Aptera Motors has shared another exciting progress update video, giving us our best look yet at its production-intent solar EV out in the real world. The SEV startup recently completed the PI build’s first-ever road trip, traveling over 300 miles using an all-electric battery and free energy from the Sun.
That law is lawfare from the traditional car industry and has to be changed. Aptera is stupid shooting itself in the foot with a three-wheeler instead of making a good, light, illegal car and attacking the law with it.
Renault Twizy is small, light, and has four wheels: https://lemmy.world/post/23004993/13909589
Stupid or just not into taking risks?
Is much heavier
Then register it to the next vehicle class, semi-light or whatever. Have the lawmakers fit the laws to the optimal vehicle designs with 2025 technology. How old is the law with the weight limits? Time to update and fit law to existing reality? Isn’t it tradition to let the industry write the laws that apply to itself? Aptera is industry.
If the weight limit were to be adhered to, then the four-wheeler’s structure would have to be redesigned around lighter engineering.
You’re not wrong that the law should change, but there is one thing here. Generally, when we say that 3-wheelers are unstable, we’re talking about one in front/two in back. The opposite configuration, which is what Aptera is using, is generally pretty stable. That one picture of a guy on a recumbent trike is unusual. You almost have to try to do that on purpose.
I’ve owned several recumbent trikes like that one, all of which lifted the inner wheel in sporty driving below my preferred speed.
At which sideways acceleration will Aptera roll over? A heavy battery between the front wheels will help somewhat.
Can-Am Spyders don’t roll over easily. You have to put them into reverse while cranking the wheel and pulling the e-brake.
Sounds like a pretty good idea though to have airbags and crumblezones in something that supposedly can drive 162 km/h (101 mph), and accelerate from 0-60 mph in 6 seconds. You couldn’t pay me to drive something as unsafe as this thing.