Autoxdriver
Elio Aficionado
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
- Messages
- 89
- Reaction score
- 126
It's important to remember that 3 wheels is not the salient feature of the Elio that gives it any advantage over normal cars, so in the event that the Elio becomes a success it will not necessarily mean that other 3 wheeled vehicle designs will suddenly become viable. The principle idea behind the Elio is tandem seating, making it possible to significantly reduce the width of the vehicle and reap the corresponding aerodynamic benefits. Once the commitment to tandem seating and a narrow body is made, 3 wheels then makes more sense than 4, but it was tandem seating that drove the use of 3 wheels, not the other way around. Designs like the EMC3 won't really be that much more efficient than a 4 wheeled counterpart, other than saving maybe a little weight and a little tire-to-pavement drag.
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