Standard Equipment And Options

[Sethodine]

"By limiting the number of factory-available options, they can keep engineering and production costs down"

Interesting logic. If they eliminated options all together (such as color, transmission, etc.) maybe they can reduce engineering and production costs down to zero... If they really work at it the engineers might even end up owing EM money....

Seriously.... With the amount of money at stake wouldn't it be worth it to pay one more employee's salary and have them devoted to creating a wide array of options that can be sold at a nice profit? Many buyers would be much more likely to choose (and pay for) optional items at the time of purchase than to shop for and buy them later. Wanting to see the Elio generate a lot of after market items is one thing, throwing away a gold mine is something else.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feature_creep

There is a point where adding more features becomes detrimental to a project, even terminal.

A stock Elio in the driveway is worth two still in the engineering and prototyping phases.

 

[bunchathrees]

As an ignorant bystander, I assume that some of the major players in automotive gadgets and accessories also play in the aftermarket sandbox. 1) Repackage the thing you've already developed, 2) jack up the price, 3) ship it to re-sellers, 4) profit.

 

[Trusting]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feature_creep

There is a point where adding more features becomes detrimental to a project, even terminal.

A stock Elio in the driveway is worth two still in the engineering and prototyping phases.

Interesting article! As always your post is well thought out. I'll comment once more on this and then let the subject drop... no need beating it to death as it isn't our decision anyway.

"Feature Creep" (which was a new one to me) is an interesting, and I'm sure, legitimate concept. However, I hardly think it applies to Elio at this time. The assumption you seem to be making is that offering a wide range of options/accessories will slow down production and delay the introduction of the product. I don't see how that has to be the case.

Also, the more options a buyer can choose to personalize his car the more likely he will be to purchase it in the first place. Options/accessories allow the economic concept of the "Positional Good" to enter into the decision making and whereas the decision to buy the car in the first place may be made rationally, often the choice of options is made emotionally. If options were not an important and profitable item I doubt the major manufacturers would spend so much time and money promoting them. I'll just wait and see what happens and if Elio doesn't offer what I'm interested in I'm sure someone else will be willing to accept my money.

 

[Sethodine]

Interesting article! As always your post is well thought out. I'll comment once more on this and then let the subject drop... no need beating it to death as it isn't our decision anyway.

"Feature Creep" (which was a new one to me) is an interesting, and I'm sure, legitimate concept. However, I hardly think it applies to Elio at this time. The assumption you seem to be making is that offering a wide range of options/accessories will slow down production and delay the introduction of the product. I don't see how that has to be the case.

Also, the more options a buyer can choose to personalize his car the more likely he will be to purchase it in the first place. Options/accessories allow the economic concept of the "Positional Good" to enter into the decision making and whereas the decision to buy the car in the first place may be made rationally, often the choice of options is made emotionally. If options were not an important and profitable item I doubt the major manufacturers would spend so much time and money promoting them. I'll just wait and see what happens and if Elio doesn't offer what I'm interested in I'm sure someone else will be willing to accept my money.

There will certainly be a wide range of options available when the Elio launches, provided:

1. The accessory is produced and made available by one of Elio's supplier partners.
   AND
   
2. The accessory can be installed at a marshaling center overnight.

Based on EMs options page, I suppose it is possible that they may produce a limited selection of alternate body panels as well. The SMP body panels would be easy to swap out at a marshaling center, but since they are made in-house they will require additional time and expense to produce tooling (molds etc) for those additional pieces. For this reason I hope they limit it to just a few grill/fender/skirt/decklid options.

Outside of what I've mentioned, Elio has said they don't want to spend any time working on alternative drivetrains or turbos until after the first model year is produced. So I wouldn't hold your breath for any option that would take more than a couple hours to install at a marshaling center.

Elio's mission is not to sell cars. Obviously, they need to sell cars to stay in business, but it is not the mission. Elio's goal is to provide cheap, reliable transportation to the millions of people who don't have it. Sure, lots of people with reservations just want one because it's cool, and for that market there will be some options, but getting the base model produced is Goal #1. If somebody can afford to get a different car because Elio doesn't offer the options they want, then they were never Elio's target demographic in the first place.

 

[floydv]

There will certainly be a wide range of options available when the Elio launches, provided:

1. The accessory is produced and made available by one of Elio's supplier partners.
   AND
   
2. The accessory can be installed at a marshaling center overnight.

Based on EMs options page, I suppose it is possible that they may produce a limited selection of alternate body panels as well. The SMP body panels would be easy to swap out at a marshaling center, but since they are made in-house they will require additional time and expense to produce tooling (molds etc) for those additional pieces. For this reason I hope they limit it to just a few grill/fender/skirt/decklid options.

Outside of what I've mentioned, Elio has said they don't want to spend any time working on alternative drivetrains or turbos until after the first model year is produced. So I wouldn't hold your breath for any option that would take more than a couple hours to install at a marshaling center.

Elio's mission is not to sell cars. Obviously, they need to sell cars to stay in business, but it is not the mission. Elio's goal is to provide cheap, reliable transportation to the millions of people who don't have it. Sure, lots of people with reservations just want one because it's cool, and for that market there will be some options, but getting the base model produced is Goal #1. If somebody can afford to get a different car because Elio doesn't offer the options they want, then they were never Elio's target demographic in the first place.

In other words, EM always intended to serve simple meat and potatoes, maybe sometimes with mushrooms or sautéed spinach. If you're looking instead for filet Mignon with lobster and foie gras, topped with truffle shavings, or even if you're just looking for pan seared Chilean sea bass with arugula salad dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette, you're better off going to the restaurant across town.

 

[NSTG8R]

In other words, EM always intended to serve simple meat and potatoes, maybe sometimes with mushrooms or sautéed spinach. If you're looking instead for filet Mignon with lobster and foie gras, topped with truffle shavings, or even if you're just looking for pan seared Chilean sea bass with arugula salad dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette, you're better off going to the restaurant across town.

Whoa! Had to scroll up to see which thread I clicked on...Thanks! Now I'm hungry!

 

[Frim]

In other words, EM always intended to serve simple meat and potatoes, maybe sometimes with mushrooms or sautéed spinach. If you're looking instead for filet Mignon with lobster and foie gras, topped with truffle shavings, or even if you're just looking for pan seared Chilean sea bass with arugula salad dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette, you're better off going to the restaurant across town.

I once heard a waitress at Denny's ask a customer, "Where do you think you are, Red Lobster? The base, first run Elio will not be loaded with extra options. I accept that. .

 

[Rickb]

In other words, EM always intended to serve simple meat and potatoes, maybe sometimes with mushrooms or sautéed spinach. If you're looking instead for filet Mignon with lobster and foie gras, topped with truffle shavings, or even if you're just looking for pan seared Chilean sea bass with arugula salad dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette, you're better off going to the restaurant across town.

What.......no gravy!

 

[floydv]

What.......no gravy!

"Gravy is like a roof rack on the Elio...It looks good and feels necessary, but it'll slow you down and pack on more weight you don't need."

Paul Elio, date unknown

 

[Rickb]

"Gravy is like a roof rack on the Elio...It looks good and feels necessary, but it'll slow you down and pack on more weight you don't need."

Paul Elio, date unknown

It's actually gravy in the coffee cup that Paul Elio constantly carries around.