Doors? / Scissor Door / Lamborghini Door / Gullwing Door / Sliding Door

[NRB]

The ELIO folks read these memos and it is reasonable to assume may gleen ideas as such---lets make sure they read well thought out ideas and not some expensive screwball stuff logical folks do not want to pay for.

 

[NRB]

Apply the old basic factoring folks---the "KISS" principle-----Keep it simple stupid! Otherwise the ELIO will be a $20,000 toy with no practacle use since it will be priced out of the market it was intended to serve! RB

 

[Bob]

Just my two cents here but what effect would a Gull Wing style on the safety cage?

 

[jetpack54]

That will totally defeat the optional "REMOVABLE TOP"! lol

 

[NRB]

Note todays" reports that many small cars have failed miserably in the off center frontal crash test. Since much has been made of a possible 5 star rating for the ELIO, I truly hope it proves out so we bypass any questionable publicity for the car.

 

[jtmarten]

Note todays" reports that many small cars have failed miserably in the off center frontal crash test. Since much has been made of a possible 5 star rating for the ELIO, I truly hope it proves out so we bypass any questionable publicity for the car.

Any-star crash rating won't matter in the real world. I mean seriously, how well do you think you'd fare if hit off-center by an Escalade or Suburban at even marginal city street speeds???? The 3-point harness really won't do much but keep your corpse in the seat so the ME doesn't have to waste time looking for you. The 3 airbags may keep your face looking nice enough for an open casket. Just reality .... and physics. The car is a virtual lock for a death trap in the event of a crash with a larger vehicle. Yes it has a roll cage structure and crush zones, etc, but is it able to withstand a 110mph impact (55mph frontal crash)? Just something that needs consideration in purchasing this type of vehicle. Maybe years down the road, assuming they are successful sellers, there will be enough cars this size on the road to reduce the potential for accidents with a huge disparity in mass and inertia.

 

[NRB]

JT marten---you are probably correct and the same would apply to most of the compact cars on the road today. We are not driving ""tanks"" nor would that ever be possible. The problem really is to get Americans away from the gas gusseling monster cars and trucks they are so much in love with. Economics will take care of that except for the real stupid ones as fuel reaches the $6---$9 per gallon as it has in certain parts of Europe already (and look at the small cars they drive and have been been driving for years !) It will be many years before the ""nanny state"" shoves electric powered cars down our throats in this country as no thinking person wants one, so we will be living with fossil fueled vehicles for many years yet to come and lighter cars (under 1200 lbs.) will be the norm! The two ton bemouths will be history and we should be and feel safe again---hopefuly!! RB

 

[Cali Chris]

A safety question:
In case someone gets hit on the door side and the electric windows wont open, how would you exit the vehicle? Perhaps thru a manually opened sun roof or trunk?

Manually open a window or windshield with your feet.

 

[Cali Chris]

Any-star crash rating won't matter in the real world. I mean seriously, how well do you think you'd fare if hit off-center by an Escalade or Suburban at even marginal city street speeds???? The 3-point harness really won't do much but keep your corpse in the seat so the ME doesn't have to waste time looking for you. The 3 airbags may keep your face looking nice enough for an open casket. Just reality .... and physics. The car is a virtual lock for a death trap in the event of a crash with a larger vehicle. Yes it has a roll cage structure and crush zones, etc, but is it able to withstand a 110mph impact (55mph frontal crash)? Just something that needs consideration in purchasing this type of vehicle. Maybe years down the road, assuming they are successful sellers, there will be enough cars this size on the road to reduce the potential for accidents with a huge disparity in mass and inertia.

It's safer than a motorcycle and gets better mileage. Just sayin.

 

[carzes]

A safety question:
In case someone gets hit on the door side and the electric windows wont open, how would you exit the vehicle? Perhaps thru a manually opened sun roof or trunk?

I'm an EMT, and I can tell you if you take a side hit hard enough to disable the door from opening it'll probably break the window. If you need any other windows broken out the EMS crews will handle it, no problem. There are some rare scenarios with ANY vehicle in which you need out fast and the only way is to break glass, for which you should have a window punch in every vehicle, secured so it's accessable and will still be there after a crash, and know at least in theory how to use it. It's RARE to need it, but they're cheap. FAR, FAR more important is wear your seatbelt. Don't fall for some crap about some guy who was thrown clear of certain death by not being belted in. That's a million to one shot at best. I've never seen it, no one I know has actually seen it. I have seen LOTS of people thrown from vehicles who became road pizza.