Three-wheel vehicles eligible for federal funds

Worth promoting with federal dollars?

(Credit: Aptera)

Congress has approved a measure that will allow makers of three-wheel cars to receive funding for fuel-efficient auto technologies, according to published reports.

The bill, which still needs to be signed into law, could be a boost to companies developing alternative car designs, notably Aptera Motors and Elio Motors. Both companies have argued that their three-wheel cars deserve federal funding meant to promote more efficient vehicles.

The legislation, passed late last week, would overturn an Energy Department rule that limited funding to four-wheel vehicles meeting emissions and fuel-economy benchmarks, Automotive News reported on Friday. The new guidelines will now allow vehicles that get an average of at least 75 miles per gallon and can carry at least two adults, according to the report.

Vista, Calif.-based Aptera plans in the middle of next year to start producing its 2e, a three-wheel electric vehicle that it says will be able to go at least 100 miles on its battery charge.

Elio, based in Tempe, Ariz., is developing a narrow, three-wheel gasoline car it says gets more than 70 miles per gallon. It intends to sell the vehicle for less than $7,500.

General Motors, which is applying for DOE funds to promote electric vehicle production, has opposed changes in the rules in the past, Automotive News said.

[hawkeyeaz1]

"Elio, based in Tempe, Arizona, is developing a narrow, three-wheel gasoline car which gets over miles per gallon."

A number of mpg is missing.

[sartor1]

For the author..
In the second to last para you say: "three-wheel gasoline car which gets over miles per gallon."

How many MPG??

[loki_racer]

It's called a cliffhanger. Used to.....cause......confusion in readers?

[Lazlo666]

according to the Aptera site, they claim 100 miles on a single charge, equivalent to 300mpg.

oh...and you can reserve one apparently!

http://www.aptera.com//reservations.php

[Vegaman_Dan]

I have a 1982 Cushman with an 18 hp engine that can qualify under the conditions specified. Hmm.

Granted, it only goes 40 mph max and is for in town use only, but still...

[yatkins]

3 wheeled vehicles are not stable and will not be safe to drive on highways. They have a tendency to rollover.

[Joe Real]

The Aptera is one of the most stable vehicles around, and can turn around a dime at a much faster speed than many of today's 4-wheeled cars. The Aptera will not topple over due to the wider spread of the front wheel base that is wider than a Hummer.

Aptera while only a 2-seater vehicle, have plenty of cargo spaces, including more than 15 bags of groceries, and can accomodate a couple of full sized surf boards along with the other wet suit and gears, golf caddies, etc.

To put in perspective, the Aptera is applying for a $75M LOAN for mass producing the car and not $BILLIONS bail-out like GM, that has been opposing such amendment. With more than 4,000 committed-to-buy orders, this company and others like it, have way better prospects than GM, and it is what GM fears the most, and so any chance that it can deny progress of such companies, GM will try.

[holyhope]

This is very true of the old three wheel Cushman mobiles, but with the two wheels forward, they approach race car stability.

[mike_ekim]

Don't you need a motorcycle license to operate a 3-wheeled 'car'?

[Joe Real]

Not in California. Iif the 3-wheeled vehicle has full enclosure for the driver and passenger, it also requires no helmets, and still maintain the rights to HOV lanes.

[Vegaman_Dan]

They frequently get licensed *as* a motorcycle, but no, you don't need a special endorsement on your drivers license for it.

[solitare_pax]

While that Aptera looks way cool, it would _NEVER_ survive driving in the winter snows of New England.

[KarenRei]

Why?

Front wheel drive, weight low down and near the front (i.e., very hard to roll and pressing down on the drive/primary braking wheels), maneuverable, low inertia, etc. What's wrong? The only negative I can see is that the rear wheel won't drive through the wheel ruts after a snow -- but then again, its main job is just to prop the rear end up.

[Joe Real]

It will be a great disservice to General Motors if they keep on opposing developments of alternative Vehicles manufactured by American companies like the Aptera made by Aptera Motors. GEM has lobbied very hard against such amendments to this bill. This action by GM is being interpreted as real fear of the company that they try to squash out the competition by nipping it at the bud stage. Well, I want GM to compete really hard and be a true competitor in this new wave of vehicles.

To put in perspective, the Aptera is applying for a $75M LOAN for mass producing the car. A loan that will have a big chance to be repaid considering that there are more than 4,000 committed-to-buy orders.

Compare this to the multi-billion dollar bail-out money that General Motors have been squeezed out from the taxpayers. Will the billion dollars be ever repaid by GM? And how is it that GM is lobbying so hard so as the few million dollar loans are denied of Aptera? The only reason I can come up with is that they truly fear the new breeds of vehicle manufacturers that will become much more successful than they will be in this new landscape.

Aptera est, price $27K, GM-Volt $47K. So which would be more affordable as a commuting vehicle?

[mikeweston]

Aptera gives you a big bang for the buck. For your government investment buck, you get a lot more for $75 million than that same amount would give you with the Big Three. For your battery buck, you get many more miles than the same size battery would give you in a more traditional but less aerodynamic vehicle. Ditto for your CO2 buck, since the same amount of electricity generating capacity will give you more miles.

My next vehicle will definitely plug in, and I hope it's an Aptera.

[KarenRei]

To those pushing the "three wheelers are inherently unstable!" claim: Road and Track put this myth to the test in 1982. There's a reprint here:

http://blog.autospeed.com/2007/11/13/three-wheel-cars/

Basic summary: that's true for "delta" trikes (one wheel forward, two in back), but not for "tadpole" trikes (two wheels forward, one in back), which are just as stable as four wheelers, but have a faster yaw (turning) response due to a lower moment of inertia. Like four wheelers, tadpoles are naturally prone to understeer; this is unlike deltas, which are naturally prone to oversteer.

[biffhenerson]

More "special" projects sucking federal dollars like a flushed toilet. Its nothing more than a moving speed bump. What is the NTSB crash safety rating?

[KarenRei]

This "moving speed bump" has 4 1/2 times the federal requirement for car roof crush strength and is so tough that its manufacturer offers anyone $100 if they can damage it with a sledgehammer (nobody has come close, although one reporter nearly knocked his teeth out trying).

Like all cars that haven't been released, it has no NTSB crash safety rating yet. What's the point of crash testing it before it's finalized? Now, while they're not legally required to crash test it, one of the principles Aptera has strongly adhered to since day one is that they will exceed car safety standards -- including physical crash testing. In fact, the vehicle was designed from the beginning with virtual crash testing, using the same software that BMW uses.

[sevehicle]

Well, that's good news. I am convinced that the three-wheeler, "the missing link between the automobile and the motorcycles" has all sorts of benefits to offer the driver (energy efficiency and agility) as well as to governments (better space utilization of the present infrastructure and reduced emissions). Check out what many consider the best three-wheel vehicle concept that's around these days, the so-called Space-Efficient Vehicle. http://se-vehicle2.blogspot.com/2009/10/reinventing-automobile.html

[panthecat]

How much leg room does this critter have? At what speeds will it travel and is there some kind of yaw dampening at higher speeds to prevent fish tailing? While it may not be easy to roll, a flat spin is still a possibility.

[Joe Real]

Jay Leno is very comfortable riding it and was surprised by the spacious interiors and leg room.

http://green.autoblog.com/2009/05/20/video-jay-leno-drives-loves-the-aptera/
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/jay-leno-garage-aptera-2e-electric-video.php
http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1020891_late-night-hosts-love-evs-part-ii-jay-leno-and-the-aptera-2e

And Robin Williams has also placed a deposit for the Aptera...

[DucTrip9]

The Elio Motors vehicle is very real and mpg figures are EPA certified and documented.

Please see the initial site http://eliomotors.com/

At the potential volumes, due to price and the mpg , this is the most significant vehicle since the Model T, to our country's environment and economy .