Aptera 2 Series | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Aptera Motors, Inc. |
Also called | Aptera 2e, Aptera 2h |
Assembly | United States |
Designer | Eleven |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Subcompact |
Body style | 2-door three-wheeled car |
Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel drive layout |
Powertrain | |
Engine |
2e: Remy 82kW electric motor 2h: Gasoline generator + Electric Motor |
Transmission |
2e: Borg-Warner single ratio transaxle 2h: Series hybrid layout |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 108 in (274 cm) |
Length | 175.6 in (446 cm) |
Width | 86 in (218 cm) |
Height | 54.4 in (138 cm) |
Curb weight | 1,800 lb (820 kg) |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Aptera Mk-1 |
The Aptera 2 Series (formerly the Aptera Typ-1) was a high-efficiency passenger three-wheeled automobile under development by Aptera Motors. The California-based company opened a pre-ordering process for residents of California, but stopped taking deposits in July 2011, and on August 12, 2011, Aptera announced it would return all deposits from customers who had signed up to buy an Aptera 2e electric car or the planned 2h hybrid, before the company finally folded in December 2011.
The first variant of the 2 Series slated for production was the Aptera 2e (formerly Typ-1e), a battery electric vehicle. Aptera claimed the 2e would accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in less than 10 seconds, and be capable of reaching a top speed of over 85 mph (137 km/h). A later variant would have been Aptera 2h (formerly Typ-1h), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. According to Aptera, the 2 Series would have been priced from the mid-US$20,000s to mid-US$40,000s, depending on the variant and options selected by the buyer.
An Aptera 2 made a short appearance in the 2009 film Star Trek.
In June 2013, it was announced that Zaptera USA will be splitting into two companies: the existing Jonway-owned Zaptera USA, and the completely independent Aptera USA.
The Aptera 2 Series was designed to be a low-energy vehicle; early estimates of its energy consumption ran as low as 80 watt-hours/mi at 55 mph. Later estimates are as high as 200Wh for aggressive driving. The company stated in September 2009 that "if Aptera was given an official EPA rating [the fuel-efficiency figure assigned to all cars by the United States federal government], it would be 851 mpg", suggesting that it is 2.2 times more efficient than Nissan Leaf. The Aptera 2 Series has a drag coefficient of Cd=0.15, compared with Cd=0.19 for the record-holding General Motors EV1, and Cd=0.24 for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé, currently the lowest for a mass-produced car. The Aptera's atypical shape is a result of extensive optimization in a virtual wind tunnel, following the designs of Alberto Morelli. It used recessed windshield wipers and low rolling resistance tires.