The Elio Engine

[Ty]

The battery position really doesn't matter to me. I've had to access my battery exactly zero times in the three years I've had my truck and the same number of times with my wife's car. I take that back. I jumped a couple of people's cars with my truck and I had to access my battery for that. But for maintenance (and what most people will do), access will not be an issue. Most people will just take their vehicle to "a shop" if it isn't acting right.

 

[McBrew]

It would not be unreasonable to expect that 55 cu in would produce more than 55 HP with new technology. This was done in the sixty's. I also believe that 0 too 60 times are very reasonably expected to be under 10 Sec.

Don't forget that we changed the way we measure a car's horsepower in 1972.

My current cars have about 1.11 and 1.13 horsepower per cubic inch. That's a 2011 Subaru and a 1998 Benz, respectively. If the Elio puts out 60hp like IAV claims, that puts it at 1.09 horses per cu in. Not far off.

Anyway, I am less interested in the numbers than how it drives. I used to drive a 90 horsepower Golf TDI that was a joy to drive because of all the low end torque. It only put out 78 hp per cu in.

EDIT: that's 0.78 hp per cubic inch. My bad.

 

[Coss]

Don't forget that we changed the way we measure a car's horsepower in 1972.

My current cars have about 1.11 and 1.13 horsepower per cubic inch. That's a 2011 Subaru and a 1998 Benz, respectively. If the Elio puts out 60hp like IAV claims, that puts it at 1.09 horses per cu in. Not far off.

Anyway, I am less interested in the numbers than how it drives. I used to drive a 90 horsepower Golf TDI that was a joy to drive because of all the low end torque. It only put out 78 hp per cu in.

"I used to drive a 90 horsepower Golf TDI that was a joy to drive because of all the low end torque. It only put out 78 hp per cu in"

Huh???? Is that the new math?

 

[Jambe]

It only put out 78 hp per cu in.

Wow!

 

[McBrew]

"I used to drive a 90 horsepower Golf TDI that was a joy to drive because of all the low end torque. It only put out 78 hp per cu in"

Huh???? Is that the new math?

Oops... That all-important decimal point!

 

[Coss]

Oops... That all-important decimal point!

So 90hp divided by .78 it was 115 cylinders? I'm really confused now
Wait I got it , it was 115 cubic inch or 1885 cc ? Yes?

 

[McBrew]

So 90hp divided by .78 it was 115 cylinders? I'm really confused now
Wait I got it , it was 115 cubic inch or 1885 cc ? Yes?

You got it. 1.9 liters (roughly).

 

[Coss]

You got it. 1.9 liters (roughly).

Without the decimal point is a whole different story 1.15 CI or 18.85 CC
The original thumper

 

[Muzhik]

Apologies if this has been covered before. I just had to add oil to my car, and I suddenly could not remember where, in the Elio, you pour oil into the engine, and where the dipstick is.

 

[outsydthebox]

There are a lot of Geo Metros that have logged 150,000+ before they limped off into the sunset.

I know of Metros with more than double that number. And I am currently driving a '95 Geo Tracker that is less that 7k away from the 300K mile mark. Outside of the "rust-belt" they (rest of the vehicle) would last a good long time. Part of the problem with these and other cheap (purchase price) vehicles was, sometimes their owners viewed them as "throw aways" and didn't want to "waste money" on preventive maintenance.