My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[Made in USA]

COMMENT : on February 2nd of this year Mark introduced his project to this forum .... since then his thread has had over 31,000 views .... all things considered, that is nothing short of remarkable and it speaks volumes as to the strong support for his type of a reverse trike

Thanks for the update. It's interesting. I asked myself if both the Elio and Marks version were available now, which would I choose? Don't know. I would prefer a Made-in-USA, but as we know Elio isn't doing anything. With all the shortages EV makers are going to be facing with battery materials, computer chips, etc., Marks version may be a low priced alternative that many will be interested in.

 

[Mark BEX]

I would prefer a Made-in-USA,

That's fine, I have no issues with people being Nationalistic, good for you.

I am and will figure ways to offer USA content, even if it's just a company assembling them, at least it's employing Americans.

 

[84mpg]

That's fine, I have no issues with people being Nationalistic, good for you.

I am and will figure ways to offer USA content, even if it's just a company assembling them, at least it's employing Americans.

A year ago (or so?), someone around here posed the question "Would you consider buy an Elio-like vehicle from China." It didn't take long for me to post that I wouldn't buy one from China. I would only buy if American.

Well... Mark has changed my mind. I've watched him work very hard to design/build it right. I'm convinced, when it comes to having the parts supplied, he'll make sure they're well made. He knows the difference between good and crap. I don't believe he would put crap into anything he's involved with. His actions to date – backs that up.

So, get 'em over here and I'll be driving' one. The sooner the better!

 

[Mark BEX]

Well... Mark has changed my mind.

Well I do consider it's "Australian Made".

 

[84mpg]

Well I do consider it's "Australian Made".

Literally on this first one!

 

[Mark BEX]

Not very good pictures today sorry, the glare in the factory today was blinding, but that's all I got.

Front doors are bolted to the frame, and it only took a G-clamp each side to align the side panels around the doors, but the weight of the rear half of the panels is still too much, so now I have to put the rear doors on as well.

This is a hassle.

I need the main roll hoop to mount the rear doors to, but I need to set it all up with the doors in place to understand the exact width of the bodyshell at that point, which includes then knowing the roof skin dimensions, but I need the roof skin on to strengthen it all up and into position so I know the width for the roll hoop, that i mount the rear doors off, but there is no roll cage to mount the doors which need to be mounted to figure the roll hoop ..... confused yet?

Hope so, because I am, and it's a catch 22 situation ....

I'll probably make up some temporary jigs to line it all up and maybe temporarily screw the doors into place.

 

[Mark BEX]

Of course there's a lot of Elio talk going on, re; the emails and webpage update today.

This was my response in my Facebook group, for the record.

Not going to be an easy task, from what I have heard, apparently a number of suppliers are less than satisfied how they were treated in round 1, and may not be available for round 2.

They still face the issues of many bespoke parts going into production, and production is the real hard part. That's why I use as many "off the shelf" parts as possible.

The 2 front door hinges yesterday for example, one phone call to the next city over, 5 hours and $12.80 later, delivered to my hand being common Hyundai, and in 20 years time, you can go to a car junkyard and buy them.

It only helps me by the way, I believe competition in new areas breeds interest and success for all, be it Elio, Solo, Aptera or BEX etc. by creating more publicity, knowledge and interest in Autocycles and their advantages.

There are many people who will be interested in the Elio, but some may not like the single door and lack of luggage space, hence they will look at the BEX, and vice versa.

So bring it on, I think it's good for everybody in the burgeoning Autocycle industry, so I'm not against it at all, and of course we all wouldn't be here today if not for the Elio.

 

[Ace]

Of course there's a lot of Elio talk going on, re; the emails and webpage update today.

This was my response in my Facebook group, for the record.

Not going to be an easy task, from what I have heard, apparently a number of suppliers are less than satisfied how they were treated in round 1, and may not be available for round 2.

They still face the issues of many bespoke parts going into production, and production is the real hard part. That's why I use as many "off the shelf" parts as possible.

The 2 front door hinges yesterday for example, one phone call to the next city over, 5 hours and $12.80 later, delivered to my hand being common Hyundai, and in 20 years time, you can go to a car junkyard and buy them.

It only helps me by the way, I believe competition in new areas breeds interest and success for all, be it Elio, Solo, Aptera or BEX etc. by creating more publicity, knowledge and interest in Autocycles and their advantages.

There are many people who will be interested in the Elio, but some may not like the single door and lack of luggage space, hence they will look at the BEX, and vice versa.

So bring it on, I think it's good for everybody in the burgeoning Autocycle industry, so I'm not against it at all, and of course we all wouldn't be here today if not for the Elio.

Assuming a reasonable looking fit and finish on yours, given the choice between the Elio-E and your BEX, I'll choose BEX.

 

[84mpg]

Mark, well said.

Unless incredible changes take place - I mean big time changes…. It will be several years before the Elio-E is available.

I suspect you’ll have many on the road before their first one rolls. If it makes it at all…

A lot of people are voicing (again) their disappointment in Elio. But if you read between the lines of frustration, you can see the enthusiasm for the vehicle/configuration.

Cannot wait to see yours rolling out of your shop under its own ICE power!

 

[Mark BEX]

Some feeling when I started cutting up the frame of the prototypes today, hard not to when you have put so much time into something, then execute it ....

The reason was to retrieve the main roll hoop, stick it in the new car to get dimensions from the new one I will make the next few days.

It may look like it fits the new car, but it doesn't, close but not usable.