Aptera exterior finish info

[laura-batchelor]

Seems to me that the simple solution would be to contract with a large local paint shop (with good quality control) to provide the 3 basic colors of paint on those cars bought by those who really want paint instead of wraps. It could be an upgrade, although I’d be really mad if it cost a fortune.

[Greek]

Since most parts are outsourced, including body panels, there may be a future to produce color infused panels. They are expensive as Mercedes smart cars were originally sold with the first 4-5 years of manufacturing…starting 1998. Smart cars weren’t available in US market until 2008, I have owned 2002, 2003 and 2004 that were federalized. Smaller by 6 inches than the 2008 US models at only 8 ft long. I miss my smarties,…anyways to get to the point, color infused panels have the advantage of being able to buff out deep scratches. I’m sure it would still be cheaper if they outsourced painting the panels prior to assembly.

[norman-roberts]

Chris stated in a webinar that the difficulty with resin infused color, matching parts that are not the same material such as wheel pants would be problem. I suggest intentionally make the other parts that are not the main body a different shade of the body color as part of the overall design.

[laura-batchelor]

3M has a 3 year warranty on their wraps, and no warranty at all for states in the Southwest. Wraps degrade in the sun in a relatively short time. I live in South Florida, where the UV is a significant factor if I’m going to be leaving my new car in the sun for charging purposes. IT’S A SOLAR VEHICLE, DESIGNED TO SIT IN THE SUN ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. Why would anyone in their right mind put a wrap that doesn’t stand up to sun exposure onto a vehicle designed to be in the sun? That is the problem I have with wraps.

If I’m buying a new vehicle, I expect the exterior coating to last longer than 3 years. I don’t care if it’s paint, gel coat, solid color resin with UV inhibitors, or a wrap with ceramic coating that will last for 20 years – whatever it is should last a LOT longer than 3 years and it shouldn’t be an add-on cost. This is a vehicle that is supposed to hold up instead of being a piece of disposable junk. I see plenty of wraps that look pretty sorry running around town, all eaten up, blistered and peeling and skanky. If Aptera uses wraps that don’t last, it will tick off customers bearing the cost and inconvenience of having to rewrap or paint a few years after purchasing; be a deterrant for sales to new customers who will see the issues on vehicles that look bad (and probably hear about them from friends and family who own one); undermine the credibility of the company to produce a good-quality product; and give investors a reason to lower their opinion of the stock price. That’s a heavy price to pay on so many levels if they can’t solve the quality issues of using wraps.

[stanart]

Aside from UV questions, how will a composite body hold up to parking lot dings, etc?

[kerbe2705]

@Stanley Peterson There’s a bit of flexibility to composites: They don’t dent like metal, so “dings” may be a thing of the past. Scrapes and scratches, however, will persist.

[steven-g-bueche]

Tim, I got my M3 Paint Protected wrap. My guy said you can protect it with a ceramic coating.

Here’s what he said was the best after experimentation.

https://gtechniq.com

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Norman Roberts.

[joshua-rosen]

We need to get back to the boat thing. Chris is a boat builder, boats bob around in salt water under the hot sun for decades so clearly it’s a solved problem. I trust they will choose something durable.

[steven-g-bueche]

When and looked at the 3M 1080 wrap. Here’s a page for you. It states that wraps with a matt finish are warrantied for 7 years.

1080 Series 3M™ vinyl wrap films are made for use it right out of the box. There’s no need to print or apply an overlaminate. And, since they’re manufactured with dual color layers for dimensional stability and durability, you can depend on them not to discolor or deform even around the craziest of curves. Enjoy the convenience and quality of this 3.5 mil cast film.

• Dual-cast vinyl film in a wide variety of colors
• Available in five styles: matte, satin, gloss, carbon fiber, and brushed metal
• Pressure-sensitive adhesives
• Invisible, air-drain channels for bubble-free results
• Sold by the foot in 60 inch rolls so you can wrap anything without seams
• Semi-permanent and removable
• 7 year life for Matte, Satin, and Gloss
• 5 year life for Carbon Fiber and Brushed Metal1

Further more,…

How to Store Your Wrapped Vehicle

Proper storage of your wrapped vehicle is vital to preserve the film’s durability and color. Vinyl can degrade from prolonged exposure to sun and begin lifting from acidic weather patterns. Here are simple steps for protecting your car:

• Store in a garage or shaded area.
• Protect your vehicle from rain that may contain acidic properties.
• Use a cloth or cover if garage storage is unavailable.
• Immediately have a professional remove the film to avoid staining on the car’s paint if your vinyl starts to turn brown.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Steven G. Bueche. Reason: Additional Information
• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Norman Roberts.

[bart-cunningham]

Wraps do seem to be a unsatisfactory solution for a vehicle designed to sit in the sun all day long. I think infused is the way to go with purposely different colors for the wheel covers, etc… so matching isn’t an issue. Colors could be two tone schemes like black/gray or white/gray or even black/white or whatever but this way color matching between different components is not an issue.

[Pragmatic_to_a_Fault]

Wraps are fine for a cheap color change , but not for longevity, typical wraps under normal circumstances will last 6-7 years. Harsh conditions 1-4 years , under the best possible conditions 10-11 years , my Volvo is 15 years old and has been through snow,ice,hail,dust,grime,sleet and hot hot hot weather , and it still looks amazing, but it’s painted.

The wrap idea was the cheapest way Chris could get to production…. It has nothing to do with being the best possible coating for the purchaser. ( especially in California where the EPA would make it nearly impossible to paint anything.

[bryan.bowes]

Not me. Chris has thought long and hard about this. If his boats can last a decade with these wraps the car should do well.

[Tony]

I’m wondering if the composite material being used for Aptera’s exterior will have any impact on paint durability.

In choosing the color for my Aptera, I’m primarily concerned that because I won’t be storing it in the garage like my other cars that it’s color will fade sooner… I’m leaving it out in the sun all the time.

Because of color fading concerns, I’m going with silver. Otherwise, I love the black and would choose that if I could feel better about it not fading quickly.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Anthony Bonta.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by  Gabriel Kemeny.

[john-malcom]

The Aptera exterior finish will be a vinyl wrap not paint at this point in development

[joe-lyddon]

Besides Washing, is Waxing recommended?

Would waxing interfere with the skin Cooling feature?

It looks like washing Under it will be challenging?

How about a normal Car washing machine… OK to use?

I’ll bet washing the inside windows will be a challenge?

[NorthernSouler]

Joe, I will admit to being a pure novice in this area, so I hopped on Google. 😁

Based on what I read, if you go to a car wash, you’d want to use a brushless wash to avoid putting tears in the wrap. There may be specific spray-on waxes that would be appropriate. You might be able to use Simple Green, a garden hose, and a chamois cloth to get off bird poop and road tar. Maybe it’ll be different depending on the wrap.

Mostly, I’m going to rely on Aptera to give me the best care information since I’ve never owned a wrapped vehicle.

[kerbe2705]

@Joe Lyddon The “skin cooling” will be an aluminum plate on the belly of the vehicle: I’m guessing it would be rather awkward to do anything more with it than to hose it off now and again. I can’t see myself lying on my back under the Aptera – like some low-rent Michelangelo – trying to wax its belly!

[steven-g-bueche]

Folks, you should use the search button under Wraps to get most if not all your answers on how to care for a wrapped vehicle.

In short form: Spray wash only, coat with a ceramic coating to keep cleaner and shed water, leave in the sun to charge but when finished pull into shade.

If you want a shiny Aptera get a custom wrap for that type of finish from gloss to chrome.

I hope this helps.

[dirk-wright]

Yes, you can wax a wrapped vehicle. It’s fine to do that.

I would not take it through a regular car wash.

One person’s expert opinion on washing and waxing a wrapped car:

How to Wash a Car Wrap and Maintain It After – Ceramic Pro

[joseph-francis]

How does the Astera stand up to rock chips especially with the solar panels? I live in an area where this is a constant problem. TX DOT road repairs = tar and gravel, and massive rock chip issues on windshields. . .

[mark-salyzyn]

The hood might be the only vulnerable spot with solar on it? Interior, top or rear facing should be safe IMHO.

Aptera has an all hands video where they were proud of how their selected flexible solar cells could handle cracks and still remain functional.

But you do raise a point. When our windshield cracks, will the local glass shops have the capability, the stock or availability, and know how to manage replacement?

[Shawgrin]

We discuss this at some length about a year ago, Aptera’s response was to carry the panels separately and to keep them on hand for warranty or damage replacement. Aptera did go on to say that they have put these panels through the most extensive test any automotive panels have been through for solar and suspect that they have the industry’s leading toughness in solar panels.

[kerbe2705]

@Joseph Francis We have issues in MS with road debris – especially on the interstates. My previous car was a VW Golf and, over the course of a three-year lease, I had to replace the windshield five times due to rocks and such thrown up by other vehicles. The junk never hit the front or hood – always the windshield. My current vehicles is significantly more aerodynamic than the VW and, over the course of four years of driving on the same roads, has only one tiny chip in the windshield.

Aptera has said that the body shape is so slippery that, when they driven through swarms of insects, they’ve had only one or two impacts. Perhaps the same will happen with stones, etc.

Also, Aptera may very well NOT be painted – so there will be nothing to actually “chip” off the surface of the vehicle.

[michael-kahlow]

Would I be willing to pay extra for a custom “paint” job (be it paint or wrap)?

Short answer – Yes. I’ve already clicked the “go ahead, charge me $1500 for custom” button on my order. Assuming that everything else checks out and I want to buy the finished version of the Aptera, I’m thinking maybe a candy purple or green if I can get it. Go big or go home.

It also means that, between the custom color, the elevated body, the three wheel drive, and the 600 mile range options I’ve selected, I probably won’t get mine until 2024. All of the rest of you will be my beta testers. 😉🤣

[vernon-sinnott]

I really liked the color of the Gamma vehicle @ the show with the silver & black body & white doors & white wheel pants. Is that a possibilty, or would that be considered custom?

[old-boot]

I think the Gamma is all one color. It’s the lightning that makes the doors and wheel covers look white. At least that is what I think. I’ll check some other video images.

[Phil]

It’s not a custom color scheme, it’s Luna. The door and wheel pants look white from some angles, due to the lighting in that exhibition hall, but if you look at the 2:00 long video on Aptera’s YouTube channel, you’ll see the doors and wheel pants are in fact silver.