Elio 3 wheeled car.

[cobraman]

Any thoughts on this car ? 3 wheels. 2 in front. Seats 2 people one behind the other. 3 cylinder ,water cooled, auto,air,stereo,84mpg. 6,800.00. Supposed to be out in 2015 or so they say. Don't know if this has been brought up before.

[Ace-Garageguy]

If they can bring it in for that price, I say fantastic, congratulations, and I hope they sell a million of them.

One of the stumbling blocks I had finding financing for my own 3-wheeler (my avatar) (after exhausting my own funds) was that the cost-to-manufacture one would have been around $25,000. All hand-built of course, but the economies-of-scale couldn't be made to work on such a radical design at the time.

Building enough Elios via mass-production to be able to hit the target price and still make any profit will of course require a pretty large up-front investment in tooling and plant. All of that investment will have to be amortized over time, and it will factor into the cost of each unit too.

I hope they can pull it off. I'd really like to see some rationalized transportation solutions in the real world.

Edited September 22, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Rob Hall]

I'm skeptical if it will ever see volume production.

[Dave Van]

Been on their e-mail list since day one. A interesting vehicle for sure. Having owned 2 Smart 452 I am thinking about getting one. But like the Smart I need to see and sit in one. I am 6'2" and the Smart is plenty roomy......but I am not sure this big guy will like the Elio for sure. In DEC the cars will be in Charlotte for a demo.....if that goes well I can see ordering one.

[Chuck Most]

I think its a pretty cool car, and really makes sense if you're one of those people who's staring down a very long work commute.

It'll never replace the one three-wheeler I really want (the Morgan), but at about 1/6 the price I'm guessing if I ever go that route the Elio would be the one to likely end up in my driveway.

[unclescott58]

Any thoughts on this car ? 3 wheels. 2 in front. Seats 2 people one behind the other. 3 cylinder ,water cooled, auto,air,stereo,84mpg. 6,800.00. Supposed to be out in 2015 or so they say. Don't know if this has been brought up before.

What vehicle is being talked about here?

Scott

[Rob Hall]

What vehicle is being talked about here?

Scott

See the subject of the thread?

[unclescott58]

Okay, so what is an Elio? How about some pictures? Or a link to something? So rest of us can find out what an Elio is.

Scott

[Rob Hall]

Use google. For those too lazy, check their website--- eliomotors.com

Edited September 22, 2014 by Rob Hall

[Deano]

Here's a shot from their web site. I'm seriously considering one.

[Rob Hall]

Not as cool as the Reliant Robin

[Dave Van]

Okay, so what is an Elio? How about some pictures? Or a link to something? So rest of us can find out what an Elio is.

Scott

Google is your friend....

[Danny Lectro]

Not as cool as the Reliant Robin

I certainly hope it's more stable than a Reliant Robin.

[unclescott58]

Thank you Dean. Now that I see it, sorry to say, it would not interest me in least.

Scott

[pharoah]

I've liked 3 wheeled cars ever since I saw this one. The Astro III. It would be like flying a fighter plane. But in actuality,it has 2 wheels in front.

Edited September 23, 2014 by pharoah

[FASTBACK340]

I too have been following the Elio since it's initial exposure on Jalopnik. I'm on their mailing list too. And yes, I'm considering one too. I drive just under 60 miles a day round trip. The fuel savings would pay for the car. It requires a motorcycle license (as do all 3 wheelers) and Elio has been lobbying for allowing easier registration and licensing.

I'll take mine in Black with tinted windows…..

[cobraman]

It will be interesting to see if they can pull it off.

[FASTBACK340]

It will be interesting to see if they can pull it off.

I agree. I think the $6,800 retail price is a bit ambitious to say the least, it would still be a good $10K alternate to a used car. My 2013 Honda Fit Sport was $18K….. granted it carries 5 and is more mainstream, but for commuting the Elio makes sense. The Honda gets 33 MPG w/o the A/C going. 29-30 w/ the A/C cranking in traffic. Better than the 19 I was getting with my Maxima, but almost quadruple with the Elio IS tempting. For what I put down on the Honda I could have bought the Elio and have been saving money by now, that I could blow on go-fast stuff for the Barracuda.

My how diametrically opposed my household is!

[FASTBACK340]

BTW: The placement of the wheels of a three wheeler makes a difference. The twin front wheel positioning of the Messerschmidt, Isetta, Elio, Morgan, T-Rex and Can-Am motor cycles makes for stable conering. The Reliant and other Euro-Asian 3-wheelers are far from "stable' as often demonstrated on Top Gear with the single front wheel.

[Fabrux]

So I find myself wondering how it is that this new car can be sold for $6800 while the BRP Can-Am starts at $15000... Either BRP is grossly inflating the price or Elio is grossly undervaluing their car...

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Get yourself an old VW bug.

Not the same gas mileage, but reliable, more space?, easy to fix, great mileage...

Better styling!

[FASTBACK340]

Get yourself an old VW bug.

Not the same gas mileage, but reliable, more space?, easy to fix, great mileage...

Better styling!

I cut my teeth on air-cooled VW's back in the 80's. As cool as they are, there's something to said for A/C, ABS, 80+ MPG, and heat while standing still in traffic. I'd love to roll along in a fender-less street rod style `55 Oval with a canvas roof and a 2180CC in it, but I commute. Sometime I need A/C or heat while parked in a tie-up. Almost 30 miles each way without too many alternate routes that aren't standing still too.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

I cut my teeth on air-cooled VW's back in the 80's. As cool as they are, there's something to said for A/C, ABS, 80+ MPG, and heat while standing still in traffic. I'd love to roll along in a fender-less street rod style `55 Oval with a canvas roof and a 2180CC in it, but I commute. Sometime I need A/C or heat while parked in a tie-up. Almost 30 miles each way without too many alternate routes that aren't standing still too.

What're you talking about? VWs have air conditioning! Later Bugs did.

If you don't want a Bug get a Vanagon Syncro... Mmmm. A 4x4 van with VW reliability.

We have a '73 someone dumped at our house for a repair almost 12 years ago and ended up not wanting it. So that's going yo be Volksrodded sometime or another.

[Dave Van]

I am hoping they can meet their cost projection. They can if they really try.

Henry Ford is quoted as telling the BoD the Model T would sell for $825. They said it could not be done.....he says 'find a way'....they did.

Same holds here IMHO.

Things like no windshield washer bottle....just a space for a round one gallon jug....buy the fluid, place it in car. Little things like this will add up.

We'll see....

[chunkypeanutbutter]

I am hoping they can meet their cost projection. They can if they really try.

Henry Ford is quoted as telling the BoD the Model T would sell for $825. They said it could not be done.....he says 'find a way'....they did.

Same holds here IMHO.

Things like no windshield washer bottle....just a space for a round one gallon jug....buy the fluid, place it in car. Little things like this will add up.

We'll see....

You can have any color as long as it's black.