Test Drive / Ride And Drive Events

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

I had plans for under the rear seat. I guess I will have to dream up another location for my electronics.

Like, under the front seat?

 

[Jeff Porter]

I will preface this by saying I want Elio to succeed. My non-refundable reservation is a calculated gamble intended to encourage them to succeed. But as an engineer and tech enthusiast I recognize that reality bites, especially when trying to built something totally new and as complex as a vehicle. I think their odds of getting to volume production at this point are 60/40 in favor.

As pointed out by you and RogWild "production" is a long way from "delivery". If they actually start in September then it will be at least four months before the production line is ready to deliver customer vehicles. They have to build many "test" vehicles to make sure the assembly line, workers, techniques, and parts all work to produce a car that runs and doesn't fall apart as soon at it rolls out the door.

That's where January 2016 came from. Since they have decided to engineer a completely new engine from scratch, I should revise that to June 2016, and I think even that is optimistic. Not even the big boys can design, test, revise, and tool-up to produce an all-new engine in less than a couple years.

I don't really care much about the delays so long as they get the fool thing right. Take the time they need to deliver a reliable product. They get one shot with the fickle public and belligerent mainstream media. If they screw it up by delivering an unreliable P.O.S. it will be labeled a Yugo forever. It took Hyundai 20 years, billions of dollars, and unheard-of 10-year / 100k-mile warranties to overcome their reputation for making junk.

I bought a gen 1 Insight to hold me over until then.

Oh, G-P A, you've done it now... I got questions!

1. Tell us about some of the reasons for a "start of production in Sept" really means January for the production line to deliver customer vehicles. Is it just as simple as what you said, that to build test vehicles and examine them, will take 3-4 months so that, say an 8-hr shift can crank out more than 25 cars?
2. Why is it that, say GM, takes 2+ years to design, test, revise, and tool-up to produce, a new engine?
3. Do we have an approximate date of when the design of the Elio engine started?
4. I'm better with reality than I am with pipe dreams; you mentioned June 2016 may be optimistic. Are you thinking it might be more realistic to say Sept 2016 before car #844 rolls off the line?
5. I believe it was March (?) when the date was announced sliding to 3rd qtr 2015. Do you see that date sliding again?

Thanks!

 

[MrCarder]

If the perceived quality of the Elio proves to be true, I'm 99% sure I'll be snagging one. Driving ~2000 miles a month, back and forth around the region, it would save me a ton of money. I would love to get in on the 50% down payment bonus, but I just can't justify it without even seeing one of these prototypes in person.

I looked around the "Elio Events" forum and couldn't find anything about test drives. Even if they did, there's not an event that's very close to my location. There is a dealership within an hour or so that is listed on the Elio website, but I can't find anything on if or when they will have one there.

So, are test drives reserved for the press as of now? Or is there somewhere I can take a little joyride?

 

[zelio]

If the perceived quality of the Elio proves to be true, I'm 99% sure I'll be snagging one. Driving ~2000 miles a month, back and forth around the region, it would save me a ton of money. I would love to get in on the 50% down payment bonus, but I just can't justify it without even seeing one of these prototypes in person.

I looked around the "Elio Events" forum and couldn't find anything about test drives. Even if they did, there's not an event that's very close to my location. There is a dealership within an hour or so that is listed on the Elio website, but I can't find anything on if or when they will have one there.

So, are test drives reserved for the press as of now? Or is there somewhere I can take a little joyride?

We will get the test drives once the early production models are up and running. The prototypes are hand built of parts taken from a variety of sources so would not give you a true feeling for driving the Elio even if you could drive one. Right now only press and apparently people from the supply companies have had the privilege of actually driving an Elio. Plus Elio staff, of course. Once the test drive models are available only people with reservations will be able to test drive them. My guess is, this puts you between a rock and hard place. LOL The best video of someone driving the Elio was taken last March 31 in Ontario, CA. The young man driving it is, I believe, from Australia, and he is obviously having the time of his life driving the Elio. I am racking my brain for the name of the video and it is not coming at this moment. I know it had a delayed release of several months because of some issue with the video company that was totally non-related to Elio. I will see if I can scrounge up the link and come back in to let you know what it is. Or someone else may beat me to it since there are a few people who follow my posts. :-) Z

 

[zelio]

Found it. Here you go. http://on.aol.com/video/translogic-154--elio-motors-518316285

Enjoy! :-) Z

 

[Ty]

Found it. Here you go. http://on.aol.com/video/translogic-154--elio-motors-518316285

Enjoy! Z

LOL... I just sat through that interview again. I may need professional help. On a serious note, that is probably my favorite interview. If you watch the Elio at speed, it bounces quite a bit. That's one trait I hope they refine before production. Thank you, Z.

 

[zelio]

LOL... I just sat through that interview again. I may need professional help. On a serious note, that is probably my favorite interview. If you watch the Elio at speed, it bounces quite a bit. That's one trait I hope they refine before production. Thank you, Z.

Glad I could be of help. Anything for my best bud, Ty. :-) Z

 

[Jeff Porter]

If the perceived quality of the Elio proves to be true, I'm 99% sure I'll be snagging one. Driving ~2000 miles a month, back and forth around the region, it would save me a ton of money. I would love to get in on the 50% down payment bonus, but I just can't justify it without even seeing one of these prototypes in person.

I looked around the "Elio Events" forum and couldn't find anything about test drives. Even if they did, there's not an event that's very close to my location. There is a dealership within an hour or so that is listed on the Elio website, but I can't find anything on if or when they will have one there.

So, are test drives reserved for the press as of now? Or is there somewhere I can take a little joyride?

Hi Mr Carder, welcome to the forum. As Z said, no test drives have been happening, and no test drives will happen for many months.

Stores will not be open for a long time either. Here's some educated guesses on dates, some guesses more firm than others:

• 28,000th reservation placed: Aug 15, 2014
• Deadline to get the 50% bonus for a non-refundable deposit: Sept 1, 2014
• 25% bonus for non-refundable deposit starts: Sept 2, 2014
• Production to begin: Sept 2015
• Date that all reservations will be filled by: Sept 2016
• Stores are open, general public can begin buying a vehicle without a reservation: Sept 2016

Paul Elio has said (and most of us on the forum agree) that reservations will be "sold out" before production starts. We aren't sure when reservations will reach critical mass and Elio Motors would stop taking them.

For you, it may be in your best interest to check back in about 13 months, to see if production is actually starting. Or, you can try to do some research for the next 9 days, and see if you find enough facts to take the risk and put down a deposit. You can do refundable if desired, you won't get the 50% bonus, but that would remove some of the risk for you.

 

[Jim H]

If the perceived quality of the Elio proves to be true, I'm 99% sure I'll be snagging one. Driving ~2000 miles a month, back and forth around the region, it would save me a ton of money. I would love to get in on the 50% down payment bonus, but I just can't justify it without even seeing one of these prototypes in person.

I looked around the "Elio Events" forum and couldn't find anything about test drives. Even if they did, there's not an event that's very close to my location. There is a dealership within an hour or so that is listed on the Elio website, but I can't find anything on if or when they will have one there.

So, are test drives reserved for the press as of now? Or is there somewhere I can take a little joyride?

Welcome from New Mexico and to the forum. I see other members of the forum have provided answers to your questions. As you can tell we are a helpful friendly bunch and encourage you to take a look at the treads on the forum. We are all excited about the Elio and the numbers of reservations increase every day which is the reason many of us locked in our place in the production line by making the $1000 reservation. The information on the forum will help you decide if the Elio is for you and your own financial circumstances will determine if, and how big, a reservation is made. Hope you enjoy the forum and the Elio experience.

 

[stevecaz]

LOL... I just sat through that interview again. I may need professional help. On a serious note, that is probably my favorite interview. If you watch the Elio at speed, it bounces quite a bit. That's one trait I hope they refine before production. Thank you, Z.

It is a good video showing the Elio in action!