First Image Of Production Aptera

In March of last year, Aptera announced it had done all the development necessary to head to production, and that all it needed was to move into acquiring the right equipment and workforce to do so. Soon after the company revealed that a new infusion of $24 million in cash had been acquired, and then Aptera revealed an updated design for the original Typ-1 called the 2e. Now, the first official image of the production 2e has leaked online.Minor details not seen on previous renderings include fully operational windows for the driver and passenger, larger rear side glass and new wheel housings. The interior of the car is said to be slightly larger than that of the Mini Cooper and upcomingChevrolet Volt, with 24 cubic-feet of storage space on board--more than a Honda Accord. Inside, there is a new electronic interface dubbed Eva, which will control the infotainment, heating and air controls, and other electronic systems, as well as a couple of cup holders and soy-based seats.Some of the car’s specs include: a 1,500-pounds curb weight, a charge time of eight hours, a battery pack with 10-13kWh charge, and a range of up to 100-miles per charge (for an all-electric model). A wide range of equipment, including keyless entry, tire-pressure monitoring system and more will be equipped as standard.Aptera plan to build several different versions of the 2e, including a regular gasoline model, as well as a plug-inhybrid and an all-electric model. The first vehicles, which are thought to be the all-electric model, are expected to be delivered this October.The 2e will have an expected cost between $25,000 and $45,000. Initial sales of the all-electric version will solely be in California, with plans to distribute the Aptera to the rest of the United States by late 2010.

Source : MotorAuthority, by Viknesh Vijayenthiran, September 26th, 2009