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What Is The Latest Start Production Date?

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hkwinger

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I found out about the Elio researching cars on youtube. I saw some videos of vehicles being driven around and found the idea to be amazing. Doing further research has landed me here. Is this project still moving forward? I emailed and called the information on the Elio website with no reply, however I see that they are still taking payments for a place in line. I saw a press release that that there were 150 test vehicle being built. Are these vehicles available to be shown to the public? Thanks for your replies!
 

Maurtis

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I found out about the Elio researching cars on youtube. I saw some videos of vehicles being driven around and found the idea to be amazing. Doing further research has landed me here. Is this project still moving forward? I emailed and called the information on the Elio website with no reply, however I see that they are still taking payments for a place in line. I saw a press release that that there were 150 test vehicle being built. Are these vehicles available to be shown to the public? Thanks for your replies!

Welcome aboard!

Moving forward is subjective... they have not given up but are in need of a couple hundred million dollars to start production and are out of cash. They laid off the engineering team and are in full time fundraising mode now. We hear trickles of information here and there about meetings so we know something is going on, but no news of progress.

Well, actually a couple months ago we did hear they have decided to not use the IAV 0.9L motor they had developed but go with a 1L motor from an unspecified Fortune 500 company that should nearly double the power. That is a big deal. But we were not told from who, a big guess is a 1L Ecoboost from Ford. But as far as we know there has not been any actual work done towards making it physically happen. But since I wanted the turbo anyways, I could not be happier with that decision :D

Regarding the test vehicles, there were to be 23 engineering vehicles built for test and 100 additional for pre-production fleet leasing, of those we got the E1c that was built out and driveable, that was the car taken to shows.

- The E1a was delivered to Continental for ABS testing (and possibly more)
- The E1b was the engineering "match car" but not sure how built out it actually was
- The E1c, as mentioned earlier, was the show car
- The E1d went to RedDot for HVAC development and testing, it did not have a drivetrain.

And that is it. There were massive design changes in there (going from tube chassis to unibody, steel body panels, etc) so presumably that ate into a lot of the money that was going towards building the other engineering models.

So at this point it all comes down to if they can get the money to continue or not.
 
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Folks

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Welcome aboard!

Moving forward is subjective... they have not given up but are in need of a couple hundred million dollars to start production and are out of cash. They laid off the engineering team and are in full time fundraising mode now. We hear trickles of information here and there about meetings so we know something is going on, but no news of progress.

Well, actually a couple months ago we did hear they have decided to not use the IAV 0.9L motor they had developed but go with a 1L motor from an unspecified Fortune 500 company that should nearly double the power. That is a big deal. But we were not told from who, a big guess is a 1L Ecoboost from Ford. But as far as we know there has not been any actual work done towards making it physically happen. But since I wanted the turbo anyways, I could not be happier with that decision :D

Regarding the test vehicles, there were to be 23 engineering vehicles built for test and 100 additional for pre-production fleet leasing, of those we got the E1c that was built out and driveable, that was the car taken to shows.

- The E1a was delivered to Continental for ABS testing (and possibly more)
- The E1b was the engineering "match car" but not sure how built out it actually was
- The E1c, as mentioned earlier, was the show car
- The E1d went to RedDot for HVAC development and testing, it did not have a drivetrain.

And that is it. There were massive design changes in there (going from tube chassis to unibody, steel body panels, etc) so presumably that ate into a lot of the money that was going towards building the other engineering models.

So at this point it all comes down to if they can get the money to continue or not.
Thanks for the info. Seems I remember November this year as possible target but that was long ago and now I'm just tagging along afraid to let go of my dream.
 

Coss

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As you should, as we all do, we all have to believe in the project because it will happen.
The others that don't, never believed in the first place.
It is a big project that has never been done before.
It's not a remake, it is all new, and it's hard.
So don't lose faith, it will happen.
 

hkwinger

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Welcome aboard!

Moving forward is subjective... they have not given up but are in need of a couple hundred million dollars to start production and are out of cash. They laid off the engineering team and are in full time fundraising mode now. We hear trickles of information here and there about meetings so we know something is going on, but no news of progress.

Well, actually a couple months ago we did hear they have decided to not use the IAV 0.9L motor they had developed but go with a 1L motor from an unspecified Fortune 500 company that should nearly double the power. That is a big deal. But we were not told from who, a big guess is a 1L Ecoboost from Ford. But as far as we know there has not been any actual work done towards making it physically happen. But since I wanted the turbo anyways, I could not be happier with that decision :D

Regarding the test vehicles, there were to be 23 engineering vehicles built for test and 100 additional for pre-production fleet leasing, of those we got the E1c that was built out and driveable, that was the car taken to shows.

- The E1a was delivered to Continental for ABS testing (and possibly more)
- The E1b was the engineering "match car" but not sure how built out it actually was
- The E1c, as mentioned earlier, was the show car
- The E1d went to RedDot for HVAC development and testing, it did not have a drivetrain.

And that is it. There were massive design changes in there (going from tube chassis to unibody, steel body panels, etc) so presumably that ate into a lot of the money that was going towards building the other engineering models.

So at this point it all comes down to if they can get the money to continue or not.

Thanks for that awesome summary!

Their website states that they have raised over 100 million dollars (unfortunately their sec filings stated that they also have spent over 250 million). I’m guessing that this would have yielded some amazing technology, if not any working vehicles. If it’s simply a matter of working capital for production, maybe a larger, better financed company could purchase the design and technology and bring it to market. I’m hoping that the business model is sound which I question. I’m not too familiar with the auto industry, but even motorcycles made by some of the largest companies have a difficult time meeting the 10k price point. Do you think that 12-15K would be a more realistic price for the Elio? Would there still be enough demand to have a working business model? Personally, I would still be interested in one, even if they were as much as 15K. Assuming that the quality, safety, and efficiency were all as advertised.
 

roadtrippin2016

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.I really wanted to believe this auto-cycle would be made. My money was put down in 2014...and after 5 years ...it's very difficult to stay positive. I'm 67 years old...would like to be driving in it before I'm 70 !...after that...it's UBER or LYFT for me....just sayin'
 
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