Interest in Elio's $7300 84mpg Car?

At the price yes, but only if the car is not by "order" only.

7 years of vaporware is too expensive to risk

 

* MSRP for non-refundable reservations only and applies only until non-refundable and refundable reservations total 65,000. Total current reservations can be seen at: www.eliomotors.com.

Who will be first?

 

I'd be VERY interested.....
If they ever actually start selling and are available.

But I've been reading or hearing about The Elio for years, and it always seem they are in the pre-order, invest, get in line, but we aren't producing or filling orders yet stage.

Honestly, because you can't really get a descent motorcycle in that price range, I find it hard to imagine how Elio would be able to produce that product at that price point.

If they ever do?

I'd definitely look at one.
At that price point, and with that fuel economy...and with that unique look? How could you not?

I am however very skeptical that I'll ever see them available as a mass produced product. Been hearing about them for years...only seen them on the internet. Like Bigfoot or Yetti.

 

A half billion dollars for a car that is not yet built. Once again, Tesla shows the way. Almost 62,000 reservations according to the web site.

 

that car will never fly in any regular driving application. might be okay in some type of enclosed community.

 

In some states, it will be classed as a motorcycle.

 

ya, you'll probably see as many as 3 wheel bikes. that'll be worth a half billion dollar investment.

 

You know, I had just peaked in at their site last night since I haven't heard anything recently about them. I was considering putting down a deposit, but got the Sonic instead. If I won the lotto, I'd get a plug in, but would put in an "all in" deposit for an Elio*, because this could be a practical commuter solution for many.

They are calling it an autocycle. Under US motor vehicle regulations, it is a motorcycle. They have managed to get an enclosed motorcycle exemption for helmet laws in nearly all the states the require one to be worn by adults. There is a handful that require a helmet for minors, leaving West Virginia as the last hold out.

The 65,000 "all in" target is to show there are people really serious about buying the car in order to help secure a government(DOE, IIRC) loan.

*If this did happen, and Elio actually shipped the 'car', I was thinking of attaching some winglets, a tail, and a couple of propellers to it.

 

Why not?
You can ride a motorcycle in a majority of "regular driving" applications, why not this vehicle?

I think most people wouldn't necessarily want it as their ONLY or primary transportation. But at that cost? As a secondary vehicle, to save fuel, or just for fun? How could you lose?

I know people who use public transportation. I think if they could get ANY new transportation for less than $8000, with great fuel economy, they'ed take that over a bus pass.

The controversy over whether it would be classified a motorcycle and thus mean you need to wear a helmet might make a big difference.
I don't know if I could adjust to being in an enclosed space...wearing a helmet. I mean, I think you need NASA sewn to your jacket if that is the case.

I think the "concept" ideally works.
I have my doubts we will ever see the reality.

I think you start making it meet safety standards probably required, and the cost per unit probably increases way beyond the projected advertised price.

I could be wrong
I almost hope I'm wrong, because I'd love to see them on the streets.

 

A 3 wheeler is a motorcycle with zero safety standards and lower emissions requirements.

Elio has blown a lot of money lobbying to require safety standards so they can corner the market, as their 3 wheeler has safety belts and an air bag.

They continue to be vaporware, they want government money but are operating more as a cash grab.

 

i'll concede the motorcycle analogy. they'll sell about as well as those three wheel trikes they were pushing a few years ago. maybe even as well as some oddball cars like smart.

what a boon for the traffic congestion if people stop taking public transportation to drive to work. but with 3 wheels, they won't be able to ride in between the lanes like motorcycles.

 

You can spin it that way if you wish.
But I'm more or less championing the working poor. The ranks of which have IMO grown too much and too quickly.

Sure, a percentage of people use public transportation for ecological reasons, but far more are those that financially fall in the gap where they can't afford reliable automobiles and insurance.

I know a lot of people that would love something "new", reliable, for under 10,000 if it could simply get them to work and back/forth to the store. In North America...the USA, that product doesn't really exist.

I'm NOT against public transportation, but since conceivably every one of us participating in Prius Chat are owner operators of personal vehicles, it's a bit hypocritical to denigrate the idea that if the poor or those relegated to repeated use of public transportation suddenly had access to affordable personal transportation they'ed be clogging OUR streets. I prefer to think, they'ed finally have the opportunity to share them with us.

Besides, IMO I'm never stuck behind anything much slower than a Bus.

 

i don't have any problem with the poor buying vehicles, i just think we need to encourage public transportation as much as possible. it's not the horror that you make it out to be, although there is a loss of convenience. taken with the right attitude, it can be a blessing to got to work while reading a book, listening to your favorite whatever, sipping a drink, and not caught in the middle of traffic.

 

Sounds ideal for UK. Oh wait we have had such beasts before. The classic Morgan etc.

Your so right, but it's only fine in places where there is frequent and efficient public transport. Many isolated villages in south west England only have a very limited service of they're lucky and many not at all. Our leaders tend to see the world through the eyes of a metropolitan, so it's a bit like devil take the hindmost for people in sparsely populated areas.

End of rant!

 

Riding between lanes is quite illegal here. It is inherently incompatible with an important road safety principle, that each vehicle on the road is entitled to the full width of its lane. I.e. any passing vehicle must have its own clear lane, without forcing the passed vehicle to 'share' space.

Those practicing lane splitting must have a death wish. Particularly in areas where it is not legal and has never been a normal driving practice.

 

Vaporware.

When banks give them car-loan rates, and all 50 states classify them as cars, AND they have as many models out as Tesla?
They might graduate from vaproware to aux transportation.

I'll consider a second generation unit......maybe.
(And I have 2 motorcycles...)

 

Yes indeed. These kind of vehicles are targeted at enthusiasts and certainly a very niche market indeed. IMHO, unlikely to leave the drawing board.

 

i'll concede that there may be area's where they might be useful. but also dangerous for people who don't even own a car and probably never rode a motorcycle. is the smallest cheapest standard car that much more expensive? and what if it's 2 years old?

 

Oh how embarrassing. #17 My beasts came up as breasts and I had to do a late edit.