Officially Official: Aptera production pushed back to 2010
If anybody is still wondering whether Aptera, despite the recent commotion, will deliver one of their flightless wonders by Christmas, they can officially cease speculating. They’re not, and the release date has now been pushed back to some undefined time in 2010. Hopefully, the delay won’t be a full year as it was the last time they announced delivery postponement. According to the company, fundraising efforts didn’t keep pace with vehicle development, so they’re taking measures to slow the cash burn. One of those unfortunate actions involved laying off an unspecified number of employees, though one of them, co-founder Steve Fambro, has said he will resume his role next year. Addressing the situation he said:
Right now my advanced work is a lower priority for Aptera. We’ve got to be wholly focused on funding and getting the first 2e on the road. Paul’s leadership and (chief engineer) Tom Reichenbach’s talent have led to changes in the vehicle that are spot-on. They’ve made the vehicle safer, it’s better handling and more comfortable. Once we get through this stage, we’ll begin mass producing the 2e – the most aerodynamic and efficient vehicle in the world.
Sounds reasonable to us, and it’s no doubt reassuring for patiently waiting customers to receive official communication from the firm. However, one can’t help but wonder why they didn’t head this chaotic episode off at the pass by making this announcement in a more timely fashion. The emotional investment of nearly 4,000 reservation-holding fans might be just as important as seeking further financial investment. In any event, the official press release awaits after the break.
[Source: Aptera Motors]
Continue reading Officially Official: Aptera production pushed back to 2010
Officially Official: Aptera production pushed back to 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
