Elio Going Electric?

[BigWarpGuy]

Green Car Reports.
Perhaps the Elio will be an electric vehicle? The Elio-E EV? 150 mile range? They indicate the gas will be produced? they have not produced one yet and now they are making an electric one?

KTBS3CBS.

 

[BigWarpGuy]

It is indicates there is an electric one at their web site.
Elio Motors.

It seems there is still the gas version.
Elio Motors Gas.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

New Elio email

I'm assuming everyone got this email this morning? Is there life? September 8, 2021 Good Morning Elio Reservation Holders, Wow, it has been a while since we have had the chance to say that and frankly, it feels good… and we’re back! Stay tuned for a number of important and exciting...

www.elioowners.com

Elio Motors announces electric vehicle production in Shreveport

https://www.ktbs.com/news/elio-motors-announces-electric-vehicle-production-in-shreveport/article_723d63d8-119c-11ec-8d56-97708974ece6.html

www.elioowners.com

 

[JEBar]

It is indicates there is an electric one at their web site.
Elio Motors.

It seems there is still the gas version.
Elio Motors Gas.

the pictures used to demonstrate an electric Elio are of the Creamsicle mule that toured country and have been used in prior advertising .... we saw it twice ... in Louisiana we were there then they had trouble cranking it to get it out of its hauler .... once they got it fired the motor was clearly out of time ..... it was driven to the display site, backfiring all the way .... in the link, if you look closely at the video of it being at one point you can see the turned down tailpipe for a few seconds .... its unlikely they chose to install an electric engine and leave the exhaust pipe .... call it what you will, its little more than another another promise that has yet to be fulfilled

 

[Made in USA]

the pictures used to demonstrate an electric Elio are of the Creamsicle mule that toured country and have been used in prior advertising .... we saw it twice ... in Louisiana we were there then they had trouble cranking it to get it out of its hauler .... once they got it fired the motor was clearly out of time ..... it was driven to the display site, backfiring all the way .... in the link, if you look closely at the video of it being at one point you can see the turned down tailpipe for a few seconds .... its unlikely they chose to install an electric engine and leave the exhaust pipe .... call it what you will, its little more than another another promise that has yet to be fulfilled

I you look at the bottom of the Elio Motors website they say all the pictures are of the gas powered prototype. To the best of my knowledge they do not have anything done physically yet on the EV version. They said they had Roush look at it and they determined a good bit of the engineering for the Elio could be re-used. Obviously the drive train is the biggest change. I hope they consider an in-the-wheel type motor and leave the current engine space for an additional range battery option. 150 miles won't cut it.

 

[JEBar]

I you look at the bottom of the Elio Motors website they say all the pictures are of the gas powered prototype. To the best of my knowledge they do not have anything done physically yet on the EV version. They said they had Roush look at it and they determined a good bit of the engineering for the Elio could be re-used. Obviously the drive train is the biggest change. I hope they consider an in-the-wheel type motor and leave the current engine space for an additional range battery option. 150 miles won't cut it.

that is correct .... as is the case with most advertising, the disclaimer is written in small print and I overlooked it

 

[Mark BEX]

Apparently this is a secret picture captured of their electric prototype ..

Strange, it doesn't look "green" to me ...

 

[AriLea]

The only tuff things about adapting any car to EV,

1) Manual transmissions are a much easier conversion than automatics. (often only 1 or two gears required)
Elio has that option. Just need the adaptors, which are not hard to provide. Single gear, stepped belt solutions are easy too.
2) Power steering - there are already common electric-motor solutions
3) AC - again, there are already common electric-motor solutions
4) Where to put the batteries, and accommodate the weight, not hard in a short-range demo for show only.
4a) A lot harder for longer range and reliable in crashes or for other handling dynamics in the production vehicle.
The current exhaust path could be placed on both sides and would provide extra spaces for more batteries.

I think the most important question is, does a $15000 USD vehicle expose enough profit margin to excite a 'real' investment?
... given that Tesla and others could step in and compete in just a few years?

Hub motors are much more problematic, in a trike, affecting many dynamic issues. Very attractive, but not that easy. Custom engineering for each application is required in my opinion. But I would like to see one someday. Maybe combined with those airless tires that might not need that much suspension.

 

[Mark BEX]

1) Manual transmissions are a much easier conversion than automatics. (often only 1 or two gears required)
Elio has that option. Just need the adaptors, which are not hard to provide. Single gear, stepped belt solutions are easy too.
2) Power steering - there are already common electric-motor solutions
3) AC - again, there are already common electric-motor solutions
4) Where to put the batteries, and accommodate the weight, not hard in a short-range demo for show only.
4a) A lot harder for longer range and reliable in crashes or for other handling dynamics in the production vehicle.
The current exhaust path could be placed on both sides and would provide extra spaces for more batteries.

1/ well they don't have a production vehicle, so just an EV forward and reverse transmission will do

2/ and 3/ Yes

4/ Low and forward if possible. Mount them weakly so they break off in a side accident, absorbing some of the impact kinetic energy.

Hub motors are much more problematic, in a trike, affecting many dynamic issues. Very attractive, but not that easy. Custom engineering for each application is required in my opinion. But I would like to see one someday. Maybe combined with those airless tires that might not need that much suspension.

Lotus did some extensive testing with hub motor wheels, and found with the use of good quality dampers, the much mentioned unsprung weight wasn't a big issue.

Heresy Unsprung, Lotus Engineering: Unsprung Weight Doesn't Really Matter Much

Protean Electric In-Wheel Electric MotorIt’s April, when automotive engineers from all over the world gather in Detroit for the SAE World Congress. Protean Electric, which has been promoting the electrification of cars with their in-wheel mounted direct drive motors for the past few years, used...

www.thetruthaboutcars.com

https://www.proteanelectric.com/f/2018/04/protean-Services3.pdf

 

[Made in USA]

1/ well they don't have a production vehicle, so just an EV forward and reverse transmission will do

2/ and 3/ Yes

4/ Low and forward if possible. Mount them weakly so they break off in a side accident, absorbing some of the impact kinetic energy.




Lotus did some extensive testing with hub motor wheels, and found with the use of good quality dampers, the much mentioned unsprung weight wasn't a big issue.

Heresy Unsprung, Lotus Engineering: Unsprung Weight Doesn't Really Matter Much

Protean Electric In-Wheel Electric MotorIt’s April, when automotive engineers from all over the world gather in Detroit for the SAE World Congress. Protean Electric, which has been promoting the electrification of cars with their in-wheel mounted direct drive motors for the past few years, used...

www.thetruthaboutcars.com

https://www.proteanelectric.com/f/2018/04/protean-Services3.pdf

I'm really waiting for the motors from Linear labs to become available. Last I heard they were still building a plant in Texas. Still a private company too.

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