2nd Green Revolution recently wrote a post on the wildly eye-catching and super aerodynamic Aptera electric car. We also have an article on Jay Leno’s review of the Ford Fusion hybrid. Put them together and what do you get? Jay Leno reviewing the Aptera 2e on his website, Jay Leno’s Garage. Paul Wilbur, Aptera’s President, joins Leno in a video discussing the special design and some of the unique specifications of the three-wheeled, 100 mile per charge vehicle. The video mentions that up to 50% of a standard vehicle’s power is used to push air out of the way when it’s moving. Plus, there is all the energy needed to move the mass of a vehicle. The Aptera dissipates these energy demands with its incredibly sleek design and extremely light weight. A few other interesting tidbits from the video follow below: 

• Aptera’s co-efficient of drag is .15 (A smaller number means less drag. A typical car, such as the 2006 Hyundai Sonata, comes in at .30. See Wikipedia list here.)
• The body is made from a “sandwich composite with honey comb foam core” with the outside a silica based fiber
• Total weight is 1700 lbs. (771 kg.) 2006 Sonata: 3535 lbs. (1603 kg.)
• 300 volt system
• 3 wheel vehicle, so it’s registered as a motorcycle but reaches car safety standards
• Front wheel drive
• Batteries are located under floor and seats
• Solar cells on roof (similar to the third generation Prius)
• Camera showing behind the car for backing up is actually in the rear view mirror
• 50-60 horsepower
• Batteries are air cooled
• No “whooshing” noise when driving because it’s so aerodynamic

During the short test drive, Leno remarked how smooth the ride was and how he could tell the drag was much lower than usual. He also complimented the car on its decent pick-up, stability at highway speeds, and long range. While out on the road, practically everybody that passed him in another car was trying to snap a picture of the Aptera on their cell phones. A car that makes such a statement and draws attention is not only a great marketing tool for Aptera but gets people interested in and asking questions about the shift to electric cars. While a lot of flashy or unique cars may be long on looks and short on substance or staying power, it looks like the Aptera may be different. Let’s hope it starts appearing in cities across the country when production cranks up later this year.

- Justin Manger

[Image source: Greenskid.com]