ELIO - has anybody driven one ? (84mpg)

[Midniteoyl]

Ya.. pretty much figured on a bust when I read they were gonna use thier own engine.. VERY hard to do at startup.

 

[Milo]

I agree. Motus is another new US company and they are trying to bring out a new motorcycle from scratch. They seem to have been "rolling it out" for years! Motus Motorcycles | The American V4 Sportbike (I wouldn't give them any money to be put on a list either)

 

[HHR]

What do you think of the non-conventional way Elio plans on financing the vehicle to the buyer? http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/fill-your-gas-tank-pay-your-car-loan

 

[Milo]

I would say if you can't write a check for $7,000 for one of those things then don't buy it. But then I'm probably considered old fashion.

 

[3930dave]

Ya.. pretty much figured on a bust when I read they were gonna use thier own engine.. VERY hard to do at startup.

Even for an established company, getting the timing right on announcing technical advances is non-trivial.

Mulling that over..... I got to wondering if there is a legislative angle behind developing their own engine. As in, does that make it easier to attain/retain "motorcycle" status when compared to using an off-the-shelf car motor ?

I don't know enough about US transport law to make a call on that.

Rgds, D.

 

[Midniteoyl]

A nice BMW flat motorcycle engine would solve that then, and be ubber nice Not that I see it as a problem anyways..

 

[3930dave]

What do you think of the non-conventional way Elio plans on financing the vehicle to the buyer? Fill up your gas tank, pay off your car loan | Marketplace.org

To break into a market, it'll often help if you are doing something innovative. Many people are numerically challenged today, so Elio's approach to this is a simple way to emphasize that you'll get to drive something brand new, for about the same money as you are spending to fuel an old gas guzzler.

One way to demonstrate that you are a different type of company, is to present a new type of financing option. Even if somebody doesn't use that option to pay, the time they spend reviewing it is valuable to the company.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

A nice BMW flat motorcycle engine would solve that then, and be ubber nice Not that I see it as a problem anyways..

Yeah, maybe not..... but I do know that the OE bike motor market is highly controlled, at least in Canada.

By that I mean from a business standpoint, not regulatory. So long as my credit card clears, I can call up any number of manufacturers and get an OE crate automotive engine delivered to my door on the next truck roll.

OE motorcycle crate engines ? Unless you have heavy connections in the race world, they are much more difficult to procure.

I don't exactly know what's behind the difference in accessibility, and perhaps the situation changes fast if you are in the USA and/or are ordering 10,000 units at a time.

Rgds, D.

 

[Midniteoyl]

While I have never ordered one, I imagine getting a OEM motor cycle engine would prolly be a littler harder than a crate auto one as they are such low production comparably. But, if you are into Harleys, Indians, etc, you can get one from a third party builder very easily.

 

[stuckmotor]

I like the car and hope it's successful BUT, there were numerous micro cars produced in Europe after WW II. Few, if any are still in production. I'm afraid there isn't a large enough market to support the effort. Virtual Tour of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum

 

[3930dave]

While I have never ordered one, I imagine getting a OEM motor cycle engine would prolly be a littler harder than a crate auto one as they are such low production comparably. But, if you are into Harleys, Indians, etc, you can get one from a third party builder very easily.

I'm picturing the ELIO, with one of those hot-rod Harley motors poking up through the hood ! If this car makes it into production, you know somebody is going to do this !

Rgds, D.

 

[Milo]

Morgan, a British 3-wheeler, buy their V-twin engines from S&S but it's mounted exposed in front. The Elio's is covered so it needs to be water cooled.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/convertibles/1208_2013_morgan_3_wheeler_first_drive/

 

[3930dave]

I like the car and hope it's successful BUT, there were numerous micro cars produced in Europe after WW II. Few, if any are still in production. I'm afraid there isn't a large enough market to support the effort. Virtual Tour of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum

You may well be right, but I'd like them to have a reasonable chance to prove the market wrong.

From what I know of post WWII, those cars came about largely due to a shortage of materials and manufacturing capacity. Today, we tend to have a surplus of both. What we lack enough of is buyers of new vehicles, one of the reasons the car companies are drooling over 2'nd world markets.

As a proportion of people's avg. annual income (esp. after taxes), new vehicles are getting very expensive. A lot of young people don't even bother to get a license today, let alone buy a car. That might change, if new, reliable cars were available at a low cost.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Morgan, a British 3-wheeler, buy their V-twin engines from S&S but it's mounted exposed in front. The Elio's is covered so it needs to be water cooled.

2013 Morgan 3 Wheeler First Drive - Motor Trend

Scarf and Goggles stuff, Eh What 'ol Chap !

Morgans have always had their fans, and I'm sure they'd be a lot of fun to drive. Not practical a lot of the time, being open, but great for sunny Sunday morning Get Lost runs..... :thumbsup:

OK, so the ELIO hot-rodders should be using the V-Rod motor - you sold me !

Rgds, D.

 

[Scooby074]

There are SO many good, proven, small engines out there, be it in motorcycles, Euro compacts or even Japanese Kei cars.

As I understand it, the test car is currently running a motor out of a Swift.

I cant understand why they want to engineer one from scratch, particularly at launch.. It'd have to be cheaper to set up an arrangement and buy from a major as opposed to developing your own.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I'm picturing the ELIO, with one of those hot-rod Harley motors poking up through the hood ! If this car makes it into production, you know somebody is going to do this !

Rgds, D.

They do it on light planes..

HogAir

 

[3930dave]

They do it on light planes..

Interesting.... Lot's I don't know about planes. Light/experimental market seems to have more flexibility in what they can do.... a little surprising to see a belt drive though.

Maybe ELIO needs to start planning their Harley Davidson version now ! Ford sold "a few".

Rgds, D.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Lotta belt drives out there.. A standard gear setup doesnt seem to work very well due to torsional vibrations. There are planetary setup though.

 

[3930dave]

Lotta belt drives out there.. A standard gear setup doesnt seem to work very well due to torsional vibrations. There are planetary setup though.

Belts are pretty amazing for what power levels they can handle, IMO. Killing vibes.... way back in Olden Tymes, learned that on turntables....

Keep It Simple..... often good advice.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Elio will be using Comau systems for manufacturing.

Green Car Congress: Elio Motors selects Comau for powertrain and automated assembly systems for 3-wheel vehicles

More a question for the Welding forum, but I'll ask anyway...... Is anybody familiar with the plasma transferred wire arc (PTWA) process that Comau is using ?

Rgds, D.