I heard it may need to be registered as a motorcycle.
> I heard it may need to be registered as a motorcycle.
I hope so! Maybe it can be allowed in the carpool lane :-)
In fact, Aptera is a motorcycle manufacturer registered with DOT and CA DMV. This means, among other things, that we are able to issue VIN's. Our 'world identifier number' is '5WT', so all of our VIN's begin with '5WT'. Knowing the public perception of motorcycle safety, we made the decision to make safety a fundamental part of the design of our vehicles. For example, the Typ-1 roof is designed to EXCEED rollover strength requirements spelled out in FMVSS 216 for passenger vehicles. The doors EXCEED the strength requirement spelled out in FMVSS 214. We decided not just to meet many of the specs for passenger vehicles, which are set above and beyond the requirements for motorcycles, but we chose to exceed them whenever possible. Just a few of the many parts of the safety systems on the Typ-1 are airbag-in seatbelt technology, a front subframe and a firewall that redirect energy around the occupants.
In other words, you will have some feel-good safety features, but you are on your own when it comes to a real world crash.
But it looks cool.
“I heard it may need to be registered as a motorcycle.”
I saw one of those three wheeled motorcycles in Boulder the other day. It’s a crotch-rocket with two wheels in the front. Very strange.