It is a strange looking vehicle, but there are a lot of things I like about the company’s philosophy and approach.

  • Glifted@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    It a fair criticism but I think they’re much closer to production this time. I’m still skeptical they will make it to production, and even more skeptical that they will be successful in the market. However, I am rooting for them simply because I believe this design philosophy is the direction the automotive industry ought to be taking.

    It makes no sense to build heavy, powerful, and expensive EVs in a time where we’re looking down the barrel of climate change and terrible income inequality. Aptera seems to be one of the only companies that understands that. Certainly they deserve to be questioned given past failures but I do hope they succeed as their design is a step in the right direction

    • Cosmo@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Oh yeah I do think the idea is really cool, and I agree with your sentiment about evs (especially within the usa, specifically). I just don’t have an expectation that this company will deliver something that can match the expectations that they always seem to project.

      Re specific small-ev projects, there is innovation happening, just not in the states. For example, I think the way they do electric motorbikes in some asian cities right now is very interesting (ie Gogoro is pretty popular in Taipei, and Honda is experimenting with a similar style in Japan) . Essentially, you have stations that have large walls of batteries, and you just take your bike, swap batteries out for charged ones, and you’re on your way. It’s a cool idea that makes electric bikes just straight more convenient than motor ones.

      I think it’s just way easier to justify innovation in small evs when the top-selling vehicle in your country is not the F-150.

      • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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        2 months ago

        I think the way they do electric motorbikes in some asian cities right now is very interesting

        Interesting? Sure. What happens when it rains? What happens on 107*F days? You just show up to work sopping wet? They don’t worry about their scooter being stolen?

        Put 25MPH speed limits in the city and use micro-cars. Seems like the better option.

        • Cosmo@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          The innovation is the focus on battery-swapping, not in the use of motorbikes… In fact, Honda is developing non-motorbike vehicles with the same concept. That being said, different vehicles work better in different environments. Motorbikes work extremely well in the very compact cities in Asia. They are cheaper to manufacture, and save space / improve traffic when more people use them. Your methodology of nitpicking all of comments that don’t mesh with your extremely narrow vision of an optimal future is a GREAT way to advocate and make people want to conform to your ideas.

          • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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            2 months ago

            Your methodology of nitpicking all of comments that don’t mesh with your extremely narrow vision of an optimal future is a GREAT way to advocate and make people want to conform to your ideas.

            Your methodology of making shit up that never happened is a GREAT way to win an argument.