My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[3wheelin]

One company literally built and got their three wheeler on the road with NHTSA and EPA certification (which is not easy) in 6 years. Then they set out to form a dealer network for warranty and service along with parts. They did what no startup has ever done when it comes to three wheelers. Yes, it might be expensive and a weekend play toy, but they literally did something that even FUV couldn't accomplish (those are just cheaper play toys) in the timeframe. Elio's pie in the sky business plan was just that. If it was sustainable, then they would have had no problem getting to production. Yet they never did. So, maybe the people that compare them are wondering how a company that never asked for a penny from the \outside world, could accomplish this, while Elio was constantly shopping for funding.

Maybe, just maybe, the Elio plan was never going to work as it sounded too good to be true. Wanting something to work, is one thing, making it work is another. As for the BEX, we just have to wait and see. What I see is that we need to lower the bar a bit to get that three wheeler that we want at the price point that Elio somehow set which people believed because they wanted to believe.

I'm rooting for this working man's everyday 3wheeler (not a weekend play toy) to succeed and I see that in BEX. Would you be amazed if Mark get's his BEX selling in less than 6 years? I know I would! We've just learned about him from his first post LAST YEAR and we've already seen him test driving his first prototype! (Vanderhall spent 5 years prototyping before offering his design to the public. Source-Wikipedia) And he did it all single handedly. Regardless, Vanderhall is a success story for Steve Hall who got the right private investors (shareholders) to fund it....except....we're not here for an expensive toy.

 

[Mark BEX]

Would you be amazed if Mark get's his BEX selling in less than 6 years?

Gee whiz, I'm 60 now, I ain't waiting 6 years to see this through.

I know I would! We've just learned about him from his first post LAST YEAR and we've already seen him test driving his first prototype!

Don't rush. Figure out your next step before you do it, and measure 8 times before you cut, not "Measure Twice, Cut Once".

The hardest part of these builds is figuring out what you do today, will have what effect 10 steps further down the build. I have been weeks into chassis builds in the past, and get to a quandary so bad, that I have scrapped the chassis and started from scratch all over again.

It's the 2nd build, and it's a pre-production build. The prototype was the black one.

 

[3wheelin]

Gee whiz, I'm 60 now, I ain't waiting 6 years to see this through.





Don't rush. Figure out your next step before you do it, and measure 8 times before you cut, not "Measure Twice, Cut Once".

The hardest part of these builds is figuring out what you do today, will have what effect 10 steps further down the build. I have been weeks into chassis builds in the past, and get to a quandary so bad, that I have scrapped the chassis and started from scratch all over again.

It's the 2nd build, and it's a pre-production build. The prototype was the black one.

We know you ain't messin' around or wasting our time! And making all the decisions, doing all the work really speed things up for you. No red tape. Pre- production build- impressive.

 

[Joshua Caldwell]

Elio's much ballyhooed trunk that is large enough to accommodate a golf bag with clubs, gets that space from having the back of the rear seat fold forward .... I have no clue if the concept of a folding seat back can be accommodated by the design of that part of the BEX .... further, with a goal of reducing weight having other storage areas makes a great deal of sense

Yeah, its only an Aptera Beta, but looks like their coup could become a light pickup truck if the rear hatch was left off.

 

[DikiJ]

ATTENTION PLEASE:

Ok, the testing videos from the last 2 days have had quite a positive impact with a couple of production companies I have in hand, one wants me to fly to them ASAP to talk.

One of the first questions they always ask is: "How many orders do you have?", so now I have to seek some numbers, and this will be the first step;

Please go here and say "YES" or "NO". I understand that there are variables, but this is based on the most basic of manual gearbox models with air conditioner (a must), and if that's not good enough level for you at this time, then please say "NO".

Please DO NOT click "YES" just for support, I have a tiny manufacturer who now makes less than 500 vehicles a year interested, and a large manufacturer interested, so a false vote has the potential to make things difficult for me, even if you meant in the best interest for me.

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The Poll:

Would you be an interested purchaser of a "BEX Mongrel", 3 wheel car, gasoline engine, manual gearbox, with air conditioning for under $10,000, that otherwise the vehicle meets your general criteria?

The vehicle is of similar concept to Elio Motors overall, but with 2 doors being the main difference.

This poll does not commit you to anything, but helps me to understand manufacturing possibilities based on interest, so please answer honestly, as answering "YES" just for support, while appreciated, is not factually helpful, I would prefer you to answer "NO" if that's the case.

EasyPolls voting

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When I click on the poll I get "No Poll Found". I definitely will buy one as soon as it is available. Please cast a YES for me if possible. If not, how can I get to the poll.

 

[JEBar]

When I click on the poll I get "No Poll Found". I definitely will buy one as soon as it is available. Please cast a YES for me if possible. If not, how can I get to the poll.

Mark left the poll up long enough to get the info he needed to move forward and then removed it .... happily, the results where that good

 

[DikiJ]

I may be in the minority here... but if/when Mark is satisfied with the BEX and puts his stamp of approval on it, I'll buy one – without a test drive. I've watched Mark build his vehicle on a daily basis. He's kept the public informed on his build like no other person or company that I'm aware of. He's been an open book as much as one could possibly be. He's building the BEX to HIS standards – and from what I see, his standards are high. His portfolio includes high performance cars, race cars and planes. This 3-wheeler is a walk in the park for him. If the finished BEX makes Mark smile, I'll gladly wire the money for mine before it has paint.

Me too and I am 83 right now. I expect to be around for the next ten years so I will be able to get one. I still ride my !988 Harley FXLR. I'll probably sell it to pay for the BEX. Also, I have a 1957 Cushman Iron Eagle.

 

[DikiJ]

I'm not sure if that's an insult or not!


View attachment 25668

They weren't offering they were promising.

 

[Mark BEX]

Over the next week or 2, I am going to try a narrowed VW Bora/Jetta nose for size.

This doesn't mean that's what I am using, it's just that I have a Bora going to waste in the factory, so I can try it out, and get practice in for narrowing a nose, rather than buying new panels and doing it wrong.

The Bora is actually one of my favorite car noses, and the nose panels are highly sort after by VW Mk4 Golf owners as they bolt straight on. They then call them "Bolfs" by the way, Google it if you don't believe me

Added red one with racing stripes for the rev-heads ...

 

[Sonoran Sam]

Will the engine's radiator get enough air flow?? I'm not seeing a grill, just some area at the bottom for air flow.
The headlights and turn signal pods look like they take up a lot of real estate on the front facia/nose area, just wondering how much air is needed to cool the engine's radiator.
Probably not an issue for most people, but I'm in the desert -- we routinely see temps over 110 degrees (Fahrenheit)