The Aptera 2e, that all-electric car that has made consumers’ minds roll on what is really the score with the whole design will be delayed. This was learned after Aptera announced that the Aptera 2e will start production in 2010. Originally, this vehicle was to start production this year but apparently some money considerations has stalled the vehicle from breaking ground. The forefathers are contending that they can shell out the cash to kick off things but want to avail of the financing program before making any hasty decisions.

This means that the 4,000 people who have placed pre-orders will have to wait some more before the Aptera 2e really goes into production. Hopefully though the long wait will be worth every penny that they had deposited for the said vehicle.

(Source) Slashgear

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What you see above is supposedly a production render of an Aptera 2e. In other words, if this vehicle were to ever roll of the production lines, this is exactly what it would supposedly look like. If you’re familiar with Aptera’s vehicles you’ll know that this looks very similar to previous iterations of the 2e except for a few changes such as updated wheel housing and larger windows.

If/when the all electric Aptera 2e does make it off the drawing board and into production it is expected to be made available for purchase at Best Buy sometime before the end of 2009.

via aptera forum

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No, according to a United States government loan program.  The three-wheeled electric Aptera, which we talked about some time earlier right here, does not technically qualify as a car, and thus didn’t qualify for loans offered by the program.

Here’s the part that’ll really blow your mind open.  See, the government’s loan program defined “car” as a four-wheeled vehicle.  Thus, the Aptera is out of the game as it only has three wheels.  But, the three-wheeled non-car Aptera is also an electric vehicle, and is pretty much the epitome of everything the Obama administration claims to be looking for in green car tech.

Me personally?  I wouldn’t buy one myself.  Yes, it looks awesome and running on electric guarantees the fuel is cheap, but the biggest problem is that this thing would be eaten alive by wintertime roadways in the northern United States, where I’m from.  Road salt would do horrendous things to that ultralight body, and those three wheels likely would get terrible traction on icy, slushy, or just plain snow-covered roads, doubly worse considering that body is so low-slung it’d likely get caught in any snowdrift over six inches.  It’s a great idea, but it’s got a long way to go before it replaces a solid gas car.

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Have you ever wondered what the inside of an Aptera e2 looks like when it’s being driven? Well, look no further as a video was recently posted on the Aptera Forum showcasing a ride in the e2.

Does anyone else notice that some things are starting to look eerily like they did in old books predicting the future? Now all we need are some flying cars.

Read (Aptera Forum)

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Now, I don’t know about you guys, but as cool and futuristic as this thing looks, I’d never purchase one. Hell, the fact that everyones moving away from combustion engines and towards electric, irks my gears. And trust me, I’m just as worred about the environment as the next guy.

But, for those of you who are interested in the all electric Aptera 2e, you will be happy to hear that the full specs have officially been revealed.

Below are the official specs, revealed at the TED conference, thanks to AutoBlogGreen:

Dimensions:
53″ high x 91.0″ wide x 173″ long
111″ wheelbase
80.5″ front track.

Other specs:
0.15 Coefficient of drag
5″ ground clearance
1500 lbs curb wt.

Electric motor torque: 60FtLb torque
110v 15A charge time: 8 hrs.
Battery output: 10-13 KWh battery pack.
Battery voltage: 336V DC Nominal Tractoon Voltage
Transmission: Gear box 10:1 ratio
Battery Type: Lithium Ion PhosphateChassis:
Front Suspension: Independent unequal length A-arm
Rear Suspension: Swing Arm
Steering: Manual Steering, tilt steering column
Brakes: Manual Brakes, dual circuit brake hydraulics, mechanical brake proportioning, 3-wheel disc
Wheels: 14-inch High Strength Stamped Steel wheels
Size: P165/65R14

Specs continued after the break.
(more…)

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