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.
They won’t, because then it’s legally considered a proper car that has to have air bags and crumple zones and such. They can only make it small and cheap because it’s three wheels.
That law is lawfare from the traditional car industry and has to be changed.
Trikes are only good for saving pennies at the cost of driveability and usability - they should not be incentivised by law. Four-wheelers are more stable and should be under the same law as trikes.
Aptera is stupidly shooting itself in the foot with an awkward three-wheeler instead of making a good, light, safe, illegal car and attacking the harmful law with it. A quad could have a cargo space or back seat between the two rear wheels.
Riversimple Rasa
Renault Twizy
HP Velotechnik Scorpion
Trikes are less stable than 4-wheelers, slow and teetery around curves, unless very low centre of gravity.
Trikes can’t have a cargo space or back seat between the one rear wheel.
https://www.quora.com/When-a-3-wheeled-car-is-being-designed-how-will-it-be-calculated-if-the-car-will-topple-How-will-the-maximum-turning-speed-and-radius-for-safe-turning-be-found-out/answer/Harri-K-Hiltunen
Sabotage through lawfare is being done to velomobiles / pedal cars:
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-you-think-the-Sinclair-C5-one-person-battery-electric-velomobile-failed-to-take-off-during-the-1980s/answer/Harri-K-Hiltunen
https://xfwnofqagsnmdxuf.quora.com/Lawfare-against-tiny-cars-velomobiles
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.