Solo

[3wheelin]

The Elio EV is only $14,900K. So it's really cheap. Plus, it FUN! How do I know it's FUN? Because, just look at the Elio website and they tell me it is. IT'S FUN! IT'S ELECTRIC!

Then it goes 110mph and only needs to be charged every three days.

I like the numbers so far if they can pull it off this time. The worry is this odd tadpole looking 3wheeler is a little stretched out that dangerous tail-spin CAN be a common occurrence when turning at speeds specially on a wet surface. I did that with my car and ended up head-on in incoming traffic. Luckily for me, it was a rainy night with no other cars at that time. But then again, what do I know about 3wheelers, I don't own one...yet!

 

[AriLea]

tail-spin CAN be a common occurrence when turning at speeds specially on a wet surface. I did that with my car...

The PPSI loading to the ground is what affects that one. Not so much the number of wheels.
(skip to the conclusion below to save time) And the 'vehicle CG' is important too.

So if you have a very small patch and heavy weight, then you can get tire scrub or also tire distortion, which feels a little like losing grip on dry ground.
Also noticed as over and under steering, depending on which end is 'feeling' it.

But if a very light weight and not much patch, then slip or float is a lot more the problem, which is what you had. Noticed as sliding. Again, could happen at either end, and depends very much on the PPSI loading vs the road adhesion.

Sooo, in my Taddy three wheeler, I had a little accident with front sliding on dry asphalt, one fine day (not me driving). Which is reason #1 that I turned to 2F1R-FWD designs. The rear (RWD-high PPSI) had some little amount of scubbing, but the the front (very low PPSI) had a lot more sliding that day. Good thing it was only at 25mph. Given a front slide, there would be no roll over possible, which is what I was trying to get a feel for (very carefully I may add). My CG was so very low, it had almost zero influance in this test event.

So a pick-up could have the scrub noted above when heavily loaded in a turn at speed, (oversteer)
and then have the slip noted above when no load is in the bed (again oversteer).
(depending on speed, turn and road conditions of course)

The actual tire pressure could also affect these, since it could change how much tire patch is on the road. Very often midengine cars have the front tire pressure lowered as a trimming adjustment. Or softer more grippy tread in front.

So understeering and oversteering (and spin-outs) are the accumilation of the scrubbing and the slipping at both ends of the vehicle.

One thing that happends is, the tire geometery in a turn, as weight shifts, and tire angles change. So this can get tricky in all three wheelers.
A tadpole in a turn at speed may loose some patch at the rear, rolling with the body, and that changes both the PPSI and the contact angle affecting both scrub and slip.
(if it slips much at the rear, it could level the vehicle out, but increase the turn, even occilate between slip and roll, or do that spin out)
(it it slips at the front, it can level out, but decrease turn radious, basically not making the intended line of the turn)

Plenty of 4 wheel vehicles have made mistakes in this tire-to-the-road-angle issue, as well as the PPSI engineering. Camber in bump and turn is a major issue in tuning race suspensions.

Conclusion: 3 wheels are only just a little more touchy about it. All vehicles are worse as CG is lifted up. So we keep that low as possible.

 

[Mark BEX]

ElectricMeekkchaniickkcaa (whatever, stupid name) have sent letters out to the owners offering to buy back their Solos at full purchase price, after June the buyback price drops.

ElectraMeccanica Updates Voluntary Recall of Solo G3 and G2, Announces Buyback Remedy

MESA, Ariz., April 14, 2023--Today, ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. (NASDAQ: SOLO) ("ElectraMeccanica" or the "Company"), a designer and manufacturer of electric vehicles revolutionizing the urban driving experience, provided an update on its previously announced safety recall for the SOLO...

finance.yahoo.com

 

[Coss]

But it makes good sense for them, and avoids lawsuits from people who don't know how to drive a "different" vehicle.
You know, the johnnie go faster than he used to driving, loses it in a turn, and wraps his self around a tree and blames the car,
sues the company for building a "un-stable" vehicle (rather than take the blame for being an idiot) you know that kind of driver.
And then goes on blaming everyone else for building a total POS (piece of $$$$) the typical crybaby looking for a free ticket to the bank vault.

 

[Mark BEX]

I was intending to fish for some more info from Solo, through the law side of things, but I went to the website and simply gave up.

Multiple mediums to get "Investor Information", but no way that I could see info for a direct contact, not even an online form other than for "Investor Info".

Are there any companies anymore who actually make themselves contactable? This has been a disturbing trend for a long time now, annoys the living crap out of me, and I won't deal with companies who present themselves like that. Even if you fill out one of those online contact forms, does anyone get a reply within 3 days to a week, because I certainly don't. In Australia you are lucky if you even get a reply at all.

 

[Coss]

I was intending to fish for some more info from Solo, through the law side of things, but I went to the website and simply gave up.

Multiple mediums to get "Investor Information", but no way that I could see info for a direct contact, not even an online form other than for "Investor Info".

Are there any companies anymore who actually make themselves contactable? This has been a disturbing trend for a long time now, annoys the living crap out of me, and I won't deal with companies who present themselves like that. Even if you fill out one of those online contact forms, does anyone get a reply within 3 days to a week, because I certainly don't. In Australia you are lucky if you even get a reply at all.

Then you better go looking for a face to face meeting with one of their higher ups, and hope like hell he's willing to talk to you.
Get one of those small tape recorders, and don't sneak it in, be up front, and open with him, you don't want to start a talk and than piss him off.
Show him that you have it, be open with him, you don't want an enemy right at the start, or take a trusted person with you, wife maybe? You're treading a very fine line here. You want to be "friends" and honest friends, goodness how to explain and not come off as arrogant, you are really walking a fine line here. I would volunteer but here again, I don't want to. No hard feelings, but I don't think your ready for a Business partner, or you don't want one. I understand, I've been there myself. Let me talk to someone and see what they say. Talk to me in a private chat. To anyone that is thinking about butting in, forget it, I will turn and bite your head off.

 

[RSchneider]

I was intending to fish for some more info from Solo, through the law side of things, but I went to the website and simply gave up.

Multiple mediums to get "Investor Information", but no way that I could see info for a direct contact, not even an online form other than for "Investor Info".

Are there any companies anymore who actually make themselves contactable? This has been a disturbing trend for a long time now, annoys the living crap out of me, and I won't deal with companies who present themselves like that. Even if you fill out one of those online contact forms, does anyone get a reply within 3 days to a week, because I certainly don't. In Australia you are lucky if you even get a reply at all.

You can look at the AZ department of corporations:
https://ecorp.azcc.gov/BusinessSearch/BusinessInfo?entityNumber=23182931

From there you can use the information and so a bit more searching. For example, I just took their address and found this:
https://aiada.memberzone.com/list/member/electrameccanica-usa-llc-11069

 

[dbacksfan81]

ElectraMeccanica, Solo has been acquired by truck manufacturer and Los Angeles based Xos.

https://ktar.com/story/5557231/los-...o-acquire-electrameccanica-in-all-stock-deal/

https://www.businesswire.com/news/h...ctric-Vehicles-for-Major-U.S.-Fleet-Customers

No real news on what will happen to the stalled production of the Solo.

 

[AriLea]

I think the main issue was the price. I mean what is a half sized city car that fits only one person worth to you? No sportiness involved?

I think $15k is about as much you can go and generate any wide appeal. $19k was a bit too much.
The red one around here is still on the roads.

 

[Rickb]

I think the main issue was the price. I mean what is a half sized city car that fits only one person worth to you? No sportiness involved?

I think $15k is about as much you can go and generate any wide appeal. $19k was a bit too much.
The red one around here is still on the roads.

I agree, but Catch 22. Arcimoto‘s marketed target MSRP was $11,900, production rollout MSRP was $19,900 base model and they still lost money on every FUV sold. Also, a high % of the pre-order customers requested refunds, based on that higher price…….and obviously that high price point did not generate the wide market appeal and mass production numbers needed for a profitable $11,900 FUV. Another one bites the dust. Sadly, based on my test drive experience I liked this vehicle in terms of performance, handling, and driver comfort. Truly a fun utility vehicle.