes more sense in the long run. All about efficiency, right? A 250 mile version at around $25-27k feels right.

[jdedmnds]

I invested money because they said they could sell an Aptera for less than $30, 000. If the price is $40, 000 i would not buy one. I have a few vehicles that are paid for and I cannot see going in debt just to own an EV no matter how efficient it is. I am retired and I spend less than a car payment on gas each month. I wouldn't even consider buying a Tesla or a Rivian or any other EV. If I had an Aptera, I would use solar panels and a battery to charge it and the cost of that would be very low. I like the concept of the Aptera and it's efficiency, I don't think the cost of $40, 000 is for me.

[marcfoxhall]

You make some good points here. However, what this essentially means is a lot of the people who signed on and have been patiently waiting for years did so because their initial advertisement was for a vehicle that could be obtained for around $25, 000. What that essentially means is many of the customers are not really customers at all. They might become customers down the road once they figure out how to make the vehicle cheaper, but right now their lists do not accurately reflect their true customer base.

[jaxonsmith]

Okay but the black and gold Aptera in the thumbnail? Cleanest one by far

[garywozniak]

I want Aptera to succeed, but I'm done being a cheerleader. After a year or two of touting the advantages of IWM's and defending them to naysayers along with the efficiency and benefits of the onboard solar, I've become a bit disillusioned. $40k for the LE is too much. I also want to see what the new drive train is. How efficient it is, and see at least one build with full solar and see some real-world numbers on range. Solar charging and crash safety.

[Guerreropowerr]

i'm so hyped for aptera. I hope they make it!

[arlenbell]

I was [am] hoping that LE owners would have some advantage over later owners, but it looks like it could be the other way around. My first reservation was for a front wheel drive 600 mile version. When the LE was announced I switched over to be able to get an Aptera a year (or two?) early — some of us aren’t getting younger! I don’t think AWD is that important to me as I will probably avoid driving in snow and had no thought about taking it “off-road” or to the drag strip. I’m looking at Aptera from the efficiency and fund standpoint. It will be fun to just get out and drive — to nowhere in particular for practically no cost. I have solar and where I am we have net metering where my excess generation is bought by the utility for 4¢/KWh. I generate each year a credit of approximately 2 giga watts so charging Aptera at home on even Level one is very doable. We all would like to get the best Aptera we can, as soon as possible and for the lowest [reasonable] cost. I’m looking forward to what Aptera has to tell us this month.

[Fairburne]

$34k, $35k I can afford. Anything more than that might force me to wait for a cheaper model (shorter range) or used model.

I'm currently driving a hybrid Hyundai top trim. 35k miles and no car payments.

I soooo want an Aptera but I still have soooo many questions.

Just need to wait and see.

[ronnw]

I hope this isn't the case. I was just going to get the 250 mi range version but for this price I can just go to used Chevy bolt and save a lot of money. Granted and the solar efficiency and the insurance would save a lot of money but not $10, 000 worth.

[malekabdoh]

Also repair costs because they have right to repair

[russmitchellmovement]

The cost of ownership issue is huge, as is the price point. For upper-middle-class guys, that price range isn't a big deal. For us in the lower middle class, the numbers get daunting quickly and I absolutely *have* to run that calculus to see if I can still be in at that price-range. (the question in our economic bracket isn't "Aptera vs Tesla, " it's "Aptera vs traditional car."

[robwalker]

Need to worry about pot hole damage to the Aptera wheel skirts or as they call it pants. I still have a concern about the potholes on the roads I drive.

[yoobb]

Steve, at the Aptera Owners Club YouTube channel says the $39K figure shown in the U.S. Capital Global investor presentations is likely an overestimate, based on early quotes from suppliers that are skeptical of Aptera's prospects. Bids to supply parts (including battery cells) to Aptera are likely to get more competitive as Aptera gets closer to production. If Aptera passes on the resulting cost reductions, the actual pricing could very well end up lower than $39K.

Keep in mind, that $39K figure comes from an investor presentation, so there may be a bias toward showing a higher prospective profit margin. There may also be a bias toward keeping expectations low (and initial cost projections high) with the hope of exceeding those expectations with a lower final price.

There is also potential for substantial "side profits" from the automotive grade solar business that could offset pricing of Aptera vehicles. There's no indication that the investor presentation has taken this possibility into account.

In summary, there is reason to be optimistic that the price could end up substantially less than the $39K listed in the investor presentation, and closer to the $34K that was originally presented for the Launch Edition.

[robinpettit]

I want them to make an adequate profit. Beyond that I am looking forward to getting my Aptera.

[RaymondCore-tsjl]

Uhhh, we've had at least a 20% devaluation of the US dollar from inflation so, 33k to 39K is just about in line with the change in the spending power of the dollar. In other words, the price of the car hasn't gone up, the value of the dollar has gone down.

[ForgottenNavigator]

I'm fine with $30k, $39k will keep me at the sidelines for a few years.

[kamingcloud]

Love the Aptera!
If someone damages the in hub wheel motor driving over a giant deep pothole, I wonder how much it will cost to repair or replace the in hub wheel motor and the wheel together? And how long of a waiting day for the repair job to be finished? And where do people take their Aptera for a regular maintenance service check-up?

[jhwblender]

I really like how you presented this, thank you.
My guess is the backlash comes from them telling us a lower price from the beginning. And I genuinely think it's because they were just inexperienced and didn't know how much it would actually cost. If they had advertised it as $100, 000 vehicle, and then we're able to sell it in the end for $50, 000 people would be less upset.
I personally really really want aptera to succeed. Having worked there, it was amazing to see such genuine people and how much passion they had for such a unique product.