Electrameccanica Solo calls it quits on 3 wheelers 

That these right sized vehicles don't qualify for environmental incentives is a real travesty.

I test drove the Solo as well and was impressed with the ride...but..it's for one person, cramped, with very little cargo space. The Aptera is spacious, well equipped, very functional, great range options, fast charging and...it's a Solar EV. Aptera is doing it right. To be competitive in a three wheeled space, you have to have as much going for the vehicle as possible. Aptera does that.

That is why whe I met with senators and congressmen this week I suggested there should be a credit fot solar vehicles.

I gave $$$ for a solo but then aptera came along. If aptera had the visibility in LA that solo did I’m sure it would get serious funding. My ex asked me”why isn’t this being replicated by others?” about Aptera. She’s right. Aptera is genius.

This reminds me a bit of when Aptera brought in an outside corporate team and those people wanted to abandon their vision and change what Aptera was.

I totally agree, Aptera is at a HUGE disadvantage not qualifying for the rebate. There's some compelling EV's in the $30k-$40k region that after the rebate drop down to that $25k-$32k price point (which Aptera is trying to pull from). Now I agree they are certainly not as efficient, but they do offer more seating and have big names to back them up.

Steve I can't wait until you get back from vacation and dig into the "Sustainability Sooner" situation.

I purchased my vehicle for 18,500 and had NO regrets. I bought over an Aptera because Aptera is NOT FOR SALE.

I don't see all these drop offs are bad for Aptera. I believe they clear the way for Aptera to be the only player in town. If only they can manage to put out the vehicles on the road, only the skies will be their limit.

Small side by side offroad vehicles are massively popular out here in the boonies. Some of them are street legal too. An electric version would be pretty cool.

IMO, Aptera may be should seeks investor like Warren Buffett to gain higher access to big capital. Not only that, Berkshire Hathaway also own insurance companies that can help insure apteras. Just a thought.

One thing I note is that I am of the belief that EV's need to stand on their own without the need of the Government tax credits. Another thing I wish note is that I was actually pleased with what I saw of the Solo's interior. Simple, doesn't waste power on unnecessary accessories, kept things simple without an ugly touch screen. It's something I would love to see more vehicles do.

A one-seater is a tough-sell. Who wants to drive a vehicle that screams Forever Alone.

I like the Solo but the 1 seater really breaks it for me.

One seater killed it

I agree that the biggest limitations of the Solo were 1 seat and 100 miles (max) range. Plus it was $18K+. $15K makes it more appealing, but that money would buy a very useful used car. Seeing that the Solo was built in China, it could be that they found a Chinese partner who makes a tiny, cheap, 4 wheeled EV, that they plan to rebadge as an Electromeccanica model. As you mentioned, this would be very difficult as anything other than a Neighborhood EV.

You asked why someone would buy the Solo over the Aptera and one answer is that at least the Solo WAS in production!

I'm dancing in the street!! SO LONG SOLO !! Don't let the door hit you on the way out !!

This sucks. I hope someone else decides to fill this void as soon as possible. They are out of their minds to completely discard it as a model they produce at all. My brother has a white one, and I was really looking forward to snagging one in a couple of years when I retire. You can rail on them all you want - they are fantastic little long trip machines. My brother is gone for weeks at a time in his and he let me take it for a week vacation once. It's so fantastic to just hit the road by yourself. It may not have much room, but it has plenty to cram your camping gear into it with some clothes and such and hit the road. It charges so easy that you can plug in anywhere. People think a one-seater is a deal breaker, until they drive for a few days and realize what they've been missing. lol EDIT: I also find it entertaining that you proclaim Aptera as the "dominant" autocycle - when there is not a single Aptera on the road while my brother and many others already have their Solo, and many others will be delivered. Unfortunately, once those are delivered it sounds like that's the end of it. Meh. As soon as I see videos of people showing off their new Aptera, I'll believe it and probably buy one. By that time I'll be retired if it ever happens.

Looking forward to your video about Aptera and OpenPilot.

For the mass market, there are so many tipping points that will be essential for Aptera to overcome. As you said with the Solo, insurance, financing and service. Again, mass market being the key versus niche market. I have wondered how many of the 40k+ res holders will have workable solutions for this. As much as I love the Aptera, I do not see it as a mass market vehicle in the short term. The price is sure to be higher upon release in a market that is experiencing severe downward pressure. Yes, the costs of developing a four vs three wheel vehicle are vastly different, the Aptera price really does not reflect that at this time. I am a long time Aptera enthusiast and investor. These are the realities I see on the horizon.

I've watched the Solo since reveals out of British Columbia. Gutsy! Our Aptera is twice the vehicle just by counting butts in seats and almost a van based on cargo area by comparison. Thanks for the heads up.

What gets me is these company's build a initial offering to get into the EV market and then just abandon it rather than improving. The Electro could have been extended to gain storage space or even a rear seat (think the Elio design). Improve what they have. The Chevy Bolt ,though still in production, has not really did much to upgrade it. Tip your toes into the market knowing the market will grow and change but unwilling to upgrade. Upgrades are much cheaper than a new design. And yes I agree getting into a 4 wheeler to meet DOT regulations is extremely costly.

Thanks for this review on your vacation! Certainly dedicated to the Aptera community! Hope Aptera appreciates it. One passenger, shorter range, low max speed, and relatively high price (Poor value proposition). Definately an uphill sell in a market obsessed with large, muliti passenger, SUVs. Management should have caught this before this point with an eye to Acrimoto production and sales performance. A caution to Aptera, and Aptera fan boyz. Even after reaching production, not out of the woods. Still need to keep an eye on the ball.

Thanks, Steve. I test drove the Electro Mechanica. While I found it, OK, I did not find it exhilarating or stimulating, and as you say, perhaps just a good commuter car. And no CarPlay … what a big disappointment. Aptera needs to get that, for sure - it’s something most new car buyers want. Charge on!

I never seriously considered a Solo because of a lack of safety features and adequate warranty on the battery. There is a sticker on the sun visor of the solo, saying "warning: SOLO is not as safe as a car. No ABS, no traction or stability control, no air bags, not crash tested." I think Aptera plans to put all of these safety features in their vehicle. Even thought they don't have to crash test it, I believe they plan to do so. Another issue to me was the warranty. It only had a 5-year/45,000 mile battery warranty. In California all electric cars are required to have a 10 year/150,000 mile warranty on the battery. Since Solo is not a car, it doesn't have to have this. Imagine spending $18,000 on a one seater vehicle and having to spend over $6,000 dollars every 5-6 years to replace the battery. If the battery is as reliable as a Prius or Tesla battery, why not warranty them for at least 8 years/100,000 miles? I hope Aptera provides a warrany like this because it shows confidence in the quality of the part.

With China making them sub-par junk, I think it is better for them to drop the three wheel for 2 years until the market crash and the four-wheel rebates are over. They are good with money and I intend to buy more SOLO stock. As a machinist, I can tell you that they are a top shop and can do just fine taking in scab work until the market changes.

I admit I do not see a compelling need for this vehicle. Side note, I did the accelerator, literally a day before the rules changed...... the increased activity is amazing, I have been moved back almost a hundred places, and I don't have a minimum investment, but not a big one either. There seems to be quite a bit of position competition even farther down the list. 🤩

APTERA IS A BETTER VEHICLE FOR SURE.

I commute with an Arcimoto FUV in San Diego. It delivers as advertised, proving the viability of autocycles in SoCal. Also struggling, but still building rides starting at $20K.

The big selling point Aptera has is it's range!!! A100 mile range commuter "car" may seem nice on paper but that just won't go in the US.

I was thinking of an FUV but they really need to add removable doors to the thing for where I live. With that I could have my commuter vehicle and have a longer range vehicle for trips.

Frankly it’s like a motorcycle to me. I like this vehicle. My main concern is safety

The one thing I've continued to be a bit worried on is getting an alignment. As of right. Now, nearly everyone does alignments on dual scissor lifts which a 3 wheeler can not use. Aptera also had the issue that with a curved bottom you can't put it on a normal car lift. As an EV lifting it isn't as necessary, but it may mean higher labor costs when you do get it fixed professionally. And like I said, we can't use the alignment machines used for years we'd have to go back to aligning it with a string.

I have the solo it is nice for short trips and to go to like the doctor and the store . I am trying to buy a cargo version before the are gone. and still buy aptera

fwiw, the solar aspect is still a huge draw for us... Solo never scratched that itch. (And, the single seat vs. two was an insurmountable problem for our personal use case.) That said, we hope their future efforts are successful. And, we hope Aptera navigates the gauntlet successfully too (still very excited for our Luna.)

I threw down for a Nimbus rental. I'm really interested to see how it fares in Minnesota

I got insurance and financing for the FUV without any issues.

I had zero hope for it so I’m not surprised. It’s just a refined Elio. I did not enjoy the driving experience and has no place in the US. Perhaps China or Japan would work better. Glad they are moving on. Aptera will need a 4 wheeler in the next 3 yrs.

Maybe Aptera could add a second wheel in the back, then it would qualify for the rebates, could improve traction further as a bonus. Then again it may also mean having to follow more stringent safety tests and such, I guess that's the catch 22 lol. Hopefully it'll be ok on the insurance front, was wondering about that as well, if the idea is to save on gas then the concern would be if the insurance eats those savings vs a small full size EV.

If the Solo was a Duo then I would have ordered one. I actually like it overall.

My biggest concern buying an EV from a small company is service. Currently there are very few independent service shops qualified to work on an EV. This makes not having a nationwide network of service shops a huge hurdle. I'm not sure how Electra mechanica sees going to 4 wheels as solving that issue.

They always seemed like an enclosed scooter to me. If they're cheap enough they could be a small footprint for single city dwellers who don't use the freeway. Just looks too narrow to be stable in the moose test or high winds. Without the rebate they're just too expensive for a very limited use vehicle. Aptera on the other hand looks like a very practical vehicle for most singles and/or child free couples or families that already have a kid hauler and need a commute vehicle. Here's hoping aptera can keep the inflation/production cost down enough it still makes sense after comparing it to everything getting rebates

There are so many Cons to this vehicle: performance, range , cargo, 1 seater, and no solar. Probably more that I can't think of at the moment . The only Pro is: The price, which is not saying much for what you get for that price.

Disappointing. I had high hopes for the Solo. I guess it's important to keep sales expectations as realistic as possible.

It really is disheartening the tax credit does not apply to Aptera because of a wheel. It could have allowed someone to get a base Aptera for $19,000, Electrameccanica Solo for $7000, or a Nimbus for $3000. Really would have made electric vehicles accessible to a lot of people. There is a huge amount of people that cannot afford even an average new car price. These vehicles with the tax credit would have reached them a lot more. I am curious what the writer of the bill was trying to avoid by making the 4 wheel requirement. As for the Nimbus.... The Nimbus One S looks extremely compelling as I am looking for economical transport. The "S" model was stated to achieve highway speeds making it a viable option. Unfortunately though, the battery on the S is not swappable like the base model is. That kinda ruins it for me as I needed that feature to charge the batteries at home. Aptera with the full solar package is currently the only option that seems to fit.

Steve, can you find an update on Nimbus? Do they still have a path to production? I haven't been able to find any new info since last year, which is probably bad news...

The Solo had an identity problem. With the typical person looking at the front, it looked like a regular car, but then suddenly they notice it was only "half" a car. What happened to the rest of it? Fortunately for Aptera, it is unique. There are no expectations of how it "should" look. With a bit of information, people realize Aptera looks the way the laws of nature intended a high efficiency EV to look.

I don't think the Solo would compete with the much more functional and efficient Aptera. I think they saw Aptera and chose a different path.

They should of added pedals to the Solo. So when the motor takes a dump on the freeway you are able to pedal to work.

Look at their stock. It is costing twice as much money as they are making. That is why the change.

I'm sure Aptera will find insurers and banks to recommend and work with, that's how these ventures work .

I insure two motorcycles, They not hard to insure, maybe a bit more than car but. easy to get. I think Aptera should work on connecting with a finance company to work with.

How much cargo does one need to GO TO WORK?

Electrameccanica Solo has completely betrayed their shareholders.

I don't know, four-wheeled vehicles can't get government rebates either. The rebate program was designed to not pay out. Planned updates to the program will ensure it continues to not pay out.

A 4 seater hatchback will be more versatile and a better option. If you are not hauling passengers you can put more stuff. And evs will never be the best option for long drives but will be a best city car

Hmmm, Aptera's been there did that (4 wheels). Didn't work out.

the three wheel market has never been viable. it is however normally a less expensive way to get to market but Aptera appears to be having an issue with expenses. plus Chris and Co still won't give an idea of what actual prices of the Launch Edition will be . Eight thousand cheaper than what??? We DO NOT KNOW THE PRICE. Rivian and Lucid spent billions developing for very large volumes vehicles, it wasn't simply because they needed to meet safety standards. That actually isn't that difficult because there is a wealth of vehicle and materials science to draw from. ID.2 and Chinese EVs and Tesla's 25k EV will hurt Aptera as well.

I have a Solo and got a Gov rebate! It was not the same amount of a car but it was a gov rebate. So much false information. I got financed and insurance with NO problem at all. This is BS. Tesla is behind this if not the automotive industry as a whole.

Anyone else not sold on the clearance for the front wheel covers… Seems like any pothole is going to wipe them out immediately… I know it’s going to hurt the aerodynamics, but will that really matter if your wheel covers become road debris?

I recently had a chat with Lihang Nong the Founder of Nimbus... he told me that they're likely going to be delayed until 2024.

I feel bad that Electrameccanica chose to discontinue their Solo. But they have come to the realization that no three wheeled motorcycle with one or two passenger capabilities has been successful in the American market. By going to a four wheeled vehicle, they will then have a much safer road vehicle than any three wheeled motorcycle since they will then have to meet governmental safety standards which are much less in motorcycles and golf carts. Even if the Aptera was to qualify to meet Federal Tax Credits, it would not meet the criteria of domestic battery manufacturing. Kia and Hyundai which are markedly better vehicles, cannot meet these criteria set up by the government. I really cannot even imagine taking a long distance trip in the Solo for the ride comfort like the Aptera is just too rough. I would prefer a gran touring vehicle such as the Tesla Model S for long range travel with real DC fast charging. 80% charge gives one 200 miles in 15 minutes.

The solo looks good, but... would you feel comfortable on the freeway?

now undelivered solo in China appeared on internet selling for 20k rmb like 1500usd given the fact it can not be registered and not road legal plus it will be service and repair issues. When it comes to EV, they are not heading to the right direction thats all

It beats Archimoto, but I wouldn't pay more than $10k for a Solo, one more four-wheeled EV from a startup is a tough sell unless it has extraordinary efficiency as promised by Aptera. At $30k, Aptera still looks like a bargain to me, but no one knows yet that Aptera will sell a vehicle for this price.

Might someone in our body of clever Aptera owners know a way to convince our politicians to see the light, i.e. texting Congress, letters to the editor, demonstrations, etc.?

they should focus on the market they were trying to develop, the single passenger 3 wheeler appeals to alot of urban users. if they go to 4 wheels, they will lose and quickly. there are too many large international manufacturers like Tata, etc, that will blow them away.

This is disappointing news as the Solo was my backup plan should Aptera fail. The boys at Aptera had a lot to do with the current autocycle laws and I expect they will help resolve insurance and financing issues as they get closer to production. But I haven't seen any discussion as to how we move forward on the federal rebate front.

Damn I just found out about them and now I won’t be able to get 1 😢😢😢😢

I was just going to buy one last week when I saw this. Very disappointed. My fingers are crossed for Nimbus as well. That actually would be even better for me.

It’s not the number of wheels. It’s the number of seats.

Aptera could make a bigger four seat vehicle with a lot of the same hardware, perhaps not much more expensive and with proportionally similar efficiency. Materials cost is not so much of the total manufacturing cost, which is why big auto pushed big SUV's selling for much more. Only EV battery costs are a challenge to that old calculus...

"I don't know what they are thinking." I do. They can't envision financing without the rebate, govt. financing. SAD!

How can Aptera be a better option when it is NOT being sold and not coming out ANYTIME soon. Tesla is not going to let ANY 3 wheel electric vehicle onto the market.

What? No vacation?

I saw a video of someone who got one. He even said that it was very basic and rough. Overall, he liked it but I wasn't impressed.

When was it that Aptera CEO was saying .. much.. the same thing and went a 4 wheel vehicle ? Around 2010! That worked really well for them didn't it. NOT! Me thinks the problem lies elsewhere. Perhaps the Design staff quit in 2010 as well.

They are not rebates! They are a cut in your tax liability which only helps a few! They will not help me and they did not even exist when I started supporting Aptera. Making a big deal on these handouts is nonsense!

You can buy a huge used truck for that price.

if it had 2 seats I would have bought it.

If their new vehicle gets pushed as a made in usa automobile and they do some lobbying and get some government support, it can be good. Maybe an ad campaign making fun of solo and features in their new vehicle.

It does cost more to insure an auto cycle.

Solo was way over priced even at $15,000, 100 miles, hours to charge on level 2 , I believe I seen in a video on RU-vid, Akimoto is another one that has better ice options against it, Aptera I believe has a lot more to offer with the range, solar, close in, wing doors and the crazy space ship/ Jetson / airplane / bird look

I would not mind having any electric car but could not afford one so way out of my price range any thing higher than 500.00 ...

First! And bummer, we need more efficient vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

Nimbus ans Solo are to small for me (1-seater, even most/many motorcycles seat 2 people) especially given that my wife thinks Aptera is to small, too. I think federal tax credit is a hard-sell as the Govt would be helping to subsidize vehicles that are not required to show compliance with some normally accepted safety standards. Having said that, if Aptera can be shown to be "reasonably" safe, I'd buy one anyway.

Just reading the headline and typing as I watch, but this makes me sad.

Very disappointing. Surprised the potential market for 3 wheelers won't support capital outlay for mfg.

At 15k it was more intriguing. But I could buy a used Fiat 500e and have a more practical electric vehicle.

My Smart EV is getting up there on miles. I need a new small EV to just get around locally. Needs 100 miles range. Just tried a used low mile fiat 500e and the battery was bad. Took back to dealer. All three leafs failed and Nissan wouldn't fix. My Volt was the worst car I ever owned. Check engine lights and left me stranded five times.

Aptera next ?

looking to buy one. anyone selling?

Their excuses are BS... they just realized that they can't compete with Aptera.

Nimbus = death trap

oh, i just watched the animation, does it really TILT when turned ???? is this selling in usa ??? go check arcimoto patents lol

Maybe they should buy the rights to the Sono SEV and build that car. People wanted to buy it, it’s just the company gave up on it to expand their solar business.

Sounds like they are deliberately entering a space that is already dominated Tesla, BYD, etc

I love my solo no backseat driver its a commuter car. Look nice than any EV I seen. You guys suck for recalling it.

These sort of vehicles always fail without government subsidies, because they are overpriced and impractical. Lower the price and power it with a decent ice motorcycle engine , it would be a better vehicle with good range and might sell better.