Testing the Beta prototype – new video!

[kerbe2705]

Can testing a Beta beconsidered to be “beta testing”? 😏 https://youtu.be/5wi9xEVH6mU

[John Malcom]

Thanks as always for getting these videos to us on the forum

[Joel Smith]

Now that’s what I was waiting for! And no disappointments from the watching. Rather worth watching repeatedly.

[Paul Kirchner]

I sure did.

Sort of looks like a future vehicle in a Mad Max film.

[Markus Schmid]

Yes, just got to love this video!

Don’t miss the correspondent update here in the news section on aptera.us either!

Beta Hits the Track for Vehicle Dynamics Testing

• This reply was modified 4 months, 4 weeks ago by  Markus Schmid.

[Llewellyn Evans]

This is going to be a drivers car once they tune it up.

It looks like it goes like a rocket now ….. just imagine what it will be like when it is tuned up and finalised. Aptera is going to be HEAPS of fun to drive.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 4 weeks ago by  Llewellyn Evans.

[David Marlow]

Fantastic video showing real improvements, makes it really worth waiting for.

When the production versions are tested with direct comparisons to other two passenger vehicles I think we will see it doing better than all priced at less than two or three times as much. The orders will start poring in when those comparisons are published. Some others may have a higher top speed, but how often do you drive at over100 mph?

[Peter Dezendorf]

When I rode a motorcycle that did 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds (BMW S1000R) I would regularly go over the ton. Aptera with all wheel drive and 600 mile range? Oh, yes, I’m doing the ton!

[Vernon Michael Gardner]

I love to watch the two lane changes, great to see the dramatic lane and directional changes, reminds me of when I autocrossed and Pro Soloed. Makes me feel better about the Aptera when I see this (and other) kinds of testing.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 4 weeks ago by  Vernon Michael Gardner.

[Ray Holan]

Thanks for the autocross reference. I agree it’s looking like we can have lots of fun when we get our hands on the wheel. Woopee.

[Pistonboy Delux]

Has anyone noticed at time 0:36 the inner wheel becomes airborne, lifting off the pavement? It then bounces when it comes down, goes back up, and becomes airborne again. The second airborne is difficult to see, but it happens.

To see these, view it in Youtube, pause it at this time, and move the video forward and backwards one frame at a time by pressing the comma and period keys.

[Paul Kirchner]

Isn’t this the purpose of the testing? To take things as far as they can to obtain real life data?

[Curtis Cibinel]

The point is to find out how far they can push the car; that’s why they have professional drivers and the roll cage in this green beauty. Looks like some amazing progress.

I know everything is in progress but I would love to know how fast they pulled off a moose test (iso double lane change); looking at the video and dimensions it looks like about 20 meters per second (45 mph / 72 kph). This would be a very solid pass and (pass is 60 kph) and exceed what most 4 wheel vehicles can do. That and crash testing are the two big ones to prove the Aptera is safe to people.

Note: I watched the video at 1/4 speed and used a stopwatch to determine basically exactly 4.0 real seconds for the 3 middle sections of the test (30/25/25) which total 80 meters.

Note: The record is 85 kph and has been held by a Citroën Xantia since 1999. EVs with regenerative breaking on during the test are kinda a grey area that the test criteria doesn’t really handle.

[Pistonboy Delux]

Has anyone noticed the “grill” for the front (cooling)? The openings are laser cut images of the Aptera vehicle. Very nice.

This is at time 1:03.

[Oz (It’s Oz, just Oz)]

Good catch Pistonboy Deluxe.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 4 weeks ago by  Oz (It's Oz, just Oz).

[Jon_J]

Yes, it went by pretty quick. A neat easter egg find!

[Pistonboy Delux]

Of the people at the test site, I would love to know how many people are from Rousch and how many people are from Aptera.

In the past, suspension and handling design was an art, practiced by people with lots of experience and great intuitive feel. Is there still a place for these people or have they been replaced by computer programs?