The following is the opinion of Jason M. Hendler whose blog can be seen here.
Currently, the Congress is debating an expansion of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) program to include vehicles like the Aptera 2e/2h. The House passed legislation that would define any vehicle that encloses two passengers and achieves 75 mpg’s as a car, bringing Aptera under the ATVM program, but also forcing it and similar vehicles under tighter vehicle safety requirements.
Wall Street Journal Online – “Debate Arises on 3 Wheeler”
I believe this is an overly burdensome requirement that strays from the purpose of the ATVM program. If the government wants to support vehicle manufacturers that are attempting to produce alternative fuel / propulsion vehicles, then they should include alternative fuel / propulsion motorcycles and scooters under the program without adding safety requirements that only apply to cars. Companies such as Zero Motorcycles, Brammo, KLD Energy Technologies, as well as Zap and Aptera, deserve consideration, as these vehicles will become an important mix of our future transportation landscape.
Hopefully, the Senate can fix the House’s legislation to change the ATVM legislation to include motorcycles and scooters, instead of changing the definition of a car to only cover the Aptera 2e/2h, which overly burdens their vehicles to unnecessary safety requirements.
