Easy In/easy Out?

[corvairbob]

placing a right hand door on the is not an issue, they can place the shifter on the dash. cars have had that for years. i maintain that because it has the cage it is somewhat unsafe due to egress, safe in a crash yes but because it needs to be tougher material takes longer to cut through. if you crash on the left side how you getting out? what is really wrong with 2 doors? i got flak from that before but most everyone i talk to about this has that idea as well. one guy said i want a sun roof and i will carry a glass breaker in the car well in a crash where is the thing going to be, you may need to get out before you have time to find it.
or why not just put a door on the driverside like the s10 has, the 3rd door swings like the suicide doors do and that would take care of the access to the back and the door still can be made to act as the safety cage. but as mentioned it needs to be made first and some sold then emi can see what people want and require to make the changes necessary to maintain production.

 

[ehwatt]

in keeping with longstanding American practice, the design of the cab places the gear shift and other such items on the right side .... hence no right hand door

Jim

Actually, I was thinking in terms of overseas markets where right handed driving prevails. I wonder how many there are?

 

[Jim H]

Actually, I was thinking in terms of overseas markets where right handed driving prevails. I wonder how many there are?

Let's hope PE and Elio Motors focus on getting the US market vehicles produced first and when that market has been saturated then they can focus on oversea markets

 

[nickskeys]

Upon looking at pictures of the Elio, I am concerned about one thing in particular: How TALL is the car overall? Low cars are not easily seen in front of taller/higher vehicles. I'd be afraid for instance, of someone trying to pass on a two lane highway only to find an Elio in front of the car/truck/trailer they are trying to pass. Might make for some white knuckled terror. Does anyone know the actual height of the Elio?

 

[Jay3wheel]

placing a right hand door on the is not an issue, they can place the shifter on the dash. cars have had that for years. i maintain that because it has the cage it is somewhat unsafe due to egress, safe in a crash yes but because it needs to be tougher material takes longer to cut through. if you crash on the left side how you getting out? what is really wrong with 2 doors? i got flak from that before but most everyone i talk to about this has that idea as well. one guy said i want a sun roof and i will carry a glass breaker in the car well in a crash where is the thing going to be, you may need to get out before you have time to find it.
or why not just put a door on the driverside like the s10 has, the 3rd door swings like the suicide doors do and that would take care of the access to the back and the door still can be made to act as the safety cage. but as mentioned it needs to be made first and some sold then emi can see what people want and require to make the changes necessary to maintain production.

It costs money to add a second door. They have a target price and this is somewhere they can save money.

 

[Joshua Caldwell]

Upon looking at pictures of the Elio, I am concerned about one thing in particular: How TALL is the car overall? Low cars are not easily seen in front of taller/higher vehicles. I'd be afraid for instance, of someone trying to pass on a two lane highway only to find an Elio in front of the car/truck/trailer they are trying to pass. Might make for some white knuckled terror. Does anyone know the actual height of the Elio?

It's published somewhere, but it feels roughly the same as a civic for height. I wouldn't worry about it though.

 

[Rickb]

It's half the width of a car........typical height. Compares in height to a Cadillac CTS or a Honda in side by side photos. Elio will be highly visible in all seven standard colors.

 

[RUCRAYZE]

It costs money to add a second door. They have a target price and this is somewhere they can save money.

and weight and cost

 

[corvairbob]

it will be visible i wonder just how visible at first? it may be to visible! i;m talking about the rubberneckers if they stare to much they may find themselves in another lane of off the road. i see that quite often when i'm in my corvair, i have it customised and people are trying to figure out if it is a camaro, i have seen a few get out of their lanes. actually i have to brake sometimes just to give them some room nd to get them ahead of me to avoid a problem.

 

[outsydthebox]

placing a right hand door on the is not an issue, they can place the shifter on the dash. cars have had that for years. i maintain that because it has the cage it is somewhat unsafe due to egress, safe in a crash yes but because it needs to be tougher material takes longer to cut through. if you crash on the left side how you getting out? what is really wrong with 2 doors? i got flak from that before but most everyone i talk to about this has that idea as well. one guy said i want a sun roof and i will carry a glass breaker in the car well in a crash where is the thing going to be, you may need to get out before you have time to find it.
or why not just put a door on the driverside like the s10 has, the 3rd door swings like the suicide doors do and that would take care of the access to the back and the door still can be made to act as the safety cage. but as mentioned it needs to be made first and some sold then emi can see what people want and require to make the changes necessary to maintain production.

We need to remember the what the Elio "IS". It is an "autocycle" with an (engineered) 5-star crash rating, 3-airbags, great mpg's, A/C, and an enclosed cockpit.....for less than 7 grand. But the "greatest" thing about it is, Paul Elio and his team are doing everything humanly possible to keep it (with all of its features) affordable for everyone.
A few comments in reply to:....1) "shifter on the dash". Tho it is possible to mount an "auto shifter on the dash, I don't believe it it economically practical to put a 5-speed "manual shifter" on the dash.
2) "...Cage is somewhat unsafe". I will venture to say, the body panels will cut like butter with a hand saw, and the roll cage will also cut easily, especially with a sawsall. No "jaws of life" required. 3)...."hit on left side, how do you get out?" Because of the roll cage, it may still be possible to open the door, but if you can't, the right side window is quite large...or you let the emt's cut you out. 5) "what is wrong with 2 doors?" Cost. 6) "...half door on drivers side?" Great idea. Been discussed. The issues are...cost, complicating the cage design and production(ie, cost), and it would increase weight (again, cost).
I agree, we need to let this one make it to production.