Jeff Johnson Interview - Autoline After Hours #347 - 9/16/16

[WilliamH]

I think all reservationists read and understand the bold print, but actually believe EM's anticipated production schedule at the time they reserve. They are confident the Elio will be in their driveways within a year after the reservation commitment. A good example of that is that I thought the Elio was going to be production ready back in the anticipated 2010 production earlier days. I still can't test drive an Elio prototype and am no closer to buying an Elio now than then. I'm not whining, but rather still waiting a little less patiently.

So what you said is "The when and if you get it" Elio Owner's Forum?

No. What I said is......
...."You will get your Elio when and if you get it."....
In my case the "if" relates to blockages in my RCA and LCA arteries.
Don't try to put your words into my mouth.

 

[RonnieB]

Guess what, with a SIL that high, you won't have to worry at all about the MT - AMT.
EM will have produced 18,000+ Elio's by that time, and I'm pretty sure they'll have things like that worked out.

And it appears that no one has explained the difference between Factory, Marshalling Center and Retail Stores.
You do know what the factory is; so next is the Marshalling Centers, they are the distribution centers where Elio's arrive from the factory, and have any optional equipment installed, THEN they are sent to the Retail Stores for distribution to customers, already equipped with the options the customers ordered. Retail Centers are where you order your Elio, do paperwork, make your payment(s) and then pick up your Elio.
Marshalling Centers are not for retail customers; they are meant to feed Retail Centers; Pep Boys is for having any warranty problems taken care of, additional OEN options can be purchased and installed after you have taken delivery.
In the beginning, they are only opening a few MC's and a few RC; another item that will probably be further along when they get to the 18,000th+ Elio.

There, feel better now?

I know they have to ramp up to 1000 a day but at 1000 a day that's just 18 days......are you sure?

 

[webartist]

I think Rickb said it for us all . . . at least me. You read what EM has to say, read EM and other press releases, look at the Elio website and the vehicle specifications which have not changed since I joined and you believe what they say about going into production and you pluck down your money. All this happens is a short period of time since production for me was suppose to be 2016. Can we not put faith in production projection dates especially since EM is suppose to have so many auto industry exports on the project. I get it now, if EM were to state that production is a year or more out, who would make a reservation? Thus, future production will always be within ~ 9 months or less . . so they will say.

Purchase/order at Retail store, manufacture at the factory then send to Marshaling Center for final options/configuration/shipping . . .I have always understood that. My point is EM is going to need a lot of Retail storefronts and why not just do it initially at the MC as you said may happen. They need to fast track initial production and get final production vehicle on the road. That will sell more units.

As for as my SIL, even at 500 units a day (they want to do 200k or more per year they say), my vehicle would be ready easily in less than two months. Engineering problems and manufacturing corrections will take months to even be reported, assessed and changed in the plant. The first third of the produced vehicles easily are going to be subject to initial production design flaws. We need to face that.

I appreciate the additional information the moderator provides at times and will continue to share I hope. The moderator must work with EM and have access to additional "forward thinking" information that is not initially know by us. If anyone can share more specifics or confirmation in the VP's comments about the MT vs. AMT production I would love to here it. That is the question I asked EM using their normal support link on their site like I always hsve and have not had a reply yet.

 

[WilliamH]

I think Rickb said it for us all . . . at least me. You read what EM has to say, read EM and other press releases, look at the Elio website and the vehicle specifications which have not changed since I joined and you believe what they say about going into production and you pluck down your money. All this happens is a short period of time since production for me was suppose to be 2016. Can we not put faith in production projection dates especially since EM is suppose to have so many auto industry exports on the project. I get it now, if EM were to state that production is a year or more out, who would make a reservation? Thus, future production will always be within ~ 9 months or less . . so they will say.

Purchase/order at Retail store, manufacture at the factory then send to Marshaling Center for final options/configuration/shipping . . .I have always understood that. My point is EM is going to need a lot of Retail storefronts and why not just do it initially at the MC as you said may happen. They need to fast track initial production and get final production vehicle on the road. That will sell more units.

As for as my SIL, even at 500 units a day (they want to do 200k or more per year they say), my vehicle would be ready easily in less than two months. Engineering problems and manufacturing corrections will take months to even be reported, assessed and changed in the plant. The first third of the produced vehicles easily are going to be subject to initial production design flaws. We need to face that.

I appreciate the additional information the moderator provides at times and will continue to share I hope. The moderator must work with EM and have access to additional "forward thinking" information that is not initially know by us. If anyone can share more specifics or confirmation in the VP's comments about the MT vs. AMT production I would love to here it. That is the question I asked EM using their normal support link on their site like I always hsve and have not had a reply yet.

Elio stated on their Facebook page that right about 10/1 they got slammed with about 1400 requests for info or for help finding reservation information that people couldn't find. When you are slammed you put people in a que. When you are in a que you don't get answered as quickly as you think you are entitled to.
They will probably get to you when they get to you.
Until then, understand that this forum has no direct relationship with Elio.
Please stop whining.
All you are accomplishing is to irritate people on the forum.

 

[Coss]

I think Rickb said it for us all . . . at least me. You read what EM has to say, read EM and other press releases, look at the Elio website and the vehicle specifications which have not changed since I joined and you believe what they say about going into production and you pluck down your money. All this happens is a short period of time since production for me was suppose to be 2016. Can we not put faith in production projection dates especially since EM is suppose to have so many auto industry exports on the project. I get it now, if EM were to state that production is a year or more out, who would make a reservation? Thus, future production will always be within ~ 9 months or less . . so they will say.

Purchase/order at Retail store, manufacture at the factory then send to Marshaling Center for final options/configuration/shipping . . .I have always understood that. My point is EM is going to need a lot of Retail storefronts and why not just do it initially at the MC as you said may happen. They need to fast track initial production and get final production vehicle on the road. That will sell more units.

As for as my SIL, even at 500 units a day (they want to do 200k or more per year they say), my vehicle would be ready easily in less than two months. Engineering problems and manufacturing corrections will take months to even be reported, assessed and changed in the plant. The first third of the produced vehicles easily are going to be subject to initial production design flaws. We need to face that.

I appreciate the additional information the moderator provides at times and will continue to share I hope. The moderator must work with EM and have access to additional "forward thinking" information that is not initially know by us. If anyone can share more specifics or confirmation in the VP's comments about the MT vs. AMT production I would love to here it. That is the question I asked EM using their normal support link on their site like I always hsve and have not had a reply yet.

If you haven't gotten a response from them using the Support link; try one of the other addresses; or call them.
I couple of people I know emailed them on Friday 10-7-16 and they got a response this morning.

If they did reply, start looking at email receive problems on your end.
I believe it was acamara that just went through that, and found out his provider was the one rejecting the inbound emails from EM Support.
Something about a script that Go Daddy included on their mail that his ISP didn't like and blocked that mail.
He did take the time to troubleshoot it and found the answer in a very uncommon place.
You could be having a similar problem; that why I suggest finding an alternate method to talk to Elio Motors.

 

[Ekh]

MT and AMT should be made together just like any other vehicle.


As long as Elio starts their 100 in December, they can "make" their self-imposed timeline. I think it's time to drop all the thinking that those 100 have to have a certain amount of miles and quit complaining that you can't run a good controlled test that way. Who gives a crap... the point of the 100 is most likely to have a chance to work out the assembly bugs without straddling any of us with "practice builds". I'm sure that low number holders don't want half baked Elios. Selling the first 100 to fleets allows Elio to get their assembly process going before delivering cars to those who have been waiting so long. Otherwise, they'd have to build cars for destruction... wasteful.

They're running out of time to build ANY road-able cars before year end -- Ty's right, the E series have to be built and sent through their complex tests, with (perhaps) changes being made as a result of the findings -- all of this takes time, and most of the cars haven't been built yet. Elio has always gotten it wrong about how long things take, even if you DO have all the money -- which they obviously don't have.

But slow process does not equal no progress. Hang in there, guys.

 

[AriLea]

...But slow process does not equal no progress. Hang in there, guys.

To some degree I think we hate it when we don't see external evidence of progress. I think EM is holding out for the LA show to make as big a splash as possible.

 

[webartist]

Thanks for the concern about the support email. I am good . . I can wait. It s not important to me. I am getting other EM emails. I only mention it for information and feedback on the question itself from others and not to irritate anyone, which apparently it does (or at lest one person) No more email comments from me.

 

[Coss]

Thanks for the concern about the support email. I am good . . I can wait. It s not important to me. I am getting other EM emails. I only mention it for information and feedback on the question itself from others and not to irritate anyone, which apparently it does (or at lest one person) No more email comments from me.

Irritate??
Anytime I hear of someone having email problems I always kick it back into IT support mode; I did it for so many years it's just a conditioned response.

 

[webartist]

Not you. There is one member who serious gets mad at everything I post. I will just leave it at that. I will not let this helpful blog site become a battleground for anything. Not worth it.