I need a vehicle that efficiently carries 4 people comfortably. It should also be able to tow at least 1500 lbs for when I need to take a trailer to the home improvement center... Maybe have a trailer as an optional equipment. I hope you can make it, I am guessing at least $15000 to manufacture the current design of the Aptera vehicle.
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Seems like reasonable needs. I was in your boat at one time.
The Aptera should be in the $30+k to $50+k price point, depending on model, per their website ....TBD
I would imagine once Aptera gets this model launched.... “success” would get them to your needs
Lets 🤞
Hi Nathan, I'm glad you found this forum. Back when you and the rest of the Illuminati Motors team were building Seven for the Automotive X-Prize, in 2010 - I had just started designing a 5 seat electric car, I call CarBEN.
When I was at the Knockout round (as a guest member of the Edison2 team), I had 1/24th scale wood model of my design. I had been following the Aptera, and by that point, it seemed likely to not be able to survive. And their showing at the X-Prize confirmed that that it wouldn't.
You and I met (briefly) there, by the way. I also got to see the carbon fiber version of Seven at MIT when Kevin brought it there. You guys should have won the X-Prize - and would have - if you had the time to fix the clutch/transmission issue.
Since then, I started to build CarBEN, and I am still hoping to get it (or a 1/4 scale model) into a wind tunnel. Here's my blog post about construction: http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/2013/04/carben-ev5-construction.html
Some additional photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NwWWvcNRScyPYxeb7
Quick question. Do you have some updated pages because your website says that it is from 2013? I would love to hear the progress that CarBen has been making throughout the years. Thanks.
I have not been able work on it for quite a while now - I only have a 1 car garage, and I have been working on my house. My brother and I totally removed the roof, and rebuilt it with space for a 10kW south-facing solar array.
Very good. Will you eventually build like a two car garage barn in your backyard? I ask because your shed is very small to be working on CarBen in from pictures that you have posted online. Thanks!