Where Do You Stand Now?

[Craig]

Like this?

Concept is good, looks complicated and expensive. JMO
Maybe this.

 

[pj rogers]

My mazda 2 has a much better design than the Honda and the advantage of this dash mounted gear shift is the linkage might be better for the 5 speed because it looks like less of an angle than the door mounted shifters they have now..
We all want the 5 speed to have a good, positive feel and not be rubbery...
The Elio has a few flaws that can be easily changed if the engineers decide.
Make the rear seat a bench..and make it hold two kids. This is THE FLAW that needs to be changed. Imagine the family with two small kids and all the things the mom must do during the week. One of the comments I read was of a woman who said there didn't seem to be enough room in the rear for her purse. A kid and the school back pack is a no brainer. I would gladly give up that 5 star guess for a 4 star and room for an extra person. It would be so much easier to show the wife that it hold 3 people and guess what, the rest of the world would buy one in a second.
It also needs to be a fold down rear bench, would solve a lot of storage problems..The weight should not be a issue because a bench might be lighter than a bucket, might be cheaper too, especially if lear makes the seats..
Oh, please don't tell me that the EM engineers cannot make the roll cage a foot wider if they have to, and mold a slightly different plastic body panel. Make the P6 the perfect second car..
EM now has the time to really create the PERFECT VEHICLE,
,Meet the brand new 2016 ELIO,! a 3 wheeled, 3 passenger, auto, air, tinted glass and cruise for only $8995
they would sell millions.............and in a heartbeat, the reservations would double or triple... money would come rolling in.
EM are you listening????

 

[zelio]

Like this?

Actually? No. I don't like the gauges and whatever that is below the radio is awful. I don't know if the thing attached to the steering wheel is cruise control or something else but it is way too intrusive. To each his own. LOL Definitely not something I would choose. Z

 

[pj rogers]

Full design huh,? nothing at all changes on the elio from the driver forward, and I know you know the engine, the transmission the front wheels and the drivers cabin is the important parts..The weight might be less than now, with a lighter shifting mechanism, a lighter bench seat and you can't tell me adding a foot at most will blow the cost up by thousands. It is beyond my belief that the original elio did not even have trunk bigger than a 30 pack of your favorite beer and a bench seat and room for 3 didn't come to mind when they built it..Oh, the original did not even have hatch..it was a coupe style...The two person elio limits the number of folks who will buy. and EM now has the time to do it. (15 months)
I can hope because I know the elio salesperson will have to answer all those little things that the wife will ask about...trunk space, a bench seat for two kids, and you will have to convince her to spend that $9000+ for the 2 person elio.
Time to think out of the box folks and make the perfect second car, the elio!

 

[Rickb]

Okay, the three wheeler aspect is also a major hurdle. Which reinforces the point that they have a major uphill battle in selling this in major quantities.And that still isn't getting to the elephant in the room that small vehicles are poor sellers. There are people who will refuse to believe that a small car can be safe, regardless of crash test ratings.

Safety is another issue........which is why I'm hopeful Elio delivers on the anticipated 5 star safety rating which would help marketing. The drivers who refuse to believe that small can be safe is not Elio's target market nor will any amount of advertising change that. I have referenced the 2 seater Tango, the small and narrow commuter EV, that is NASCAR 200 mph safe, and actually safer than a typical SUV.......so small can be safer than HUGE.....Elio won't be that safe but will be much safer than a typical motorcycle. It will be fun to watch their sales after that first Elio rolls of the line and hits the USA streets. Not an easy task, designing, building, and marketing a totally new platform vehicle concept which is why it's taking Elio a little longer than anticipated. You and I along with 15,000 + have already bought into the concept and most haven't even seen the vehicle up close and personal. That's a good sign of serious interest in a smaller vehicle.

 

[Craig]

This car is designed as a single person go to work mobile, that just happens to have an extra seat.
Any thing more you wish to use it for above and beyond it's intended purpose requiring an alteration, should be your responsibility and at your cost. Not my opinion, just fact.

 

[zelio]

Okay, the three wheeler aspect is also a major hurdle. Which reinforces the point that they have a major uphill battle in selling this in major quantities.And that still isn't getting to the elephant in the room that small vehicles are poor sellers. There are people who will refuse to believe that a small car can be safe, regardless of crash test ratings.

I'm curious, Edward. Why are you even considering the Elio? All the things you think are poor sellers are the very things I and many others love about the Elio. I love the looks, I love the 3 wheels and I firmly believe there are enough intelligent people out there willing to move away from BIG VEHICLES. I frankly hate big vehicles. I love the feel of driving something small and limber. I am fully aware small vehicles may not appear to be as safe but I consider them safer because the drivers tend to be more responsible. I can understand, sort of, needing a big truck to pull your big trailer/camper/small vehicle. What do see being towed behind those big gas hogs? Small vehicles. I have neighbors who traded in their big truck because they sold their 5th wheel. They bought something similar to the PT Cruiser and they love it. For one thing they are both handicapped and had a hard time getting into and out of their truck. For another they hated the mpg with the truck. They could not afford to go anywhere with it. Since they bought the smaller car they have taken several trips including the one they took the week they bought it. Instead of coming directly home from Eugene where they bought it, they drove up the coast for several days. They were thrilled. You are young so are only seeing one side of the demographics here. By all means, choose another vehicle if you don't like the Elio. In the mean time, please go rain on someone else's parade. :-) Z

 

[zelio]

Concept is good, looks complicated and expensive. JMO
Maybe this.
View attachment 1182

I hated those when I drove them. Got any better choices? LOL :-) Z

 

[Rickb]

Full design huh,? nothing at all changes on the elio from the driver forward, and I know you know the engine, the transmission the front wheels and the drivers cabin is the important parts..The weight might be less than now, with a lighter shifting mechanism, a lighter bench seat and you can't tell me adding a foot at most will blow the cost up by thousands. It is beyond my belief that the original elio did not even have trunk bigger than a 30 pack of your favorite beer and a bench seat and room for 3 didn't come to mind when they built it..Oh, the original did not even have hatch..it was a coupe style...The two person elio limits the number of folks who will buy. and EM now has the time to do it. (15 months)
I can hope because I know the elio salesperson will have to answer all those little things that the wife will ask about...trunk space, a bench seat for two kids, and you will have to convince her to spend that $9000+ for the 2 person elio.
Time to think out of the box folks and make the perfect second car, the elio!

Elio is out of the box and not a car. I'm putting one 30 pack of my wife's favorite beer in the trunk, and stacking 2 more of my favorites on the folded down bench seat......that seat does fold down for added cargo storage space doesn't it? If not I may have to reconsider! Wait........maybe the trailer hitch option........or saddle bags. Elio is going to be a hoot to drive as is. It's not a kid hauler.......although my grandson thinks a yellow Elio would be cool.

 

[Craig]

I hated those when I drove them. Got any better choices? LOL Z