Introduction

 It is relatively inevitable that discussions about new power sources will eventually lead to further discussions about new ways of looking at automobiles in general.  This is absolutely what happened with the Aptera Motors brand and while the brand has been through some tough times recently, it is also definitely the case that this particular car company is poised to make a big splash in the market at some point in the future.

 Company History

 The company Aptera Motors was founded in January 2006 by Steven Fambro and Chris Anthony, both of whom were people that had prolonged interests in the ideas of electrification.  As a result, both of them were able to unveil the technology of their Mark 0 Aptera constructs at the TED conference that was going on a little more than a year later in March 2007.

 It was really that conference that was able to put Aptera Motors on the map because the company was able to parlay that appearance into a lot of free publicity regarding their various designs.  The end result of that was them receiving attention in the form of being a finalist in the alternative category for the X-Prize and its automotive division and money in the form of government grants.

 As an interesting side note, the money that they were applying for from government grants was actually denied at first because of the highly experimental nature of their three-wheeled vehicles with a decidedly futuristic design.  However, after a change in the law which was never meant to exclude such designs in the first place, Aptera Motors was able to apply for a grant of $184 million from the federal government in the United States in order to help them continue their research.

 As is often the case however, the founders Fambro and Anthony ended up leaving the company at the end of 2009.  There was some speculation that this was done because they were forced out by the rest of the management team, although there are others that would argue that this was simply because the founders were tired of the business and felt that they had a capable enough management team to allow them to leave Aptera Motors in the hands of their successors.  Either way, neither of the two original partners in the venture are associated with the company anymore even though the actual brand is still there and still going strong with their vehicle development program.

 Previous Automobile Development

 In the past, Aptera Motors has created different automobiles that have been received with mixed reviews by the various players in the electrification industry.  This started with the Aptera Mark 0 which of course was the automobile that put them on the map in 2007.  This car was built to help prove that their technology was viable and although the 230 miles per gallon figure and 55 mph speed coefficients were lower than expected, it was definitely a step in the right direction for this company.

 Later on in the same year, Aptera Motors put the Mark 0 aside and created the Mark 1 series of Aptera automobiles.  These vehicles were far more productive in nature and in many cases were pre-ordered by residents of California that appreciated not only the streamlined nature of the three-wheel build that allowed it to achieve better stats than the Mark 0, but also the fact that this automobile was great in terms of electric performance.  It was also the first car made by Aptera to incorporate both hybrid and electric designs with the two cars being differentiated by 1h and 1e addendums to their name as a result.  The Mark 1 is no longer in development however and that brings the story forward to the present day.

 Current Automobiles

 The Aptera Motors brand is currently in development and production of the Aptera Motors Mark 2, which is going to be the automobile that very likely ends up going out into the public consumption arena and actually fulfilling all of the orders that have been made by residents of California.

 In terms of its actual body, you will find that the Mark 2 does not look that different from previous designs for this car.  There are two wheels in the front, one wheel in the back and an overall car design that looks like something out of the future of automotive production.  The lines are very sleek and overall this car is probably one of the best looking automobiles out there.

 That being said, there are some differences between the Mark 2 and previous designs, most notably the introduction of the front wheel drive system.  There are also side-view mirrors in this design, something that is definitely needed for it to be successful.  The insides of the automobile have also changed quite a bit with more of a nod to the combination of comfort and functionality.  Finally, cameras that look backward from the automobile have now had their position moved so that they are present on the roof and protected by a fin both for aerodynamics and for functionality.

 The main thing to love about the Mark 2 aside from the above technologies relatively unique to Aptera is the fact that it will still come in 2h and 2e forms.  The 2h Aptera is supposed to have 130 mpg efficiency on just gasoline or alternatively 300 mpg efficiency if the electric batteries are recharged at intervals of 120 miles.  Overall, this makes it arguably the most efficient hybrid in the world although a caveat to that is that this statistic still needs independent verification.

 As for the 2e Aptera, those same stats seem to point to something like a range of 100 miles on fully electric operation and an overall efficiency equivalent of around 200 mpg with absolutely no gasoline being burned.  It can travel comfortably at speeds in excess of 50 mph as well, so there is certainly a lot to be impressed about with this company if future independent testing proves these figures are in fact the truth.