🤔 I would imagine you may able to “gauge” insurance rate with your insurance company and your state, by applying the cost to insured a high end Can-Am or Polaris Slingshot, but then apply the cost to replace a much higher end Aptera, less deductions for key things like, it is an enclosed vehicle, with car safety devices as found in a cars, where they discount. . And it promises amazing crash tests! Surely much better than any open production title out there...
I believe I read in several places.... the Aptera should qualify to register as a motorcycle in most US states, except for maybe two
I have my 3 wheeled cars registered as cars in Ontario Canada. The insurance was much cheaper than as motorcycles. A precedent had been set for these antique cars as they preceded modern safety requirements. If the Aptera meets modern safety standards here it could be a car.
The last time I spoke to the team about this very question, they were working very hard to get this vehicle classified as a car. They wanted all consumers to be able to operate it with a regular license. They seemed confident that their main shell design was robust enough to supply suitable crash protection to pass the safety requirements.
Granted, this was several years ago, plans change, teams change, targets move.
3 wheel vehicles are registered as a motorcycle. It should be very low cost to register. A few states charge an extra fee for an all electric since it doesn't pay gas tax that supposedly helps pay for roads and bridges. Each state is different. A few states charge less if all electric since it doesn't make pollution.
While this is historically true in most states, please see my response above. The team was working very hard to get this classified as a car. (I was in the facility and asked them this very question)
Yes, everything I recently read said moving in the direction to have it registered as a motorcycle.
But we would not need a motorcycle license! A car license is adequate
“As a motorcycle“...that could help with no need for conventional car sideview mirrors , allowing the video camera instead, showing the view on the interior video screens
✅ I don’t want to wear a helmet, as the Aptera is my helmet
✅ Well typically EV auto federal incentives are better than motorcycles but who knows what will be offered 2021 and forward “these days”
✅ I already have a driver’s license
Motorcycle
✅ Lower routine registration cost
✅ Insurance cost might be based on purchase price but surely a stellar crash test and safety features, all projected.... could lower insurance cost.
✅ This might make it easier to get away from convention side view mirrors and just have the illustrated rear and side view cameras showing views on the interior video screens
✅ Auto driver’s license should be adequate even if classified as a motorcycle
Regardless of classification it should qualify for HOV use, even with just one person on board
Tolls and Transport (like ferries) costs? TBD (Typically number of wheels or axles and vehicle weight factor in)
🤔 I would imagine you may able to “gauge” insurance rate with your insurance company and your state, by applying the cost to insured a high end Can-Am or Polaris Slingshot, but then apply the cost to replace a much higher end Aptera, less deductions for key things like, it is an enclosed vehicle, with car safety devices as found in a cars, where they discount. . And it promises amazing crash tests! Surely much better than any open production title out there...
I believe I read in several places.... the Aptera should qualify to register as a motorcycle in most US states, except for maybe two
I have my 3 wheeled cars registered as cars in Ontario Canada. The insurance was much cheaper than as motorcycles. A precedent had been set for these antique cars as they preceded modern safety requirements. If the Aptera meets modern safety standards here it could be a car.
The last time I spoke to the team about this very question, they were working very hard to get this vehicle classified as a car. They wanted all consumers to be able to operate it with a regular license. They seemed confident that their main shell design was robust enough to supply suitable crash protection to pass the safety requirements.
Granted, this was several years ago, plans change, teams change, targets move.
3 wheel vehicles are registered as a motorcycle. It should be very low cost to register. A few states charge an extra fee for an all electric since it doesn't pay gas tax that supposedly helps pay for roads and bridges. Each state is different. A few states charge less if all electric since it doesn't make pollution.
While this is historically true in most states, please see my response above. The team was working very hard to get this classified as a car. (I was in the facility and asked them this very question)
Yes, everything I recently read said moving in the direction to have it registered as a motorcycle.
But we would not need a motorcycle license! A car license is adequate
“As a motorcycle“...that could help with no need for conventional car sideview mirrors , allowing the video camera instead, showing the view on the interior video screens
Jstackeaa, can I ask which insurance company insures your autocycles. as would like to talk to their agents In AZ . thx
Here's an informative piece from 2017. It explains where all the states stand on the "not-four-wheeled-vehicle" issue:
https://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/transportation-review-autocycles.aspx
🤔 From my street corner...
Regarding....
Autocycle
✅ I like the name better than motorcycle
✅ I don’t want to wear a helmet, as the Aptera is my helmet
✅ Well typically EV auto federal incentives are better than motorcycles but who knows what will be offered 2021 and forward “these days”
✅ I already have a driver’s license
Motorcycle
✅ Lower routine registration cost
✅ Insurance cost might be based on purchase price but surely a stellar crash test and safety features, all projected.... could lower insurance cost.
✅ This might make it easier to get away from convention side view mirrors and just have the illustrated rear and side view cameras showing views on the interior video screens
✅ Auto driver’s license should be adequate even if classified as a motorcycle
Regardless of classification it should qualify for HOV use, even with just one person on board
Tolls and Transport (like ferries) costs? TBD (Typically number of wheels or axles and vehicle weight factor in)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2381/text