7/30/08 - Aptera Typ-1 pushes design and efficiency to new ground - carcentral.com.au

[A1phaGeek]

http://www.carcentral.com.au/200807302449/hybrid/electric/aptera-typ-1-pushes-design-and-efficiency-to-new-ground.html

An aviation-inspired design and astonishing efficiency claims are the hallmarks of U.S. company Aptera’s groundbreaking Typ-1 prototype electric vehicle. Featuring an unconventional three-wheeled layout and highly aerodynamic styling, the Typ-1 promises to usher in an era of affordable, clean and efficient motoring - and it’s set to begin production by December. The Typ-1 will be available in both electric and hybrid form, with the all-electric car headed to production first. Powered by a 10kWh battery pack and an as-yet undisclosed electric motor, the car is capable of travelling at a similar pace to an econo-hatch but will be fully chargable at home. The hybrid variant will be able to extend the car's range considerably, using a smaller battery pack in combination with a small-displacement petrol engine and a 12kW starter/generator.
Though the company has not made any announcements of intent to bring the car to Australia, and the first models will only be available in California, because of its three-wheeled configuration the Typ-1 is technically classed as a motorcycle under many governmental regulations. This will allow it to circumvent some of the more expensive and rigorous certification requirements.

[APTERA 2356]

Again I see this article says " the company is confident its high-strength yet lightweight carbon-fibre intensive structure will prove more than a match for official testing"

There is some confusion as to weather the aptera is carbon fiber or just composit fiberglass.
I was sure this is not the only reference I've seen to the aptera being Carbon fiber but there was just a thread debunking the carbon fiber.

Now I'm really confused :rolleye0003:

[KarenRei]

The short answer on carbon fiber is, "we don't know how much, if any, they use."

[Sierrasailor53]

I believe in one of the videos of the factory they showed a layup of the aptera before the resin was added and I saw some black roving along with the white fiberglass. That would be carbon fiber. So I'm thinking that they lay in the carbon fiber at the most stressful joints.

[n_dawg]

I didn't see that at all in the Aptera factory tour. If anything, there were parallel dark lines through the entire part.