Friday Blog Is Out

[RSchneider]

Time for an Elio electric pick up

My feeling is that Rivian has the jump on everyone. Bollinger is going to fail unless they can get their claimed range up. Not having an airbag and trying to go over the 10K lb weight class to not have that is going to kill the company. A 10Klb truck, no airbags and a 200 mile range is not what people are looking for. Hopefully Atlis keeps going as their spec package is great too. This is what we need. Competition in the EV market because it makes for a better product.

As for Elio they don;t have any competition thus I would like to see another company make their own Elio and then push the envelope when it comes to super high mileage with a gas motor and the low price. This way, we get to watch them just improve the breed. Too bad it's only being played out in the pickup truck market right now. I'd love to have a Rivian tow my Elio to a campground and then use my Elio to drive to different places that are local to the campground. With the Elio being 1350 lbs and the sleek aero, it will be easy for my Rivian to tow it.

 

[W. WIllie]

Rivian has had big big investors, Amazon and Ford. That is a plus.
Tesla I don't think will ever materialize as a pick up.

 

[RSchneider]

Rivian has had big big investors, Amazon and Ford. That is a plus.
Tesla I don't think will ever materialize as a pick up.

I think Elio has it's eyes on the Class 8 trucks. That's a huge market and perfect for the routes like in my area where we have tons of distribution centers (where the trucks drive I-78 back and forth all day long to deliver containers from Newark to the centers here) and the tractor trailers full of garbage that go from NYC to places here in PA. This is just one microcosm of the US. There are many more out there. Elon obviously has seen this with his operation. All the truck needs to do is go from point A-B over and over again each day. In our area if they did it from 9PM to 6am then parked them until the morning rush is over to when it starts over again at around 3pm, it would help with the amount of traffic.

Autonomous Elios would work great for smaller items. Amazon could send them out in the middle of the day to deliver those small packages. Even the same for the USPS and 90% of the junkmail we all get. A $500M investment from Bezos for autonomous Elios would help get things going. Same for Dominoes Pizza. They have those Roush delivery cars, why not just have them drop that and use an Elio? Autonomous and 84 mpg. Perfect way to make tons of money.

 

[Samalross]

I think Elio has it's eyes on the Class 8 trucks. That's a huge market and perfect for the routes like in my area where we have tons of distribution centers (where the trucks drive I-78 back and forth all day long to deliver containers from Newark to the centers here) and the tractor trailers full of garbage that go from NYC to places here in PA. This is just one microcosm of the US. There are many more out there. Elon obviously has seen this with his operation. All the truck needs to do is go from point A-B over and over again each day. In our area if they did it from 9PM to 6am then parked them until the morning rush is over to when it starts over again at around 3pm, it would help with the amount of traffic.

Autonomous Elios would work great for smaller items. Amazon could send them out in the middle of the day to deliver those small packages. Even the same for the USPS and 90% of the junkmail we all get. A $500M investment from Bezos for autonomous Elios would help get things going. Same for Dominoes Pizza. They have those Roush delivery cars, why not just have them drop that and use an Elio? Autonomous and 84 mpg. Perfect way to make tons of money.

Slide batteries like a lift truck would allow trucks to run 24 hours. Could replace a battery in about ten minutes. Would really put a demand on batteries.

 

[RSchneider]

Slide batteries like a lift truck would allow trucks to run 24 hours. Could replace a battery in about ten minutes. Would really put a demand on batteries.

Slide batteries would work. For short term, what we need to do it take the areas like where I live. This is because Newark, NJ is a massive port. Many distribution warehouses are here in PA and thus it's about a 100 mile drive maximum. In addition to this, it's the drive all of the Class 8 trucks drive to take a load of garbage from NYC to PA and then drive back empty. It's the same route back and forth and they take I-78. When I drive on I-78 from Newark to PA at 1am (when I get in from a flight and land at Newark) the highway has nobody on it and every rest stop is full of trucks. In my opinion, I'd think that this is the time that the autonomous electric trucks need to be on the highway. We have the highways yet we have a good 6-9 hours where they are virtually empty. The same thing happens when I'm on I-80 across PA. At night, open roads with the rest stops full of truckers. Drive it in the day. Full of truckers and this more traffic. There seems to be a disconnect and thus the only solution I can see is a Tesla Class 8 truck that is autonomous. Then let it charge when it sits waiting to get unloaded. After a certain time, send it back to Newark for the next load of stuff.

Honestly, Elio could make a bundle off of this and start with the short hauls. Let the tech get better and work on the long hauls. Baby steps, not go for the gusto right away.

 

[Ty]

Also, just look at what Rivian is doing to build a massive fan base and refundable deposit base for their truck. I know we are all really poor and can't afford one but obviously there are lots of people that can.

If Ford doesn't get it's head out of it's ass, the Rivian in on my short list to replace my current truck when the time is right.

 

[Ty]

I think Elio has it's eyes on the Class 8 trucks. That's a huge market and perfect for the routes like in my area where we have tons of distribution centers (where the trucks drive I-78 back and forth all day long to deliver containers from Newark to the centers here) and the tractor trailers full of garbage that go from NYC to places here in PA. This is just one microcosm of the US. There are many more out there. Elon obviously has seen this with his operation. All the truck needs to do is go from point A-B over and over again each day. In our area if they did it from 9PM to 6am then parked them until the morning rush is over to when it starts over again at around 3pm, it would help with the amount of traffic.

Autonomous Elios would work great for smaller items. Amazon could send them out in the middle of the day to deliver those small packages. Even the same for the USPS and 90% of the junkmail we all get. A $500M investment from Bezos for autonomous Elios would help get things going. Same for Dominoes Pizza. They have those Roush delivery cars, why not just have them drop that and use an Elio? Autonomous and 84 mpg. Perfect way to make tons of money.

It would be inefficient as a delivery vehicle running a delivery route. I mean, it can't fit much stuff and what it could carry would be slow for the driver to get out.

 

[RSchneider]

It would be inefficient as a delivery vehicle running a delivery route. I mean, it can't fit much stuff and what it could carry would be slow for the driver to get out.

I want to automate it. This is where the Elio becomes a station wagon where it holds a number of pizzas. When an order is up, the pizzas are loaded automatically, then the Elio takes off to your house. When it gets there, the app on your phone beeps. You walk out, place your phone up by the rear hatch, put your finger on your phone, the hatch opens and you take out your order. After that you close the door, the Elio waits 10 seconds and either goes to the next delivery or back to the pizza hub. The Roush Pizza Car is close to this but it needs a driver. Roush can take their experience with keeping pizzas warm and apply that to the Elio.

The technology exists right now. I can buy lots of things with my various phone apps. Plus I can buy tickets for a train or plane and all with my phone and no paperwork needed. For most train rides I do in Europe, I never deal with a human being, unless they come by to check tickets. In Europe the train system is extremely efficient and using one of those apps is perfect. Even Uber is great. When I am in some place in Europe and the driver does not speak good English, it might as well be a autonomous car. I predict that in places like Amsterdam (where there are tons of Tesla Taxis) that it'll be the first to become autonomous.

 

[Johnny Acree]

Original date May 3 2017

The Elio’s Battery
May 31, 2019



If you’ve been following Elio Motors for any length of time, you know that our goal is to produce an economical, fuel-efficient and safe American vehicle. Additionally, as a collection of automotive aficionados, we strive to design and produce a quality vehicle that we look forward to driving. To accomplish all our goals, our team has constantly looked at various components and areas of the vehicle for improvements. Recently, observant supporters asked a few questions regarding one of our recent improvements: the location of the battery in the Elio. This week’s Momentum is a comprehensive look at the Elio’s battery and its location.

Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) is our supplier of the battery. The battery itself is a top post, 660 CCA (cold cranking amps,) Group 26 battery which weighs 26.6 pounds. The battery will have the traditional red boot to cover the positive terminal and all battery wiring will use retainers for securing to the vehicle to prevent BSR (Buzz, Squeak, Rattle), NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness), and chaffing of wiring. The battery is a critical aspect of the power management and usage in the vehicle, the electrical budget, and this battery meets our rigorous requirements.



The battery will be located in the rear of the vehicle, enclosed under the trunk floor and is accessible through a metal access door in the trunk of the vehicle. The metal access door will have a simple handle and locking mechanism, allowing for easy entry. The battery sits on a metal battery tray and will have a tie down.



There are several factors that led to the placement of the battery in the rear of the vehicle. First, moving the battery is important in the weight distribution for the vehicle. One important part of the weight is the transfer of weight in a braking situation, moving the weight back provides benefits in emergency braking. Secondly, the move allows us to free up more space in the engine compartment which is always needed, especially in a vehicle such as ours. Additionally, housing the battery in its rear location reduces heat, enhancing its performance and battery life. Finally, it helps with our weight distribution, giving us approximately 65% of the weight in the front and 35% in the rear.

Of course, as is the case with every decision we make regarding the vehicle, safety is of paramount importance. We have conducted rear impact tests and the battery is in an ideal location for crush impact. In addition to safety testing, we will conduct additional testing for the electrical budget of the vehicle. These tests will include Electric Load and Charging Systems Tests, which will test the charge margins at extended idle periods, as well as night and cold starts. We will also test the vehicle’s key-off loads for storage, battery drain, and jump-start effects. We are confident that we have chosen the ideal battery for the Elio.

Each component of the Elio has been exhaustively analyzed with the aim of improving the vehicle. The battery of the Elio is but one example of the significant improvements we have made on our journey to produce the best possible vehicle.

 

[RSchneider]

Suggestion to Elio, move the battery back up front, then take the battery area and that open space to the left of it and use that for and extra storage space. For example have the trunk floor be flat but a hinged opening and then there a space that will be over double of a Group 26 battery. That would be a minimum of 208mm long, 346mm wide by 197 deep. For Americans, 8.19" long by 13.62" by 7.75". Right there you increase your cargo space by 884.5 cu in. With some freezer packs, that would hold one six pack of your favorite beverage. Makes the Elio the great party machine. Especially since golfers are the prime target for the Elio.