Thursday, November 19, 2009

Aptera Delays Vehicle

Vista-based electric vehicle maker Aptera, on the heels of the departure of the firm's co-founders, has officially pushed back deliver of the firm's Aptera 2e vehicle, acknowledged the departure of co-founders Chris Anthony and Steve Fambro, and said it has laid of an unspecified number of staff. The firm said in a statement that the firm's vehicle development has "outpaced the rate of fundraising" at the firm, and it is now adjusting its production schedule to "align with financing realities." The firm said it will complete its first vehicle in 2010, not by the end of the year. In the statement, Aptera said it will begin volume production when it receives private funding or if it can secure financing through the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicle loan program. Aptera is venture backed by Google and Idealab.

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