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Elio Motors has locked in the base price of $7300 for non-refundable reservation holders for their 84mpg 3-wheel "autocycle". Reservations can be made for as little as $100 or as much as $1000 with higher values getting priority delivery when they go into production. The price is above the $6800 target that had been quoted for the last few years, but those who are willing to make a binding commitment to purchase a vehicle can sign an additional online form to knock their price back down to $7000. The locked-in prices will be available until they reach a total of 65,000 reservations (~57,000 have been made to date).
The startup car company is attempting to disrupt the auto industry by producing an efficient, affordable vehicle similar to what VW did with the $1699 Beetle in 1968, but at an even more affordable price (the Beetle cost $11,768 in 2016 dollars)
The vehicle itself, while technically a motorcycle under federal law, is controlled like a car with a steering wheel and pedals. Most states have enacted legislation exempting such vehicles from the extra license endorsements or helmet requirements that motorcycles and trikes normally need. Standard features of the base model include an enclosed cabin with A/C, heat, cruise control and power windows & door lock.
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Tuesday August 16 2016, @11:28PM
By my reading of the article, those who pre-order are to pay $7000. The $7300 price is to be levied upon later purchasers.
(Score: 3, Informative) by slinches on Tuesday August 16 2016, @11:52PM
Yeah, the pricing tiers and reservations are a bit confusing. There are two types of reservations (refundable and non-refundable) and an option to sign a biding commitment for any non-refundable reservation holder, so the pricing options are a matrix that looks like this:
Both the refundable and non-refundable reservation deposits are available in $100, $250, $500 & $1000 values. Plus there's a 25% bonus offer for non-refundable reservations (e.g. $1250 toward the eventual purchase at the $1000 level).
The "binding commitment" feature was added to address changes in the DOE Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufaturing (ATVM) loan program that Elio Motors has applied for. The DOE stated that non-binding commitments were insufficient to show market acceptance from a startup, so Elio is locking in the prices and offering a discount to those who are confident they want to purchase a vehicle if it comes to market. There are more details in this Price Lock-in Announcement [eliomotors.com].
(Score: 2) by slinches on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:37AM
Replying to myself to make a correction to the table. Apparently the pricing scheme even confused me. :P
That applies to all reservations as long as you get in before they hit 65,000. It isn't clear what happens after that.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 16 2016, @11:32PM
I hear your stressed, twentysomething-pilot. Putter yourself home where you can imagine your mommy tucking you in.
Disrupt away, millenial unicorn-chasers, but your wannabe trendy shit is too expensive for the bama ecomony unless your marketing exclusively to yuppie scum.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:46AM
As a personally-responsible self-owning individualist (one might even say: wildly individualistic), I'm very interested in vehicles like this as a transporation tool.
- Not a motorcycle (I don't have one and don't want one)
- Enclosed cabin to keep the elements out
- High fuel efficiency to keep transporation costs low
- Doesn't appear to come with much of the garbage found in late-model cars (phone-home OnStar type stuff, wildly-overengineered and fragile "media consoles") with few exceptions (airbags and anti-lock brakes)
- Price point close to reasonable for a second vehicle for a small household (I'd prefer to own a truck to do my own heavy lifting but can't justifiy my one vehicle being a truck. With a ~$7000 3-wheel car, I could potentially justify the cost of owning two vehicles with the 3-wheel car doing 95% of the transportation with the truck being used for the 5% heavy work.)
If the market for new vehicles of this sort pan out, I salivate at the thought of what the market for used vehicles of this price point will enable.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @03:02AM
Kinda worried about upkeep and parts availability.
Here's to hoping the build quality/engineering is high enough for it to operate more like a transportation appliance than a kit car. Even mundane things like getting the vehicle on a lift becomes complex being square peg.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:01PM
Doesn't appear to come with much of the garbage found in late-model cars
I found this easy to avoid about two years ago. Simple non-modal mechanical controls I can manipulate by touch while keeping my eyes on the road, no gimmicks and stuff.
Basically sounds like you want a Yaris for a Yugo price. Good luck with that.
Apparently the current model Camry has one of those hideous multifunctional tablet things in the dash, but the HVAC is an intermediate UI of buttons and dials and a panel. I prefer the HVAC UI of my Yaris to either the intermediate UI on the Camry or once of those hideous touch screen controlled UIs.
The old days of a BMW having the worlds worst tablet interface such that it takes 5 minutes of endless eyes off road clicking to turn on the air conditioner are over, thankfully.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:56AM
OP is trolling. And not very bright.
The mean age of reservation holders is in the low-60's.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @02:11AM
twenty one pilots - Stressed Out [youtube.com]
Music video features men who ride tricycles around a stereotypical suburban neighborhood and sing about their mothers.
Currently charting at #35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @02:56AM
So, you're saying the thread parent was making an obscure reference?
Or are you insinuating that a metric used for judging the relative popularity of one song among all other mainstream music is relevant to the desires of USian society at large for cheap enclosed transport vehicles?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @03:28AM
It's not even an obscure reference when the song peaked at #2 and has been all over the radio this year.
Don't hesitate to reply by telling us all about how you never listen to mainstream music because such mundane commoner tripe is beneath you.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @03:42AM
So you are insinuating that a metric used for judging the relative popularity of one song among all other mainstream music is relevant to the desires of USian society at large for cheap enclosed transport vehicles.
Well, good for you. Remember to buy the new iPhone and keep working hard to make payments on your mortgage, credit cards, car loan, and student loans while mocking the potential for cheap, efficient personal transportation.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @05:47AM
cheap, efficient personal transportation
Fuck you illiterate fucking asshole.
"too expensive for the bama ecomony unless your marketing exclusively to yuppie scum"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @06:31AM
Your opinion is so very obviously not law of either the legislative nor economic type.
The fact that you're claiming a $7300 pseudocar is "too expensive" when the closest comparable alternative is - wait for it - more expensive in terms of sticker price (and presumably operating costs) should clue you in to how dumb your opinion sounds when read aloud. Try it.
Now, a very reasonable criticism is that some of the poorest USian people also happen to be among the fattest, which could for them pose a serious barrier to entry. Literally. Could you wedge yourself into a twenty-inch seat?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by tibman on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:58AM
Well, this says it can go 100 mph and gets around 84 mpg. The website says it is made in the US and even using 90% US made parts. As far as price goes, 8k$ is really cheap for a "car". Oh wait.. you said it threatened your manliness? Guess you'll have to go back to the gym for a few months before buying one of these. Wouldn't want anyone to think you're like a wimp or something. Should probably get a gun-rack accessory, mossy-oak antler stickers, and truck nuts just in case they can't see your muscles through the tinted windows : P
I think this thing is cool. Currently driving a four seater toyota car to work everyday. Driving a jeep/truck to work just isn't practical. Was costing around 5k$ a year in just fuel and oil. This Elio thing is cheap enough that people with decent jobs could get one of these for work commute and keep the fuel sucking truck for after work fun.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @03:02AM
Dead on. [soylentnews.org]
A primary concern for me is what the maintenence costs are expected to be. Such as if they're using a prototype engine that burns itself out after 20,000 miles and/or has effectively no repair parts supply chain. My current "go kart" is an older Japanese car which had a five figure sticker price, but whose upkeep costs are ridiculously low. It'd be a real shame if such an awesome concept like the Elio 3-wheeler has an appealing purchase price but ends up always being in the shop.
(Score: 2) by slinches on Wednesday August 17 2016, @03:18AM
While I don't know if the build quality of the chassis will keep up, the powertrain seems like it should be solid. Roush is in charge of the final tuning and fit-and-finish. The motor is new, but the design work was done by IAV, who have worked with many of the major automotive manufacturers. The transmission is an Aisin 5-speed manual (with an option for the same in an automated-manual configuration), which has been used in other vehicles with good reliability. And many of the suspension parts and engine accessories are sourced off-the-shelf and designed for larger vehicles.
None of that guarantees that $7k can buy you a sturdy vehicle, but it seems to me like they are doing all the right things to make it happen.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Nuke on Wednesday August 17 2016, @10:33PM
Should probably get a gun-rack accessory, mossy-oak antler stickers, and truck nuts just in case they can't see your muscles through the tinted windows : P
All that, but I'm waiting for the off-road lift kit too.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Francis on Tuesday August 16 2016, @11:40PM
That's incredibly foolish. These things do not handle like cars and as such requiring appropriate endorsements is essential to ensuring that they don't kill themselves or others.
The lack of helmets makes sense, there's a crash cage to protect you, but if you haven't been taught how to operate one of these, you shouldn't be on the road.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 16 2016, @11:46PM
No problem. We'll just strap a smartphone to the motorcycle and say it's self driving.
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:21AM
It certainly handles more like a car than a motorcycle. Do you propose an entirely new licensing class?
I hope Elio succeeds; I've watched too many other three wheelers fail. I would like something cheaper and more efficient than a car but that is still usable on ice and snow.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Francis on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:32AM
We already have that around here. It's a type 5 endorsement covering trikes and sidecars. It's simply not true to suggest that a 3 wheel vehicle handles more like a car than a motorcycle. They're completely different beasts.
Vehicles like this aren't currently covered, but they really should be.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:14AM
Reading the specs https://www.eliomotors.com/features/#details [eliomotors.com] ... reverse trike, front engine, front traction, 160 inch long (~400cm), 66 front wheels track (~167cm), 110 wheel base (~280cm), 55HP... really different than a car? Because it's bigger than some European/Japanese tiny cars (or compact family cars year ago). No weight info, but maybe lighter if it achieves the 100MPH (~160Km/h). Same parking space than small cars but only 2 person, just better fuel efficiency.
(Score: 1) by Francis on Wednesday August 17 2016, @03:19AM
It's different. Reverse trikes have been relatively common in the US for some time now. For example, the Piaggio MP3 has two in front and one in the back and those require a special endorsement.
The only reason why the car like ones don't require a special endorsement is that there's a cage surrounding the driver. Virtually every adult in the country knows how to ride a bike and as such can manage the leaning without being taught to do it on a bike. The reason the endorsement is required is that trikes don't handle the same way that vehicles on 2 or 4 wheels do.
(Score: 2) by fnj on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:21AM
Sorry, it's a FACT. A symmetrical 3-wheeler, especially one with the two wheels forward, does handle MUCH more like a car than a motorcycle or an oddball contraption like a motorcycle with a sidecar. The steering wheel and pedals are strong clues to the similarity. If you brake a motorcycle to a stop, it will fall over unless you prop it up with your foot. Not so this car (and not so, even a VW tricycle custom conversion, for that matter).
Yes, there are differences of degree. You have to be more aware of tipover potential when maneuvering this, compared to a car. But you don't need the dexterity of carefully balancing it on two wheels at all times, like a motorcycle.
(Score: 1) by Francis on Wednesday August 17 2016, @03:15AM
No, it's not a fact. If it were a fact, then smaller trikes wouldn't require a different license endorsement from cars and motorcycles. The only reason that they get an exception is that there's a crash cage to protect when people fuck it up. It's not because it more closely resembles a car. It's because the likely consequences to the driver are less.
Also, there's far more to operating a car than just the dexterity. Virtually every motorcyclist gets that down within a few months tops, most of it is knowing how to manage the vehicle on the roads in the conditions that are available. And whether you care to admit it or not, the reality is that a 3 wheel vehicle requires some education to know how to properly drive it. In addition to the normal drivers ed that it takes to drive a car.
(Score: 2) by slinches on Wednesday August 17 2016, @06:03AM
There's a big difference between small 3-wheelers and something like the Elio. With small vehicles, the CG is up high and the wheel base is small which is what makes them prone to roll-overs. The Elio has a low and forward located CG, with a wider stance compared to normal commuter cars to make up for the lack of a 4th wheel in back. On top of that, it's being put through the same tests 4-wheel passenger cars must go through even though it isn't technically required.
But if you want to see for yourself, look up Elio test drive videos on YouTube. There are several from various reviewers.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:49PM
Certainly a 3 wheel car would handle more like a 3 wheel ATV than anything else, if you're looking for an analogy. Those were banned in '88 in the USA, too many people getting killed.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:14PM
> a 3 wheel car would handle more like a 3 wheel ATV than anything else
Not in my direct experience. I spent a lot of time horsing the early 3 wheel ATVs around, they didn't have a differential between the two rear wheels, so to get them to turn there were two choices:
+ steer the front wheel while sitting normally, or leaning in (like motorcycle) and watch the front wheel scrub, and the vehicle only turns very slightly -- two rear wheels rotating at same speed are both stuck to the ground and resist turning the whole vehicle.
+ lean out to take load off the inside rear wheel (so it could slip over the ground easily), and steer, now it turns.
In other words, the driver had to begin to roll over the ATV to get it to turn. This balancing act didn't always work out...
Polaris Slingshot (similar track and wheelbase to Elio, but with many other differences) turns like a car, no weight shifting required from the driver.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Immerman on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:57PM
All the 3-wheel ATVs I've seen have had the single wheel up front, which *drastically* alters the dynamics in a turn, making it far more prone to rollovers than with two wheels up front. Basically, when turning left your momentum tries to keep you going in a straight line - forward-and-right from your curving path. With two wheels up front that shifts the load onto the right-front wheel. With only one wheel in the front, that shifts the load *away* from the only wheel into open space, relying entirely on the weight of the rear-left portion of the vehicle to keep it from rolling.
Lighter vehicles, or those otherwise capable of leaning, get around this by leaning into the turn - moving the center of gravity leftward, so that the rightward loading shift remains through the single wheel's contact point with the ground. But that's not an option with a vehicle much heavier than the rider, unless some mechanized leaning control is available.
Bikes are a bit different, since they are inherently unstable and the driver's lean can cause the entire bike to tip in the desired direction in preparation for a turn - something not possible in a more stable vehicle
(Score: 1) by Frost on Thursday August 18 2016, @06:32AM
Bikes are a bit different, since they are inherently unstable and the driver's lean can cause the entire bike to tip in the desired direction in preparation for a turn
That's not how a two-wheeler turns.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Thursday August 18 2016, @01:12PM
Go ahead, try to make a tight turn on a bike without leaning into it...
No, you can't lean it all the way and then turn, any more than you can turn without leaning - it's a balancing act all the way through, but you have to understeer (or over-lean) as the turn tightens so that the bike continues to lean further, and then oversteer (or under-lean) as the turn loosens so that centripetal force pulls the bike upright again. On a heavy bike you can't take a turn like you can in a car, where you go directly from a straight path, to a fixed-curvature turn, and then back to a straight path with negligible transition time. If you're not already tipping over on a bike, you can't tighten your turn. And similarly, if you *are* already tipping over, you can't immediately straighten out.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @02:52AM
These things do not handle like cars...
Neither does mid-engine cars compared to a traditional front engine.
Neither does a popular SUV compared to an enthusiast car.
Neither does a car on snow compared...
While I can appreciate your point, it's not like people regularly take their vehicles to empty parkinglots to figure out the braking threshold, the amount of cornering push, etc.
Such an unusual vehicle is most like going to attract a certain type of buyer that will figure out the handling characteristics before attempting high speed maneuvers.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @04:04AM
No idea how Elio will handle. But, I've driven a Polaris Slingshot at their proving ground and it's remarkably like driving a small car with good performance. I drove it pretty hard and they also had a "permanent puddle" so it was possible to have one front wheel hydroplane at high speed--went straight through this hazard with no drama. The Polaris is a little heavier, rear wheel drive and seats two side-by-side so not directly comparable, but at least close to the same dimensions of front track and wheelbase.
While Slingshot registers as a motorcycle, I don't think many states require drivers to have a motorcycle endorsement on their license(??)
One practical problem with trikes like this -- how do you reach out to an automatic teller machine, or to a toll booth attendant?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:02AM
Where dumb money goes. See subject. So, it exploits federal/state regulation regarding motorcycle vs. car/trucks - WOW, INNOVATION!@#@!@!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:17AM
SO DISRUPTIVE BRO
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:22AM
IM XO MAD BRO. wHERE TO SEND MONEY? TAKE MY MONY BRO!
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:39AM
No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Snotnose on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:33AM
In my late teens/early 20s I rode a bike (1978-1981 or so). I finally gave it up when I realized that it wasn't people didn't see me, they saw me and actually wanted to kill me.
Final straw? If you're in San Diego think of the Target in El Cajon. Used to be a Gemco or somesuch. I'm on Broadway heading west, dumbass in a car heading east makes a left right in my path. I managed to avoid the collision, confronted the guy, he said "WTF. You're on a bike, you can avoid me".
Seriously, I wish San Diego had had both a concealed carry and stand your ground law at the time, I'd have shot that asshole in the face.
Sold the bike soon after, been driving a car ever since.
I came. I saw. I forgot why I came.
(Score: 4, Informative) by slinches on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:12AM
I've seen one of the Elio prototypes in person and it's a lot bigger than it looks in pictures. From the side view, it's about the same size as a Honda Civic. Head on it looks unique with the two outrigger wheels, and while it seems smaller than most cars from that angle, it's significantly more substantial than a motorcycle with a sidecar.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:21AM
Well aren't you a plucky conformist. I don't let other people's prejudices make my choices for me. Of course that means I live a very solitary life. I never last long in any social circle, and it's an entertaining surprise every time I'm ostracized, because I'm willfully oblivious to how very much everyone hates me. The undying hatred is mutual.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @02:15AM
Oh no, modded down!? Soylent hates me too?? WHY don't I CARE???!!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @04:06AM
Being a non-conformist won't get you ostracized but lacking social fluency will. Read the classics like "how to win friends and influence people " or look for a group like this http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2013/12/13/san-francisco-tech-boom-life-coaches-flirting-skills/ [kqed.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @05:43AM
I want to be an antisocial non-conformist. I want to lose friends and alienate people. I want to be the disloyal opposition. I want to be a bomb throwing anarchist!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @07:24AM
We make funny laws over here. Our lawmakers have just legalized lane-splitting. [lanesplittingislegal.com]
Anyone driving a full-sized vehicle, SUV, truck, or van knows the roads are striped with the minimal spacing.
I had no problem with lane splitting being illegal, but generally unenforced, as if it was safe to do so and someone did it, no harm, no foul.
Kinda like those "California stops" where people do not come to a complete stop at a stop sign. As long as they slowed down enough to be aware of impending cross traffic and negotiate safely, who cared? But if an accident resulted, the illegality of not coming to a complete stop came into play, and the one who broke the law had some explaining to do.
Now that lane splitting is supposedly legal, despite the roads not being re-striped to a width to accommodate this, now we have generated all sorts of legal maneuverings for those who get hurt trying to wedge between trucks.
I say this because I am noticing when driving my van, I am often clearing other large vehicles on the road by about two feet. There is NOT enough room to wedge a motorbike in there. Especially when both me and the guy next to me have those mirrors sticking out an additional foot or so.
My old boss had a big F350, and had so many motorcyclists damage his mirror that he had a special one made... you could pick his truck up by the mirror if you needed to.
(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Wednesday August 17 2016, @11:46AM
Legalized lane splitting? How do you share a lane? Making special exceptions for bikes and then burdening the motorist with such laws is absurd.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:45PM
I managed to avoid the collision, confronted the guy, he said "WTF. You're on a bike, you can avoid me".
Seriously, I wish San Diego had had both a concealed carry and stand your ground law at the time, I'd have shot that asshole in the face.
Not only is shooting a guy for talking back at you not a feasible defense (after all, he hadn't actually hit you in the end) but if you're going to talk like that then you're definitely someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Wednesday August 17 2016, @02:06PM
Yeah, it seems a lot of people don't understand the logistics of maneuvering a bike - yes you can turn a lot more sharply, but you need more prep time to be able to do so - you can't just yank on the wheel like you can in a car.
Plus, some people are just assholes with entitlement issues, and knowing you'll suffer the vast majority of the damage in a collision seems to make them all the bolder.
(Score: 1, Troll) by SanityCheck on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:39AM
Let me buy this POS so I can park it in my TINYGARAGE.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday August 17 2016, @02:56AM
BMW tried a covered scooter 16 years ago.. it didn't sell.
And it was just a covered scooter - small, practical, etc..
http://www.bmwblog.com/2015/12/22/the-bmw-c1/ [bmwblog.com]
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @05:55AM
That's a two-wheeler, tho: with that you need to constantly be balancing in addition to all the regular tasks of operating a vehicle.
The Elio 3-wheeler does the balancing by itself, akin to a car. It has a steering wheel and pedals, also akin to a car. Its cabin is also completely enclosed, so it can (presumably) keep its occupants dry even in nasty "sideways rain" weather. The cabin sounds like it should be practical year-round, in climates across the entire USA.
I have much higher hopes for the success of Elio's micro-car than BMW's kinda-covered scooter.
(Score: 2) by Nuke on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:15PM
I followed the link to their website, and after it spent a minute pulling in stuff from other locations (I glimpsed Facebook and a lot of names with "ad" in them) I got to the home page. Then promptly a pop-up questionaire; and after I had dismissed that, another pop-up.
Sorry, they FAILED
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:27PM
With Flash off (but no ad blocking) I was able to get through fairly quickly.
I was curious about the Elio engine, had seen various different descriptions in the press. Website claims a 900 cc (0.9L) three cylinder engine. Not far from the 3-cylinder 1-liter engine used in the early Chevy/Suzuki Sprint sold in USA in the 1980s.
(Score: 2) by AudioGuy on Wednesday August 17 2016, @09:32PM
I'm very curious about the engine too. Who makes it? Wonder what the horsepower is.
If you have javascript and flash turned off, you can view the site by turning off css. I use the 'Web Developer' toolbar on Firefox beacuse it allows such control easily.
(Score: 2) by acid andy on Wednesday August 17 2016, @01:42PM
It's too wide; I think the headlights ruin the styling and make it look like a cheap Japanese car; the 0-60 and top speed aren't great considering it's a modern 900cc engine and Reliant's three wheeler's managed 70 mpg well over thirty years ago. I expect it's quite heavy. I couldn't find a weight on the website. Nice try, but no thanks.
Master of the science of the art of the science of art.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by slinches on Wednesday August 17 2016, @02:48PM
The impressive part isn't the performance, that's rather mundane and targeted to be on par with an average commuter car. What's impressive is the cost of ownership. In my case, I can buy one for ~$8000 after taxes and fees and it will actually pay back the initial cost in reduced fuel and wear and tear on my truck. On top of that, in my state it qualifies for HOV lane access saving me nearly a day and a half in commuting time each year.
If this thing gets produced, it'll be the cheapest and most accessible form of all weather personal transportation in history. That sounds like a rather substantial achievement to me.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @04:48PM
I am also keeping an eye on this. If this turns out to be an actual thing I may get one to replace my smart car & motorcycle combo. Even if the mpg will be less than stated, say 60ish mpg.
I like the fact they have a deal with pep-boys for this. That puts a workshop certified to work on this vehicle pretty close to many people.
I just need to have a test drive and see the crash rating on the vehicle.
(Score: 2, Disagree) by EQ on Wednesday August 17 2016, @05:37PM
of Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear and the Reliant Robin. No thanks.
(And yes I realize this is more like the CanAm, but a trike is a trike)
(Score: 2) by Nuke on Wednesday August 17 2016, @07:28PM
of Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear and the Reliant Robin. No thanks.
I don't get the point, technically, of three wheels rather than four. Is there one? Oh, no need for a rear diff if RWD, but this Eloi is FWD anyway.
In the UK, three-wheelers were popular pre-WW2 and survived until the 1980's in the Reliant Robin (a 2002 revival flopped). They died out partly because they were dangerous unless driven in a sedate pre-WW2 style (as Clarkson demonstrated). The reason they were once popular was that for some mysterious reason they had the lower tax and driving licence requirements of a motorbike. I drove one once (after I had replaced the clutch on it), and don't try and tell me they drove like riding a motorbike.
(Score: 2) by slinches on Wednesday August 17 2016, @08:03PM
There are three reasons that the Elio has three wheels:
1. Cost: Fewer parts means less hardware to buy
2. Efficiency: A big part of what allows the 84mpg hwy efficiency is that the front facing area is small (and thus, drag force is small) compared to a car and there's nowhere to put a fourth wheel without hurting performance (more weight and drag)
3. Regulations: The vehicle would need to comply with automotive regulations if it had four wheels. That would require gross changes to the shape of things like headlight spacing, bumper sizes, etc. which wouldn't make sense for the Elio since cars are assumed to be the same basic rectangular layout.
(Score: 2) by Nuke on Wednesday August 17 2016, @10:23PM
There are three reasons that the Elio has three wheels:
1. Cost: Fewer parts means less hardware to buy
OK, saves one idler wheel and its brake. Doesn't exactly set the world on fire.
2. Efficiency: ... the front facing area is small (and thus, drag force is small) compared to a car
You could make it four-wheeled without increasing frontal area. In fact it would be a little less (rear wheels would align with the fronts)
and there's nowhere to put a fourth wheel without hurting performance
Nowhere? How about at a rear corner?
3. Regulations: ... things like headlight spacing, bumper sizes
Like I said about the UK position, artificial reasons. Like if blue cars were tax exempt, they would be advantageous but not in any technical sense. It looks to me like just exploiting regulatory loopholes left over from the early days of motoring that should have been closed long ago. I fail to see why it should not eg comply with normal headlight spacing - it is about a foot wider than my wife's Chevrolet Matiz and the lights could easily be spaced wider apart if that is the issue, and for safety they should be. Modern cars do not have bumpers to speak of anyway; mine just has a token bulge in the bodywork.
(Score: 2) by slinches on Thursday August 18 2016, @12:42AM
OK, saves one idler wheel and its brake. Doesn't exactly set the world on fire.
It makes a difference on a $7000 base price vehicle. Taking a guess at some of the prices for the necessary components:
Wheel - $18
Tire - $20
Brake pads and drum - $35
Suspension arms - $125
Shock and spring - $50
Fender and mounting hardware - $25
Misc. hardware - $20
That's nearly $300 more for worse mileage due to added weight and drag. And what's the benefit?
You could make it four-wheeled without increasing frontal area. In fact it would be a little less (rear wheels would align with the fronts)
Yes a very little less, but still higher drag. The cabin width is sized by the engine and passenger compartment dimensions, so that wouldn't change and the rear wheel pods wouldn't be perfectly shrouded from the airflow behind the front wheels (maybe only adds half as much drag of the fronts, but that's still a significant increase compared to the amount of the rear tire exposed beneath the car). Then there's the increased rolling friction due to the added tire.
Like I said about the UK position, artificial reasons. Like if blue cars were tax exempt, they would be advantageous but not in any technical sense. It looks to me like just exploiting regulatory loopholes left over from the early days of motoring that should have been closed long ago. I fail to see why it should not eg comply with normal headlight spacing - it is about a foot wider than my wife's Chevrolet Matiz and the lights could easily be spaced wider apart if that is the issue, and for safety they should be. Modern cars do not have bumpers to speak of anyway; mine just has a token bulge in the bodywork.
Maybe because those regulations are poorly defined and unnecessarily limit vehicles to specific configurations. Elio would have to do something like what Plymouth did with the Prowler bumpers to meet those requirements. That doesn't improve safety when the occupants are centered in the vehicle and customers will probably remove them after the sale just like the do with the Prowler, anyway. However, I do agree that having some sort of lights on the wheel pods for improved visibility would be a good idea. I don't know that it's so important that it needs to be enshrined in law and all sales prevented of vehicles without them, though.
I guess I just don't understand your objection. Why not let Elio Motors try to make a more efficient and cost effective car for single commuters? What's so inherently wrong with three wheel vehicles that they should effectively be banned and why wouldn't that same argument apply to motorcycles?