Progress in Carlsbad!

[Kerbe]

Things are moving right along at Aptera headquarters in Carlsbad, CA, where more validation prototypes are being assembled. The black bits are Carbon Fiber Sheet Molding Compound (CFSMC), the white bits are Fiberglass Sheet Molding Compound (FGSMC) and the aluminum-colored bits are, well, aluminum reinforcements. These completed body structures will then be mounted to an internal aluminum chassis that carries the suspension, drivetrain and batteries before the aluminum underbody panels are added.

 

[insightman]

Things are moving right along at Aptera headquarters in Carlsbad, CA, where more validation prototypes are being assembled. The black bits are Carbon Fiber Sheet Molding Compound (CFSMC), the white bits are Fiberglass Sheet Molding Compound (FGSMC) and the aluminum-colored bits are, well, aluminum reinforcements. These completed body structures will then be mounted to an internal aluminum chassis that carries the suspension, drivetrain and batteries before the aluminum underbody panels are added.
View attachment 27554

I assume they didn't neglect to show any vehicles on the nascent production line. Will there shortly be 4 more running Apteras?

 

[Kerbe]

I assume they didn't neglect to show any vehicles on the nascent production line. Will there shortly be 4 more running Apteras?

There isn't a "production line" yet: The large steel device in the foreground is a jig for assembling the body parts. Aptera vehicle assembly is still a very hands-on, bespoke process.

The last we heard Aptera planned to build a total of 12 production-intent vehicles for validation and testing purposes: These appear to be the next four, adding to the two they've already built. Aptera recently shared images from Costamp - the Italian company that's producing the major aluminum parts - showing cast and extruded aluminum chassis and suspension components: It's safe to assume that those components will be used to construct the underpinnings for the bodies shown here.