Anyone Else Think It Wont Happen?

[Jelio]

This is becoming to big not to happen - he said with a smile
I want it so therefore it will happen - he said

... As long as it's purple - she said

 

[Edward43]

Hmm, Smitty901. Big pockets just want a good return on equity. There are very few really good ways to turn big bucks into HFS bucks. Most angels have to invest in 10 ventures to have one hit so then need an 11-to-1 return on that one hit in order to eek out a 10% gain.

If the market is there, the idea is good, and the assembled team capable of executing, the margin per unit won't matter to them and they'll pile in. Maybe investors are worried about the real market for this. Sure - EM has 30,000 hard core adherents (us all), but are there another 30,000 after that and 30,000 more so on ad infinitum?

There are. Ad infinitude..

 

[Jelio]

So let it be written, so let it be done

 

[Johnapool]

Let me use the magic of math and history to ease your doubtful minds.
40 years ago, I was a telephone repairman in the town I have now semi-retired to. I made $5/hr., about $10,000/year. I bought a new Pinto(!) station wagon, 2.3 lL engine, 4-spd., for $2600. About one fourth of my annual income.
Many, many folks around the country are now working for $8 to $10/hr., $16,000 to $20,000/year. Their annual income will now buy one cheap car (if they could afford it). Their buying power has been cut to 1/4 in those 40 years. How do you think $7000 for a new air-conditioned car sounds to someone driving a worn-out gas-guzzler who is wondering how to get to work tomorrow?
There is a ready market waiting out here for a dependable affordable vehicle that will get one or two people from here to there safely. I predict that the idea will go over so well that other car companies will join the fracas. When Elio has it's IPO, buy!

 

[AriLea]

Let me use the magic of math and history to ease your doubtful minds.
40 years ago, I was a telephone repairman in the town I have now semi-retired to. I made $5/hr., about $10,000/year. I bought a new Pinto(!) station wagon, 2.3 lL engine, 4-spd., for $2600. About one fourth of my annual income.
Many, many folks around the country are now working for $8 to $10/hr., $16,000 to $20,000/year. Their annual income will now buy one cheap car (if they could afford it). Their buying power has been cut to 1/4 in those 40 years. How do you think $7000 for a new air-conditioned car sounds to someone driving a worn-out gas-guzzler who is wondering how to get to work tomorrow?
There is a ready market waiting out here for a dependable affordable vehicle that will get one or two people from here to there safely. I predict that the idea will go over so well that other car companies will join the fracas. When Elio has it's IPO, buy!

I also predict the 'normal' first car for single people will be an Elio, and also the 'normal' first two cars for families. If normal is 50% of the drivers, that's a 100million potential.
Does the math on cost per mile put the Elio inside the scope of 'normal' personal finances? Yep.

 

[BaldGuy]

Elio has it's IPO, buy!

I thought about this also. I have no clue how it works, but if Elio went public and sold a zellon shares of stock, instant money. I would buy some shares myself, I can tell you that. Since Paul is rich, he could buy a lot of the shares himself to try to keep control of the company.

 

[RKing]

The High End is not sustainable, (from SUV's, to TESLA), 40 years of faulty thinking with very poor results. A realistic, practical foundation is essential. The bailout of Detroit, followed by the Wall Street bailout are indications that the upside down pyramid is collapsing. when the Elio succeeds, it will be the first successful move to turn the pyramid right side up.

I could not agree more ! In the 1996 time frame I watched a Detroit closed small car plants to build nothing but hi dollar suvs and thought" how utterly short sighted" , quick profit at the expense of future success.... there is where wall street and the big corporations reside.
I make a good living, but REFUSE to pay 25000$ for a vehicle that is functionally no better than what I have, Time for a SANE solution to individual transportation. There are not enough people who can afford the expensive solutions, and they are just that until gas hits 10$+ per gallon. ELIO = efficient with cash and fuel , that is my story and sticking to it. Efficient Like It Outta-be for those who like acronyms

 

[imageon]

I am not married but I can easily see the practicality of a working husband and wife each knocking down a fat 18-22 grand a year.
Both buying a Elio to get to and from their pitiful jobs.
MK

 

[tonyspumoni]

There are. Ad infinitude..

Edward,

Yeah - I am darned sure there is a market for this. After all, I already plunked down my reservation. But you'll appreciate that the magnitude of the evidence in support of something is linearly proportional to the amount you're willing to put into it. So the kind of evidence I needed to convince me to pop a grand for this is far skimpier than the evidence a shrewd investor would want to drop a couple o' mil or more. They didn't get rich by operating on "gut" alone, or even at all. So they see 30,000 early adopters (us). They might have people (who have people) who troll here (and if they don't they really are idiots). Buzz is part of it, but it won't be all of it or even most of it.

And since the kind of folks they need to invest do not run with the likes of you or me - they ain't shopping for their own groceries if you catch my drift - many of the arguments Paul has offered to support his vision are not likely to resonate.

Still, no one thought the PayDay lending industry would last and it's big bucks now, for better or (mostly) worse. And all because banks didn't think there was money in people with not much.

 

[zelio]

Still, no one thought the PayDay lending industry would last and it's big bucks now, for better or (mostly) worse. And all because banks didn't think there was money in people with not much.

Banks didn't think there was in people with no much. They still think that way! Credit Unions are only slightly better. :-) Z