Friday Blog Is Out

[RSchneider]

Follow up VW news
https://www.tennessean.com/story/mo...en-electric-car-chattanooga-plant/2565780002/

When I read about American manufacturing and what Elio has been telling us, I refer to VW. They opened that plant in 2011 and now employ 3500 people. The Passat is 85% North American Content (5% less than the current Elio). They started with the Passat, added the Atlas in 2017 and now the new EV in 2022 to make 4500 American jobs. So, right now, VW has made 3500 American jobs in manufacturing about as long as Elio has been talking about their 1500 jobs that they will create. It's something to think about when Elio talks about bringing back American manufacturing jobs. VW is a German company but in the end, jobs are jobs.

 

[RSchneider]

you are assuming that all 1k will purchase?

Read my followup post.

 

[Rickb]

When I read about American manufacturing and what Elio has been telling us, I refer to VW. They opened that plant in 2011 and now employ 3500 people. The Passat is 85% North American Content (5% less than the current Elio). They started with the Passat, added the Atlas in 2017 and now the new EV in 2022 to make 4500 American jobs. So, right now, VW has made 3500 American jobs in manufacturing about as long as Elio has been talking about their 1500 jobs that they will create. It's something to think about when Elio talks about bringing back American manufacturing jobs. VW is a German company but in the end, jobs are jobs.

It was unfortunate VW’s legal team apparently recommended scrapping production of their 2006 GX3 three wheeler concept due to liability issues of a motorcycle classed vehicle, just before it was scheduled for production. The affordable GX3 performance specs were awesome. I was eagerly awaiting to purchase that three wheeler. Too bad Elio doesn’t have access to that engine and could strap an Elio body on that three wheeler platform.

 

[3wheelin]

It was unfortunate VW’s legal team apparently recommended scrapping production of their 2006 GX3 three wheeler concept due to liability issues of a motorcycle classed vehicle, just before it was scheduled for production. The affordable GX3 performance specs were awesome. I was eagerly awaiting to purchase that three wheeler. Too bad Elio doesn’t have access to that engine and could strap an Elio body on that three wheeler platform.
View attachment 23205

Well, we're not getting any younger and waiting is a luxury we can't afford! 'Gotta enjoy life MORE and feel young again and luckily for us, there's Arcimoto and EMV working really hard to deliver our FUV and SOLO 3wheelers! While I don't belong to Generation X, I wan't mine NOW, NOW, NOW! LOL

 

[Rickb]

Well, we're not getting any younger and waiting is a luxury we can't afford! 'Gotta enjoy life MORE and feel young again and luckily for us, there's Arcimoto and EMV working really hard to deliver our FUV and SOLO 3wheelers! While I don't belong to Generation X, I wan't mine NOW, NOW, NOW! LOL

The wait is over, the time is NOW! .................................or anytime in 2019 We deserve it having made the wise choice to consider all the available three wheeler options.

 

[RSchneider]

It was unfortunate VW’s legal team apparently recommended scrapping production of their 2006 GX3 three wheeler concept due to liability issues of a motorcycle classed vehicle, just before it was scheduled for production. The affordable GX3 performance specs were awesome. I was eagerly awaiting to purchase that three wheeler. Too bad Elio doesn’t have access to that engine and could strap an Elio body on that three wheeler platform.
View attachment 23205

I believe that was going to production just like the various VW Micorbus concepts that were to have hit the showroom over the last 10 years. As for the specs, it was about 90 lbs lighter than the Elio. As for the engine, it was just a run of the mill Polo unit. Nothing special. What the Elio needs is the 1.0l 3 cylinder mill from the current VW UP! and then use the VW UP! GTI as an option. Then you'd have 89 or 114hp to choose from.

 

[Rickb]

I believe that was going to production just like the various VW Micorbus concepts that were to have hit the showroom over the last 10 years. As for the specs, it was about 90 lbs lighter than the Elio. As for the engine, it was just a run of the mill Polo unit. Nothing special. What the Elio needs is the 1.0l 3 cylinder mill from the current VW UP! and then use the VW UP! GTI as an option. Then you'd have 89 or 114hp to choose from.

My recall is the GX3 was production ready. I’d settle for Elio’s 2008 body style on the VW’s GX3 2008 drive train/platform. It’s a decade later and VW has made some major improvements.

 

[Sega]

You squashed the little hope I had to ever test drive an Elio. The Venture capital market will not fund that hot mess. Wait a minute, perhaps all-in reservationists will waive their lock-in price and discounts to help attract investors by making EM more profitable?

lol. You can only wish. Getting 5 ppl to agree to something is hard enough and now we want 60k? lol. On top of that, the reservation-ists already took a risk, that won't work out. No way that Elio gets a significant number to do something for them again.

I think to get the reservation-ists to give any more, Elio would have to offer stock or some ownership (at a minimum). It isn't the customer's job to do the company's work.

Just think, all these people do what is offered here, Elio actually takes off, Paul Elio becomes a Billionaire and the only thing that the early buyers got out of it was a higher car price! lol. Sounds like a bad deal.

**I know, you weren't really being serious about this.

One crazy thing I heard here was someone saying that all 60k reservation-ists pay for the car in full up front. Now that's crazy and not even possible!

 

[RSchneider]

My recall is the GX3 was production ready. I’d settle for Elio’s 2008 body style on the VW’s GX3 2008 drive train/platform. It’s a decade later and VW has made some major improvements.

Just like the Microbus I seen at the LA auto show back in 2010. It was "production ready" and to be built in the new plant in Chattanooga and on the road in 2012. It was even going to be a TDI. That's what the rep told me at the show and there were some articles about it. It was like the Elio, the delays kept coming and it never got built. So, I put little if any faith when a manufacturer has a concept and then claims it's production ready. What they do, is to gauge public interest. If it gets enough, they will make it. If it doesn't then they come up with some lame excuse or just ignore it like it never happened. In all honesty, I could never see VW selling that. They have enough of a sales problem with anything that is not an SUV, last thing they need is something that sells even worse than half of their current product line.

Also, the press gets giddy about things like the GX and that never equates into sales. They take the stance, if we get super excited about something and act like everyone want's it, the manufacturers will do it. Best example are manual transmissions. They are all on a mission as to why we must have manuals yet people don't want them thus manufacturers just give up offering them. Remember when Buick started offering the manual two years ago. The press acted like it was a major turn and they won the battle and everyone was going to have to offer manuals again. After Buick sold about 400 of them in a year, they dropped it.

Just like the Microbus. I think everyone would own one because that's what I'd buy. In the end, it's SUV's that rule and no matter what I do, that's not going to change. VW knew too and thus why it never got to production.

 

[RSchneider]

One crazy thing I heard here was someone saying that all 60k reservation-ists pay for the car in full up front. Now that's crazy and not even possible!

That's never going to happen and I know it's been brought up before. I have always wondered that if you did the commit to buy, will Elio force you to buy the car? Commit to me means you must do it. If that's the case, no matter what Elio makes, the first 21K people will have to buy it no matter what. Does anyone know if that's the case?