My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[3wheelin]

That works. I guess what it shows is that people have moved on because they know Elio is done. I would think that it has to make Paul a bit depressed to know that the last place that was supporting him, has decided to move their interest elsewhere. There might be one or two that will not give up but I'm guessing that anything Elio produces (which comes in press releases) will not be believed.

Good thing is, people get to see how much work and the timeframe it takes to produce a three wheeler using off the shelf parts. It sounds easy but as you know, it's not and still requires lots of engineering and fabrication of custom parts. Lately I've helped a few guys building kit cars. Even though you start with a donor, the bulk of it is custom made. Then if you want the creature comforts, that's even more work.

Ok, Ok I'm ready to go back to our regular programming! This ELIO topic has been discussed, argued, compared and written-off. Mark has showed a clear plan and path to get his BEX in our hands. I know I'm ready for my stick shift, ICE and air-conditioned 2-seater BEX.

 

[84mpg]

"Mark has showed a clear plan and path to get his BEX in our hands. I know I'm ready for my stick shift, ICE and air-conditioned 2-seater BEX."

Truer words have never been spoken. There's no fluff with Mark. What you see is what you get. THAT's a breath of fresh air, huh?
I haven't driven a stick in 40 years, but I think I can remember how. Ha!

 

[JohnJ]

I have nothing but faith in Mark's good intentions and ability to design and build his car. However, there are a lot of powerful people who, for self-interest, do not want to see a car like this on the market. I just can't help but remember what happened to Preston Tucker. Let's hope my concerns are unfounded.

 

[Mark BEX]

it takes to produce a three wheeler using off the shelf parts.

Yes it's a bonus to be able to use them, and less headaches later, but even if they aren't available, using parts from the donor car allows me to develop faster, and the OTS part gives me a pattern to work from even if it's out of production and have to make a bespoke part, so there is no downside to it.

there are a lot of powerful people who, for self-interest, do not want to see a car like this on the market.

There's always disrupt'ors, doesn't have to be from a commercial side either, just people with too much time on their hands, and is why I don't mention everything I am doing.

Sad fact that professional Youtubers make far more money (views) from hate and controversy tearing apart products than they do from analytical videos without biases.

 

[RSchneider]

there are a lot of powerful people who, for self-interest, do not want to see a car like this on the market.

I don't believe that at all. It would seem like it because if you like something and it never comes to fruition, then it's easier to believe in the boogyman as to the reason why it failed. Case in point, Elio. It would be easy to think that the powers at the "Big 3" were going to make sure he was never going to succeed. Yet no evidence of that. Yet all of the other evidence is disregarded. Think about it, the same "Big 3" would have shut down Tesla a long time ago, yet it never happened. Funny part is, Tesla is now part of the Big 3 as Chrysler has not been American owned since 2011. Tesla is American owned, the HQ is in America and they produce vehicles in America. They even moved their HQ to Texas and are building a new plant there. Tesla even got an old GM plant and turned it into their flagship plant. Tesla literally did what Elio was set out to do. Main difference, one was wealthy and the other was not. One was able to get real investment and the other did not.

The BEX is not going to have any problems with the boogyman or the Big 3. Yes, social media is a tough gig. Elio embraced it 100% and when things didn't go well, they initially tried to control the narrative and when that backfired, they just went silent. Case in point, coming up on the 4 year anniversary of the last time we heard Paul speak.

 

[Made in USA]

I don't believe that at all. It would seem like it because if you like something and it never comes to fruition, then it's easier to believe in the boogyman as to the reason why it failed. Case in point, Elio. It would be easy to think that the powers at the "Big 3" were going to make sure he was never going to succeed. Yet no evidence of that. Yet all of the other evidence is disregarded. Think about it, the same "Big 3" would have shut down Tesla a long time ago, yet it never happened. Funny part is, Tesla is now part of the Big 3 as Chrysler has not been American owned since 2011. Tesla is American owned, the HQ is in America and they produce vehicles in America. They even moved their HQ to Texas and are building a new plant there. Tesla even got an old GM plant and turned it into their flagship plant. Tesla literally did what Elio was set out to do. Main difference, one was wealthy and the other was not. One was able to get real investment and the other did not.

The BEX is not going to have any problems with the boogyman or the Big 3. Yes, social media is a tough gig. Elio embraced it 100% and when things didn't go well, they initially tried to control the narrative and when that backfired, they just went silent. Case in point, coming up on the 4 year anniversary of the last time we heard Paul speak.

Usually it seems they wait until someone is showing signs of success before they buy them out. Buy them out and shut them down is a common way of eliminating competition. I think the large makers will keep making the current models unless there is a financial crash that forces people to seek less expensive alternatives. Then they would look at vehicles like the BEX just to keep producing something.

 

[Rickb]

I don't believe that at all. It would seem like it because if you like something and it never comes to fruition, then it's easier to believe in the boogyman as to the reason why it failed. Case in point, Elio. It would be easy to think that the powers at the "Big 3" were going to make sure he was never going to succeed. Yet no evidence of that. Yet all of the other evidence is disregarded. Think about it, the same "Big 3" would have shut down Tesla a long time ago, yet it never happened. Funny part is, Tesla is now part of the Big 3 as Chrysler has not been American owned since 2011. Tesla is American owned, the HQ is in America and they produce vehicles in America. They even moved their HQ to Texas and are building a new plant there. Tesla even got an old GM plant and turned it into their flagship plant. Tesla literally did what Elio was set out to do. Main difference, one was wealthy and the other was not. One was able to get real investment and the other did not.

The BEX is not going to have any problems with the boogyman or the Big 3. Yes, social media is a tough gig. Elio embraced it 100% and when things didn't go well, they initially tried to control the narrative and when that backfired, they just went silent. Case in point, coming up on the 4 year anniversary of the last time we heard Paul speak.

I agree. Nobody is trying to block/stop a new startup from getting an enclosed three wheeler motorcycle to market. Arcimoto’s FUV (USA) and ElectraMeccanica‘s SOLO (Canada/China with plans for USA manufacturing) are examples of dedicated to their mission three wheeler startups that have successfully crossed the production finish line: Prototyping, R&D, Beta fleet/testing, NHTSA certification (“nightmare certification process”), fund raising/IPO NYSE, partnering with ’off the shelf’ parts suppliers, secured/tooled manufacturing plant, employees hired/trained, production vehicles rolling of the assembly line, and delivered to include follow up customer care and vehicle service. The issue with both new startups is production scale and expansion of the current low volume production numbers in their limited regional sales and service States. BEX is where Arcimoto was back in 2008 and it’s certainly possible to make it to production. Elio Marketing was a team of “Hello Elio” marketing professionals and fundraisers……….successfully marketing a concept. I enjoy following the BEX build, as I have following 6-7 other three wheeler concepts, while growing far to old to ever see a NHTSA fully certified model BEX cross the production finish line to include scaled production, sales, and servicing networks GO Team BEX!

 

[RSchneider]

Nobody is trying to block/stop a new startup from getting an enclosed three wheeler motorcycle to market. Arcimoto’s FUV (USA) and ElectraMeccanica‘s SOLO (Canada/China with plans for USA manufacturing) are examples of dedicated to their mission three wheeler startups that have successfully crossed the production finish line: Prototyping, R&D, Beta fleet/testing, NHTSA certification (“nightmare certification process”), fund raising/IPO NYSE, secured/tooled manufacturing plant, employees hired/trained, production vehicles rolling of the assembly line, and delivered to include follow up customer care and vehicle service. The issue with both new startups is production scale and expansion of the current low volume production numbers in their limited regional sales and service States. BEX is where Arcimoto was back in 2008 and it’s certainly possible to make it to production. Elio Marketing was a team of “Hello Elio” marketing professionals and fundraisers……….successfully marketing a concept. I enjoy following the BEX build, as I have following 6-7 other three wheeler concepts, while growing far to old to ever see a NHTSA fully certified model BEX cross the production finish line to include scaled production, sales, and servicing networks GO Team BEX!

Essentially what Vanderhall has done but it was privately funded, they sell nationwide with service and dealers that anyone can test drive for free. They were founded in 2010 (four years after FUV) and got NHTSA and EPA certification in 2016 and rolled right into production (three years before FUV). I can right now drive 30 minutes north or south, test drive one and buy it if I want. I just wish FUV would allow me to do that. As we can see, nobody stopped that startup from making a three wheeler either. They just did it much faster from founding to deliverables much faster than anyone else to date. I suspect this comes from the funding as to why it was accelerated much faster than what others have done.

 

[Rickb]

Essentially what Vanderhall has done but it was privately funded, they sell nationwide with service and dealers that anyone can test drive for free. They were founded in 2010 (four years after FUV) and got NHTSA and EPA certification in 2016 and rolled right into production (three years before FUV). I can right now drive 30 minutes north or south, test drive one and buy it if I want. I just wish FUV would allow me to do that. As we can see, nobody stopped that startup from making a three wheeler either. They just did it much faster from founding to deliverables much faster than anyone else to date. I suspect this comes from the funding as to why it was accelerated much faster than what others have done.

Love the Vanderhall‘s styling, but not the ease of ingress/egress/driver comfort (Geezer requirement), high MSRP (likely due to low volume production), and what seems to be more of a fun weekend ride for the rich and famous..……not an affordable daily commuter for all climates. The FUV is more affordable, but the same all climates issue, until it’s fully enclosed. Hopefully, BEX can achieve his goal of building a more affordable low volume production option. Time will tell.

 

[RSchneider]

Love the Vanderhall‘s styling, but not the ease of ingress/egress/driver comfort (Geezer requirement), high MSRP (likely due to low volume production), and what seems to be more of a fun weekend ride for the rich and famous..……not an affordable daily commuter for all climates. The FUV is more affordable, but the same all climates issue, until it’s fully enclosed. Hopefully, BEX can achieve his goal of building a more affordable low volume production option. Time will tell.

Since we are talking about three wheelers, Vanderhall should be celebrated as a startup company that took an idea for a three wheeler, got it to production, selling it to everyone in the US along with service centers and dealers. Yet I see great love for a company that took about 2X as long to make a similar item. When it did come out, it was only for a select few that need to live in a special area of the US. They literally will not sell one to me.

Plus, the FUV is to be $11,900 but I seem to see that has magically disappeared as it's now $17,900. It would be nice to see FUV stop announcing products I can't buy but just start making them and set up areas in places where I live where I can test drive and see if I would really want one. The MSRP goes way up for me if I got to fly to the other part of the country and then schedule a drive. After that, then be put on a list for an unknown amount of time as to when they will actually sell me one. That whole part of the business plan confuses me. If you want to grow, you actually got to offer it to the rest of the country. From looking at the production numbers, they are suffering from a 16 year old startup dilemma where they can't leverage themselves to get what they need for production. Thus announce new products all in hopes it'll work out in the end.