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Aptera Failure Reflects Broad Electric-Car Obstacles

    • "It was very close to developing a mid-sized sedan costing less than 30K that can achieve 190 miles per gallon". Close? Well, how close? If the big automakers can't do it, you seriously think a small start up venture like Aptera can get it done? What a scam! Smells fishy from the get go. Watch these guys take the money and then declare bankruptcy. Yeah, he's correct in stating that the current state of economy is to be blame. But he forgot to mention that con men operates in this economy like never before, just like what Aptera is trying to do. Glad to see them go out of business before they steal more money.

    • Could it not be possible that starting a car company of any kind requires a great deal of investment and resources? Or that keepign afloat any medium sized business right now is very difficult? Or perhaps that wacky designs don't pay (the Aptera was pretty bizarre)?

      Electric cars are coming, but any idea that they'll flood the market is off the mark - it will take decades. But ask any large carmaker and they will say electric and hybrid electric power will gain ground in the coming years, alongside advances in efficient petrol and diesel vehicles. Former GM boss Bob Lutz has said, "The electrification of the motor car is innevitable." Unfortunately, keeping a small car company going is not.

    • Nissan would sell a lot more Leafs if the car wasn't so dang ugly !

    • Paul Wilbur is responsible for the plight of Aptera. He's an incompetent CEO that did not succeed at any of the goals that were set for him. Instead of bringing the innovative vehicle into production as he supposed to do, he chose to redesign it from the ground up wasting valuable time and money. He's actually lying when he says he had a conditional commitment from the DOE. It didn't exist and simple research proved it. The people that invested in Aptera were the ones that hired this guy so I suppose they got what they deserved - bankruptcy.

    • Aptera did have a good thing going at one point, except they were very limited in who they were taking reservations from. I for one attempted to reserve an aperta a few years back, but they were only taking reservations for people in California (not the best approach if you need capital).
      With regards to obtaining 190 mpg, if anyone is going to do it, it would be a "small" company. Look at the other companies. The big companies did not get involved on a massive scale until the Tesla Roadster came out and sold a bunch of cars. Look at the fuel mpg increases (in the early 90's late 80's it jumped up 5 mpg- that's not a natural technology increase, it's a jump which means they were holding back the technology)
      I for one believe that electric cars will make a huge headway in the next few years, but it will not be from GM, Nissan, Ford or any of the other "big" manufacturers simply due to the fact of limited range. People want cars that they can substitute for their cars now, and currently the ONLY manufacturer that makes a 200+ miles per charge car is Tesla

    • @Dan5 Interestingly, the reservation money was not used to finance the company and recently was given back to the 4000 people. The reservation program was set up by the founders, Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony, so no one could pilfer the money. They were let go by the CEO that sunk the company. The founders business plan was similar to Tesla, start small, get vehicles on the road to prove your design, improve on design along the way, and grow larger as demand dictates. Paul Wilbur's plan, the CEO, was to redesign the vehicle to appeal to more consumers while awaiting money from the government. Who knows if the former plan would have worked but the CEO's plan definitely failed. This is the third company that Paul Wilbur has brought to bankruptcy.

    • The major patents on NiMH battery technology expire by 2014. Texaco currently holds those patents. I look forward to "major breakthroughs" in NiMh batteries in the next few years that will make electric vehicles significantly more affordable.

    • Exxon Mobil - The world will be uninhabitable in the near future but at least you made a lot of money. Good for you.

    • My wife, Helga, and I test drove the 2012 Chevy Volt in Northern Virginia and Maryland to see if it is the green-vehicle for us. We found that it drives like a normal car, nothing fancy or exciting. Although technically it is supposed to be cutting edge,it looks like an $18,000 Cruze. The main setback; however, is the $46,000 price with all the extras--although I would not consider the rear view camera extra because of the poor visibility--and $37,900 base model. Plus, the $2,000 home charging station, freight and processing fees the dealerships add to increase their profits. Then there is the $7,500 tax credit that is supposed to help you take the plunge while Chevy reinforces the Volt's battery compartment and modifies the wiring. I think I will wait for prices to come further down and for a Chevy to reassure us that we are making a safe, worthwhile investment in our daily commute.

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