The Aptera Width Issue (2)

Aptera Community Aptera Discussions The Aptera Width Issue (2)

Aptera Community Aptera Discussions The Aptera Width Issue (2)

  • The Aptera Width Issue (2)

    ROMAD updated 3 months, 2 weeks ago 12 Members · 17 Replies
  • tebling

    Member
    February 4, 2023 at 9:48 am

    This is my #1 concern with the Aptera, and is what’s holding me back from a LE reservation. I have a Model 3 and am nervous enough as it is parking in narrow garage spaces (in the US).

    I hear a lot of positives about Aptera’s transparency, but I have yet to see anything that tackles this issue head on, e.g. a video demonstrating parking in typical or challenging situations. This seems like a no-brainer and better to get this out of the way sooner rather than waiting until customers find out the hard way.

    I’d love to be proven wrong on this, but all the concerns in this thread seem completely legitimate.

  • Phil

    Member
    February 4, 2023 at 11:31 am

    This video from Aptera covers 4 issues, 2 of which concern its width. Myth 1 about drive thru restaurants and myth 4, public parking spaces. (myth is their word, not mine). I think this will give you a better idea about how it fits in these situations. Your concern is at the end of the video.

    https://youtu.be/YNvcr9jBcTo

  • tebling

    Member
    February 4, 2023 at 1:52 pm

    Thanks, that video is helpful. I’m not worried about the drive through case, as it seems like those lanes are sized to accommodate pretty big vehicles (think big truck with trailer).

    The parking demo was good, but not great. It was just one example and of course it happened to be large-ish outdoor space. I think there was a bit of an illusion there as well with the cars on either side parked off center, closer to the Aptera which gives the impression that they are just as wide (you can see the SUV has way more room on its left side than its right). I realize this was done to show how egress is still possible in tight quarters.

    I’d like to see what happens when attempting to park in an indoor garage which has narrower spaces, as well as examples of parallel and back-in parking.

  • Phil

    Member
    February 4, 2023 at 11:58 pm

    I agree tebling. There is an indoor garage in Chicago (where I live), that I thought was narrow for my Subaru Impreza, so I know Aptera would not get in it. I think the way to approach this type of indoor garage is, if it doesn’t fit or barely fits in the garage entrance, back up and go somewhere else, of course assuming that is an option.

  • jim-t

    Member
    February 7, 2023 at 5:08 pm

    I had figured I’d drive mine home from Carlsbad to the East Coast. When they announced that the Launch Edition would not have DC fast charging, I thought that would take over a week and so looked into whether there are car transport trailers wide enough (regular transport trailers can’t accommodate a 3 wheeler regardless). I could not find either an enclosed or open trailer with solid floor wide enough for the Aptera – can anyone confirm that they exist?? Now with DC fast charging standard, I will plan to drive mine home, but it would be helpful to know that transporting is an option, and not ridiculously more expansive than usual rates.

    • Greek

      Member
      February 7, 2023 at 5:39 pm

      Enclosed shipping trailers are 102″ wide.

  • J.D.

    Member
    February 7, 2023 at 5:37 pm

    A 2022 Corvette including side mirrors is 87.5″-88″ wide. A Ram 1500 with mirrors is around 96″ wide.

    • Sam

      Member
      May 14, 2023 at 12:25 pm

      That Vettte is the best comparison I’ve seen thus far. They have the benefit of folding mirrors.

  • DesertSkies

    Member
    February 13, 2023 at 3:13 pm

    Ai am not really worried about the width, as such, since even residential streets and secondary roads in my area (Palm Springs, California) are shockingly wide. But I *am* worried … VERY worried … about the sticky-outy front wheel assemblies and the possibility of them being sheared off by drivers in SUVs who cannot see the sticky-outy bits. Ride a motorcycle on city streets for 10 years, as I did, and you get an entirely new perspective on the inability of other drivers to make spatial judgements! I think the insurance companies are going to be very nervous about those wheel assemblies posing a high risk of major financial loss.

  • charles-cammiso

    Member
    May 12, 2023 at 4:10 pm

    The Aptera will be sharing its foot print with other cars on the road, I bring these numbers up for road compatibility sake. Did not realize this thing sports an 88 inch wide overall width, that does not sound pleasant!!! I need more convincing. NO part of my concerns are about the stability. I 100% understand vehicle physics and know it needs to be this wide in order to compensate for its lack of length etc etc – I am pointing out road compatibility.

    Aptera Wheel Geometry

    wheelbase – 107 inches

    “overall width” – 88 inches

    curb weight – 1800 lbs

    Compact Car Wheel Geometry

    wheelbase – 98 inches to 110 inches or so

    track width – 55 inches (chevy spark), 60 inches (Toyota Prius MK3), 62 inches (Mazda 3 MK4, Tesla Model 3)

    curb weight – 4000 lbs max

    Top Trim Off-road Truck Wheel Geometry

    wheelbase – 116 inches

    track width – 75 inches axle nut to axle nut (overall 85 inches)

    curb weight – 5800 lbs

    widest current production car – 2,099 mm (82.6 in) – Lamborghini Countach LPI 800

    -can we fully realize the expected track width of the vehicle, from axle nut to axle nut?

    -is it currently compatible with average width of a road in USA or elsewhere, especially within compact metropolis (San Francisco, NYC, Italy, etc)

    -with the recent harsh media, seeing the expected turning radius is clearly lack luster for a vehicle of its functional size… what kind of changes can we expect to combat this?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automotive_superlatives

    wow!!!

  • len

    Moderator
    May 12, 2023 at 4:47 pm

    Actually 87.6” w

    https://youtu.be/vZQ70xijCts

    Reason for wide stance : Aerodynamics while added stability.

    My mid size truck is 91” to outside edge of side view mirrors. I have a small two bay garage … So I will have a little more room with Aptera and will have to adjust to to the autocycle geometry, wheel stance , looking down to the reflector/light on top and down of the wheel pants etc… I heard there are proximity sensors in the nosecone too! I hope that helps.

  • ROMAD

    Member
    May 12, 2023 at 5:44 pm

    ” Actually 87.6” w “

    88-87.6 = 0.4″ (ca. 13/32″) difference. That equates to 10.16mm (1.016cm) Not enough to consider.

  • Sam

    Member
    June 10, 2023 at 8:53 am

    ’22 GMC HUMMER EV without mirrors is 86.7 in.

    • ROMAD

      Member
      June 10, 2023 at 12:13 pm

      Back in the 1980s when we moved from the M151A2 Jeep to the M998 HMMWV after installing the antennas for our radio pallet on both sides, the M998 was at least 7.5 feet wide which is close to 2.3 meters, though it may have been closer to 8 ft which is a tad over 2.4 m.

or to reply.