The price point of the Launch Edition is going to make or break Aptera. It damn well better be very attractive cost wise, or they they are going to loose this customer and many others looking for a second vehicle. The Aptera will be our second family vehicle only if it is affordable. To my knowledge Aptera will not qualify for the $7,500 tax credit, so it will be at a cost disadvantage to other domestic EVs. I expect most of their 40K plus reservation holders are looking for a vehicle that costs less than $40K. I'm looking for an affordable two passenger EV, not a collector piece.
It has become almost a tradition in the EV world for manufacturers to release a high-price, all-the-bells-and-whistles version of their vehicle first, specifically to appeal to those who WANT the cachet of being first and/or of having a collectible vehicle. The list of "domestic" vehicles that are eligible for the full $7500 tax credit is a very, very short list - and most of the vehicles on it cost nearly twice the price point that Aptera hopes to meet. And the list will be even shorter next year as the qualifications become more stringent. Plus, in order to have the tax liability of $7500 necessary to receive the full tax credit, one has to have an income that's significantly above the national average. https://electrek.co/2023/11/07/which-electric-vehicles-still-qualify-for-us-federal-tax-credit/
I’d like to see at least one out in the wild in my lifetime! BTW. Tax liability will be taken off the table when you transfer the credit back to the dealer in 2024……for those vehicles that qualify. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ya know, both Honda and VW work on a five-year model development cycle, meaning that the vehicles released in 2023 have been in development since 2018. And both corporations have existing factories and supply chains. The difference is that we don't SEE their process - and Aptera is making the process transparent and inviting us to observe and follow-along. Transferring the tax credit to the dealer is going to be interesting - because it's left up to the individual dealer to decide whether or not to apply said credit - or even HOW to apply it. You could very well end up with dealers marking-up prices so that the tax credit won't actually do you any good...
Don’t get me wrong. I really hope Aptera succeeds. With inflation and prices announced 5 years ago, good luck getting one at said price. I got out two years ago when a few models were supposed to be produced for sale then the same happed last year…..
Will Aptera have dealers? The auto dealers' lobby in Michigan has persuaded the legislature to make direct sales illegal. Tesla customers here must buy their vehicles through another state. However, there's a large Tesla facility just 2 miles from me to provide service for the many, many local Tesla vehicles purchased new in other states. Interestingly, that facility has a showroom facing the road.
No, Aptera will have direct sales only. As it's not an automobile, though, I doubt that dealership rules will apply in most states: Motorcycles are usually sold in dealer-branded stores and, in many states, Aptera is defined as a motorcycle (or autocycle, but with similar definitions). Actually, all Tesla vehicles are purchased online directly from Tesla: In some states Tesla has "stores" or "showrooms" but they don't have dealerships. Even if a store or showroom has "inventory" vehicles at their location, those vehicles are still purchased online. The issue, then, becomes one of delivery: Some states allow purchasers to take delivery of their Tesla vehicles at a store or service center while others require the vehicles to be delivered to the purchaser's home or place of business. In my state - Mississippi - Tesla has a single store/service center at which a purchaser can take delivery of their vehicle but the sale cannot be made at that location.
The Michigan law broadly refers to "motor vehicle," without defining a motor vehicle as having a minimum number of wheels. Here's a passage I found prohibiting direct sales: "Sell any new motor vehicle directly to a retail customer other than through franchised dealers, unless the retail customer is a nonprofit organization or a federal, state, or local government or agency."
That's my interpretation, because they're motor vehicles, but I'm not a lawyer. However, I wonder if something like an electric scooter such as the Jackrabbit (essentially an e-bike without pedals) is considered a motor vehicle? Those are sold directly from the manufacturer. I'd guess those sales are illegal, too, but not worth the state's hassle.
