Elio Motors Ultra High Mileage Vehicle = 84 MPG for $6800!

Actually from that list, I'm not sure a "non-goofy" conclusion is possible. A statistically competent reader would realize any "cause of death" list based on only one unique reason for death is for entertainment purposes. That was what it was used for. The more serious note is motor accidents should be far lower on the list. A key point of this thread is trying to determine if the Elio would have safety statistics closer to car numbers or motorcycle numbers. That is a really good question.

 

The non-goofy information presented should be that

A) Riding a motorcycle has about 30 x chance of death per mile as driving a car
B) Walking by a roadway is much more likely to result in death than riding a motorcycle. This is because we spend more time walking by road than riding motorcycles. Here death per mile isn't important, its about time where cars can hit you. Driver training and better designed roads can reduce these deaths.
C) Riding a motorcycle is not a big risk of death. For those over 21, dieing of cancer or a heat attack is much much more likely. outlawing motorcycle riding would not change death statistics.

Some people are fearful of even leaving home. Since this is a car forum we don't fall in this group, but many over estimate the danger of riding a motor cycle.

 

The core question remains. Am I exposing myself to a much greater risk by driving a motorcycle instead of a car?

This is a very valid point usually obliterated by statistical misinterpretation. However, the same experience, training and attitude applies just as much to driving a car. So while the likelihood of an accident does go down for a skilled defensive vehicle operator, the mismatch between motorcycle risk being greater than car risk still applies to the skilled driver.

 

The Elio is being positioned as an economical and efficient alternative to a car. So we'll consider the situation to be that of the daily commute. For an individual, the chance of getting into a crash will be about the same whether they are in a car or on a motorcycle. The bike may avoid some collisions due to its size and nimbleness. Then the car may miss some by being easier to spot by other drivers. The chance of a crash won't be exact, but it will be close over the years and miles.

If we accept that the chance of crashing is the same, then the risk comes down how the person will fare in the crash, and the cyclist will fare worse. Cars have seatbelts, airbags, and crumble zones. On a motorcycle the rider has a helmet, armor, and if they had an active childhood, maybe some ability in rolling with a fall. Getting ejected from a vehicle in an accident is the worse thing to happen in terms how hurt a person will be. Cyclists will always be ejected. If you have a crash during your daily drive, you are more likely to suffer serious injury or death riding a bike instead being in a car.

With the Elio, the risk is going to be somewhere in between. It will have some of the cars injury reducing safety measures. Keeping a person contained, and not sliding along the pavement at high speeds being one of them. It will be smaller than nearly all the other vehicles on the road, which is a disadvantage in the case of collision with one. Odds are for most is that they'll hit a barrier or tree instead of another car though.

I once considered a scooter. I dropped the idea for two main reasons. Most highway capable ones didn't get much better fuel economy than a Prius, and my safe travel would depend more on the people around me than if I was in a car. I personally feel the Elio, at this time, would have enough pros to weigh out that con.

The dogs would be going by car, but circumventing some of the safety features by sticking their heads out the window.
Do to the great open wilderness where they can be found, and their cycle pedaling, circus forebears(pun not intended), bears will prefer motorcycles.
The lions will get someone else to drive, preferably a limo, so they can nap.

 

It's an easy stat, which I won't bother to look up. Motorcycles are a riskier way to travel than cars.

 

If I was arguing that, I would have SAID it........which I did NOT.
You are inferring things in my posts that aren't there.

 

THAT is a total myth.

I am sorry your friend had such a bad wreck but what the phrase above really means is: " I didn't have the necessary skills to keep the bike upright in a panic braking situation and the back wheel locked and resulted in a low-side skid."

ALL motorcycle riders need to practice emergency maneuvers ALL the time, me included. I am way rusty and I know it.

Once the tires leave the pavement (went down) the speed doesn't decrease much until you hit something; that means YOU and the bike.

 

I was going to bring up the same point, but this is a mostly non-rider site, and miketocke's friend has already had both body and bike repaired.
Besides....the last time I was in extremis I chose to take my crash in the ditch rather than hit the idiot cell phone queen that turned left in front of me.
If we looked at the replay in super-slow-mo I probably screwed the pooch, but it's been over 5 years since I've been to an MSF course, and I'm old enough and I've ridden long enough to know for certain that I'm not an especially talented rider. Fortunately, GOD looks after drunks, children, and sailors so I get triple coverage.
The only thing I screwed up was some kudzu and it wasn't one of those 'population control ditches."
The $%$@#@!@ didn't even stop....before or after.

Whether it's an Elio, a Prius, or a Motorcycle, or just getting out of the shower....defecation occurs.
The mortality rate for humans is still 100-percent....none of us are getting out of this life thing alive.
If you're not prepared to deal with the increased possibility of getting turned into road pizza, then don't ride, but I'm one of those goofy people that look at life as a journey rather than just hanging around to see how many candles I can accumulate on my birthday cake.
If you eat right, exercise regularly, don't drink, smoke, swear, or do anything that's 'dangerous' are you going to live longer or is it just going to seem longer??
(note to militant fat phobes/niccotine Nazis/safety freaks: That was mostly humor!)


You can mitigate most of the additional risk, but there will always be two types of riders:
Those who have gone down on their bike and those who are going to.
Motorcycles are primarily a recreational vehicle. Nobody with a three digit IQ or a five figure income would use one to replace a commuter vehicle.
The fact that this "Elio: Fact or Fiction?" thread has devolved into a motorcycle discussion demonstrates the fact that the Elio is not quite a car, and not quite a motorcycle either. Some of the things that I enjoy on a bike (maneuverability, visibility, and exceptional acceleration) I won't be able to do on/in the tadpole-car.
I will drive one just to be sure but there's a reason that this baby hasn't been born yet despite a 6 year gestation period.
Building cars is tough!
Ask Musk...or better yet go into a Tesla plant and yell "fire!"

---and the Tesla costs 10 times what the Elio does so there's more money to bribe regulators and pay for lawyers. It also has the advantage of being a car, rather than a trike.
Three-wheeler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I think it's a cute idea, but Grumpy already noted that trikes aren't particularly successful in Europe despite their micro-car culture, and $9/gal gas.

If I buy one, then I'll report that fact back to this site and it will be one of the zillion times in my life that I was wrong about something.

 

Wow .... never has so much been devoted to so little vaporware
..... do not know about anybody else but I'm ready to take a vote. All in favor of moving this to the other vehicles sub forum, say "Aye"

.

 

I do not know.....
Somebody is going to come out with a three-wheel EV, and then the topic will be "PC" enough to be discussed here, and many of the "form over function" and safety aspects will still apply to tadpole vehicles.


Something like.......Myers Motors NmG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

...or Aptera 2 Series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

or......Cree SAM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peel P50 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


All electric (the Peel-50 was optionally electric)

 

Why not just get one of these (electric bicycle)? 0-30 mph in 15 seconds. 17 mile range (at full speed). If you run out of charge, you can pedal. It even has lithium batteries.

 

Then what was your point in repeatedly pointing out more people die driving cars?
Counter one inflammatory statement with another one?
That if you are the one that dies, it doesn't matter how, be it on a motorcycle, in a car, or eaten by a mountain lion?
Those could have been done in a clearer manner, and have been done so in this thread.

 

3-wheeled commuter car looks to make splash in auto market | www.statesman.com
Who is the target

 

Here's the newest review so far;

Exclusive Capsule Review: Elio Motors P4 Prototype - The Truth About Cars

 

Why are people excited about a Geo Metro with 3 wheels? And I would rather have a proven Suzuki engine than an imitation with unknown quality from guys building things in a shed. I just don't see this succeeding especially now that PHEVs and BEVs exist and can give you a real vehicle with the same or better economy. Or just go buy a 1990's Geo Metro. It will probably do better in a crash anyways

 

Ho hum.
They don't even HAVE the first real model built yet with the REAL engine and yet they are claiming fuel efficiency figures.
Looks like just so much hype at this point.
You pretty much have to go down below 500 CC in a motorcycle to break 60 MPG......so I'm more than a little skeptical at this point.

 

The idea is low cost reliable. You know steal a little market share from the prius c, versa, yaris, etc. Its not a mass market car, like the metro will end up a conversation piece. Even though they talk about 60K units/year, That isn't a high number when you are selling for less than $10K. You can't reliably buy those old engines, and the metro wouldn't meet modern emissions. I'm hoping the guy makes it, but I doubt it.

 

Reminds me of the Messerschmitt "two holer."

1955 Messerschmitt KR200

 

Man.... that you are old.....

 

Better old; than dead!

You must be one of them Millennial "whippier snappers."