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Feasible To Add An 'eco Vs Sport' Switch?

Adamant

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Would it be possible or feasible to add a switch that would change the tune on the fly between Eco and Sport?

That way we could keep it on "Eco" for max possible MPG, and "Sport" for max possible HP. Seems like you'd wipe out several birds with one stone doing that.

It would come in handy when passing. Just flip it to Sport and hit the gas. Zoom around whoever you're passing, then pop it back into Eco to regain your MPG.
 

electroken

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Sure it's possible, as long as the ECU has been programmed to support the 2 modes and knows what to do with the switch input. Otherwise, it's just one more hole in the dash. I don't know just how sporty the Elio engine can get, with its relatively long stroke and 2-valve head.

My Mazda3s is no slouch, but when I really want to pass in a hurry I turn off the A/C compressor. That strategy will probably be required with the Elio.
 

Adamant

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Sure it's possible, as long as the ECU has been programmed to support the 2 modes and knows what to do with the switch input. Otherwise, it's just one more hole in the dash. I don't know just how sporty the Elio engine can get, with its relatively long stroke and 2-valve head.

My Mazda3s is no slouch, but when I really want to pass in a hurry I turn off the A/C compressor. That strategy will probably be required with the Elio.

Well if it's not to expensive, then I hope they consider this option.

As far as a 'Sport Mode' would go, it would essentially just be the maximum output tune possible (safely) for that engine, with that transmission, on that setup.
I just thought it might be a good idea because Paul Elio said they are tuning the vehicle to be very conservative. If he gave the the option for a 'Eco vs Sport' switch, it'd make a lot of people happy and potentially offer a little extra umph so we wouldn't need to really worry about a turbo. And still have the ability to go back to "Eco" when we wanted the high MPG. (As it looks to be now, it's either or. Etiher get a turbo and kill the MPG, or keep it N/A stock and get great MPG with low power output)
 

bowers baldwin

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05130nosv2.jpg

There's always giggle gas...
 

JEBar

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Would it be possible or feasible to add a switch that would change the tune on the fly between Eco and Sport?

That way we could keep it on "Eco" for max possible MPG, and "Sport" for max possible HP. Seems like you'd wipe out several birds with one stone doing that.

It would come in handy when passing. Just flip it to Sport and hit the gas. Zoom around whoever you're passing, then pop it back into Eco to regain your MPG.

such a feature would be handy but we have to remember that EM is committed to producing a vehicle on which they can make a reasonable profit with a base price of $6,800 .... in addition, to help meet this price they have designed their manufacturing process to be as streamlined as is possible .... exactly what will be available on subsequent generation vehicles isn't known .... its been pretty well acknowledged that many of the people with lower reservation numbers will most probably not get a chance to test drive and Elio prior to having to place their order .... as some point the design folks have to be stopped and the production folks have to take over .... I can see how the coming supplier summit would be the time for that to happen .... many good ideas have been and are being floated .... some may make it into future generations but for year one, I just don't see many (if any) significant changes being made
 

Lil4X

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Several cars have a switch-selectable set of performance modes, but my Lexus' were limited to a choice of Normal, Power, and Snow modes - that didn't do anything to the ECM program but reset the transmission's shift points. "Normal" was the default position, but you could engage "Power" (most useful for towing) that moved the shift points to higher revs, or "Snow" that locked out first gear to make starts a bit less dicey in the white stuff. The "Power" setting was beloved of many kids who got to drive Daddy's car - thinking it would turn the luxomobile into a rocket ship, but it really didn't have much effect on trap times, according to a friend who regularly raced his RX at a strip near Mexico City.

If you think about it, there's probably a good reason for this: your factory warranty. Now as an aftermarket product . . . . ??? That could be the equivalent of turning a "performance chip" on or off. Still, there's only so much that can be accomplished inside the ECM - especially when you have only 50 hp to work with. Serious power comes from major mechanical changes to the engine.
 

bowers baldwin

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My Fiat has a sport button, all it does is change the peddle response (you tap the gas peddle a little and it goes full throttle making it feel like it has more HP) and it turns off the power steering. There is no real advantage (sure you go 100% throttle a millisecond quicker) and the dash gets cooler (G force meter etc) but there's now magic HP gains.

500-sport-button.jpg
 
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