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American Humane makes the astonishing claim that as many as 100,000 dogs are killed each year riding unrestrained in the back of a pickup truck.
A new state legislator in Utah has introduced the Transportation of Dogs Act to make sure this potentially dangerous activity becomes illegal.
Currently, only six states have specific laws against this sort of thing.
The state of Utah is about to consider legislation to make it illegal to let your dog(s) ride in the bed of a pickup truck. One impetus for the bill is the outrage that was created when the Utah Humane Society video (below) of a dog standing on a truck zooming down the highway went viral. Unrestrained dogs can be tossed around in the bed or fall off while the truck is moving—a problem with an easy solution, but even easy may be too hard for people used to the practice. Still, if the American Humane organization’s claim—that 100,000 dogs die each year from riding in pickup-truck beds—is anywhere near reality, it’s a serious problem.
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Rep. Ashlee Matthews, the only Democrat to win in Utah in November, has introduced the Transportation of Dogs Act (officially, H.B. 386) to the state legislature. The bill would make it illegal for people to drive faster than 40 mph with unrestrained dogs in the back of their truck. There are exceptions for working farm dogs and hunting dogs or if the sides of the bed are at least 46 inches tall. A driver’s first violation would result in an infraction, and any further violations would be misdemeanors. Rep. Matthews did not respond to Car and Driver’s request for comment.

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Deann Shepherd of the Humane Society of Utah told local news station WITN last year that the group would support a law similar to what Rep. Matthews has introduced. The Utah state legislative session ends March 5.
“This bill is long overdue,” said Rachel Heatley, Utah Humane Society advocacy director, in a statement. “This legislation is an easy and effective way to reduce distraction on Utah’s high-speed roadways and save countless lives of humans and animals.”
Other States’ Laws
According to outdoor supplier Orvis, only six other states have laws that ban unrestrained dogs riding in truck beds: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Some states also forbid drivers from having dogs on their lap while driving, and some states require dogs to be in the back seat of cars. Orvis notes there are 16 states where the laws regarding dog transportation are ambiguous enough that it’s likely up to a law enforcement officer to decide if the way the dog is being carried is dangerous or against the law.
The American Humane Society says pets should always ride inside the cab, never in a truck bed. In fact, it is the first safety rule listed on the group’s website, which goes on to point out that it’s not just falling or jumping out of the bed that can hurt the animal. There’s no protection from the weather in the bed, so at the very least you should use a secured crate back there if you have to carry your dog and there’s no room in the cabin.
Dogs falling out of truck beds can also be hazardous to other drivers, but simply leashing your dog to the truck is not a good idea, the group said, because “many dogs have been strangled when tossed or bumped over the side of the truck and been left helplessly dangling.”
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Aptera, the startup aiming to make a three-wheeled electric vehicle, just got $4 million in funding.
That brings it closer to actual production, slated for the end of 2021.
The ultra-efficient three-wheeled two-seater promises 1000 miles of range.
Electric-trike maker Aptera finally has what it needs to really get going: money. Last week the company announced it had closed on $4 million in Series A funding. “Aptera’s continued momentum has now garnered it over 7000 vehicle reservations in just over two months, totaling a quarter-billion in orders,” the company’s news section read.

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2010 Aptera 2e

It goes on to say Aptera has moved into a new production design facility in the tony Sorrento Valley area of San Diego, just east of La Jolla. (Aside: Dr. Seuss lived in La Jolla and would probably have approved of the Aptera’s shape.)
The shape, like everything on the vehicle, is squeezed for efficiency. It has a ludicrous 0.15 coefficient of drag and a curb weight of just 1800 pounds. Depending on what battery you order and how much sun the rooftop panels can add to your drive, you could get 1000 miles of range out of this thing. If you live in a really, really sunny spot, you can gain over 41 miles a day in free electricity from the solar panels, or 11,484 extra free-sun-happy miles a day. If you live in, say, New York, you can still make between 11 and 30 miles a day. Most people don’t actually drive that far in a typical day, so for them, it’s basically free fuel forever.
Prices are still listed at between $25,900 and $46,900 for the high-efficiency two-seater, with the first deliveries planned for the end of this year. The company wants to hit 10,000 vehicles a year by 2022.
Below is a recent Aptera story with more details:
Anybody remember the Aptera 2e? The three-wheeled two-seater that looked like a flying pumpkin seed? Well it’s back, or it will be back, and the stats of the new model that its makers are throwing around sound crazy: a curb weight as low as 1800 pounds, range of up to 1000 miles(!), priced starting at $25,900.
Incredible, right?
Let’s back up a bit, like about 14 years. In 2006 when the company was more or less founded, it was going to revolutionize transportation through efficiency. Three wheels instead of four allowed for the wild aerodynamic shape you see here, as well as skirting federal safety standards. Three-wheelers are generally classified as motorcycles by NHTSA, but if they’re enclosed like this one, you usually don’t have to wear a helmet.
An electric motor drove the rear wheel on that original model and produced an mpg equivalent of 200 miles per gallon. Pricing back then was going to be between $25,000 and $45,000. In 2008 it was entered in the Automotive X Prize contest with a claim of 300 mpg equivalent. Original plans called for a plug-in-hybrid version utilizing a 500-cc catalyst-equipped gasoline engine. The PHEV would compliment the battery electric models in the lineup.
All too soon, however, the money ran out, and a reported dispute (about whether the car should have roll-down windows, of all things) doomed production. The company closed its doors in 2011, not having delivered a single car to a customer.

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Original founders Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony.
Aptera

However, the original founders, Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony, never gave up. They are shown now posed with an Aptera, ready for the future.
The new car will be electric only, with a variety of battery packs available. The bigger the pack, the longer the range. Consider this: 25 kWh good for 250 miles of range; 40 kWh for 400 miles; 60 kWh for 600 miles; and the king-daddy 1000.0-kWh battery will give a promised—and unprecedented—1000 miles of range. That works out to 10 miles per kWh, by the way. Contemporary EVs are closer to 4 miles per kWh. So the pumpkin shape means two and a half times more range? That’s what they’re saying.
But the most interesting statistic may be the power of the solar roof. Most previous applications of solar roofs on electric or hybrid cars say they’re only good for a few hundred watts of power. Some carmakers say they’re only good to operate an exhaust fan to keep the car’s interior cooler on hot days. But Aptera says its roof options—up to three solar panels—can give you 60 miles of range. That’s unprecedented statistic number two. The maximum panel size is three square meters, which yields a claimed 700 watts of charge as long as the sun is shining. Say you live in South Miami and get 10 hours of direct, glaring sunlight a day—700 watts times 10 hours is 7.0 kWh. If this rig really does get 10 miles per kWh, that’d be good for 70 miles. Aptera is only claiming 60 miles, though it expresses that as 60 kilometers plus 24 miles. In the main press release it claims 45 miles. An earlier release, still on its website, said the solar roof would be good for 40 miles. Take your pick. Co-CEO Chris Anthony tries to explain:
“If you put our same solar package on a Prius, you could get maybe six or eight miles of charge range a day, which some people might find compelling, if you have a really short commute. For most people, it wouldn’t be worth the expense of the solar. But when you only burn 100 watt-hours per mile, like the Aptera does, the same solar package can get you 40-plus miles a day of range.”

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Aptera

The trick is getting that 100 watt-hours, which, with the craft’s shape and light weight, seems entirely plausible. The company sums it all up with a statement:
“Aptera Motors today announced it has introduced the first solar electric vehicle (sEV) that requires no charging for most daily use and boasts a range of up to 1000 miles per full charge, shattering industry performance achievements to date. Aptera leverages breakthroughs in lightweight structures, low-drag aerodynamics and cooling, material science, and manufacturing processes to deliver the most efficient vehicle ever made available to consumers.”
The body is made of lightweight composites that are said to meet “all applicable safety standards.” Keep in mind that the standards applicable to a three-wheeler are nowhere near as stringent as those required of a four-wheeled, generic “car.” That’s okay. People ride motorcycles, don’t they?
That slippery exterior is said to have a drag coefficient of 0.13, which looks entirely possible. Power goes to all three wheels via hub motors in each wheel. Autonomous driving is said to be on the list of features, though no specifics were proferred.
Will it really happen this time? Deliveries are slated for “2021,” which gives them a little elbow room should there be yet another dispute about roll-down windows, or maybe cupholders. But it sure looks cool. The slice of electric car enthusiasts who program their own software will likely love this thing. As for the rest of the planet, well, who doesn’t want 1000 miles of range and free solar charging?

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