Aptera in 1 word

[y.z]

From what I have seen, the aptera looks to only have an electronic door mechanism. My apologies if that is not the case. This brings to mind several questions/ concerns:

-will there be a backup/ emergency latch on the interior in case of electronic failure?

-will there be a way to unlock/ open the door from the outside mechanically?

the first question is for obvious safety reasons, and as to the second, I have had cars sit with dead batteries and also a car which blew a door lock fuse that would have been difficult to get into without a spare mechanical key system. The aptera is aimed at being a durable car for many years, and from my experience, it seems to be small electronic systems like these that are more prone to failure with age. It would require minimal effort to have a mechanical interface for the doors, or at least the driver’s door that could help with access during unexpected failures. a mechanical system would probably be simpler than an electronic popper system that we have seen, and be more robust and less likely to fail.

For aerodynamic efficiency, it could be a flush handle, not unlike a tesla or some other cars

[len]

This website’s FAQ states:

The Aptera vehicle will recognize that it is you trying to open the door through a proximity detection device such as a Bluetooth connection via smartphone, through our app, or a proximity key. Once inside the vehicle, you can open the door through the center screen controls. The doors will have a manual pull handle for emergencies.

The vehicle will automatically lock itself when you leave it. It recognizes you are not inside. For a lot of areas, things will be electric as that is just the standard nowadays and it is much easier to engineer. Rest assured, we will have a solution in place to allow for access to the vehicle without a mobile device. Further information will be shared once we have finalized this design. Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@aptera.us with any questions.

[y.z]

Thank you Len. That answers the interior door releases. I would still like to have the option of a way of opening the door from the exterior mechanically as well. As to unlocking with an app or device, that can be very convenient now, but that technology could be depreciated in the future, whereas a physical key would work just as well in the next century as today. This would fit aptera’s philosophy on efficiency, simplicity, and longevity as well!

[kerbe2705]

@Y Z – Here’s how Tesla and the Ford Mach-e deal with the issue of being locked out: https://youtu.be/AKK_Vt1m5TA

[y.z]

I will take a look at them. Thank you!

[david-allen]

I searched every combination of terms I could imagine and find nothing about opening the doors from the inside if the power fails.

Any time there are high voltage battery packs in confined spaces, the possibility exists for a fire and the occupants need to be able to exit quickly without any battery power to assist.

I would want to know and would practice emergency opening of the doors from the inside if the power is lost. That can happen during a battery fire, or if a simple thing like a computer glitch, or cable coming loose makes the car think it has no power to operate the power locks and door opening features. I also read about one individual who was trapped inside his EV until someone smashed the window to get him out. (The manual door unlocking procedure was complicated and in the panic of the cab filing with smoke, the occupant couldn’t figure out how to get out.)

[joshua-rosen]

I’m pretty sure that a mechanical release is required by law. For any car it’s a good idea to keep a glass hammer in the center console. A glass hammer will allow you to break a window if the door is wedged shut for some reason. They also include a seat belt cutter.

[ab-reitsma]

I think the side windows being splt horizontally are too small for the average person to escape through. So a glass hammer would not make much sense for me.

[vernon-sinnott]

Mechanical release on the inside makes sense.

[len]

They said there is a mechanical door release.

We are older folks,..In my vehicles I have a simple tool that triggers a strike to break the glass. You place the corner of any glass panel and trigger, the bullet shaped strike pin shatters the glass. Door windows glass are typically used but I suppose the windshield or natch glass could be used. If you could get out of one of the two doors or hatch

Yes it includes a seat belt cutter on the other end. (I may have bought it through QVC (?) but I have seen them on the internet too)

[Robert]

My last two Corvettes had electric door locks they also had manual door releases adjacent to each door that were cable operated and there was another mechanism to open the doors in the trunk area I think they’re required by law

[klaas-stoker]

Will Aptera have a way to get into the vehicle if the doors are locked and wireless authentication fails or the battery is completely dead? Recently, I heard a story where this happened with a Tesla, which would not move the door handles. Tesla was going to replace the main battery and address the issue at a cost of $26000.00.

[joshua-rosen]

That’s nonsense. Tesla’s have a mechanical door release that functions if the electronic lock fails. It’s also possible to change a dead 12V battery, they do that all the time. $26K would be to replace the traction battery which is a separate problem, assuming that this story isn’t completely made up the reason to replace the traction battery would be if it was damaged in an accident.

[Riley]

If there was a way to bypass the lock than it wouldn’t be locked. If the battery is completely dead than pick which side window to break i guess.

[kerbe2705]

@Riley … Most vehicles that have door “poppers” – and there are a lot of custom ICE cars that have them – have some sort of external mechanism for opening the handle-less or electrically-operated latching systems.

The Ford Mustang Mach-e, for example, as a small cover plate on the front bumper that has two electrical leads behind it: Touch a battery to the leads and the doors pop open.

Powered doors are mandated – by law – to have mechanical back-up systems inside the vehicle: In some cases it’s a lever, in others a cord. Usually these options are NOT in plain sight but are more than adequately described in the owner’s manual…

[klaas-stoker]

Here is the article: https://motorillustrated.com/dead-battery-locks-tesla-driver-out-of-his-car-repair-costs-26000/104217/#:~:text=A%20Tesla%20owner%20is%20faced%20with%20a%20%2426%2C000,Tesla%20quoted%20him%20%2426%2C000%20for%20a%20new%20battery

[BUG]

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