Will Elio Motors Have An Ability To Protect It's Business Model?

[JEBar]

What the current reality is ...Elio is now a public company that will be held to a higher standard...all the "free passes" are gone!

it would seem reasonable to believe that the attorneys EM employs to prepare their required filings would keep them well advised in this area

 

[Aprilia]

it would seem reasonable to believe that the attorneys EM employs to prepare their required filings would keep them well advised in this area

I'm certain you're correct!

 

[TCBronson]

I don't know if Elio has any patents or what they could patent since most of the parts are not all that unique. I would think patents would be public record and could be researched. I do believe other manufacturers are watching Elio very closely and letting them do ALL the hard stuff especially the government issues. Once Elios hit the streets I think it is only a matter of time before there are copy cats running around! But Elio will always be THE original!

 

[ross]

I sincerely hope, all who buy shares in EM, do so because they see the potential growth. Not because they want to "bully" EM into compromises simply for the sake of "profits". And for those who don't share the same vision...I hope EM handles it the way (I heard) GOOGLE recently did.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen started Microsoft in a garage in Seattle, if any of us had invested $1,000 then we wouldn't be interested in a $7,000 car let alone the mpg.

 

[bunchathrees]

Bill Gates and Paul Allen started Microsoft in a garage in Seattle, if any of us had invested $1,000 then we wouldn't be interested in a $7,000 car let alone the mpg.

I'd still be interested, but it would be to add yet another interesting vehicle to my fleet. Because, what's the point of having FU money, if you never say FU, correct?

 

[Hotscoots]

There is nothing patentable about a 3 wheel vehicle . Even if Elio's engine is unique , competitors will supply their own engine . There is nothing unique about the materials or process that Elio will use . Again , even if there is subtle design propriety, competitors ( China) can and probably will enter the market with a virtually identical ride . Gasp ....cheaper too .
The only way Elio can effectively protect their brand is to take a page from Harley Davidson . Build a loyalty so profound that competitors always appear to be cheap copies .

 

[Rickb]

There is nothing patentable about a 3 wheel vehicle . Even if Elio's engine is unique , competitors will supply their own engine . There is nothing unique about the materials or process that Elio will use . Again , even if there is subtle design propriety, competitors ( China) can and probably will enter the market with a virtually identical ride . Gasp ....cheaper too .
The only way Elio can effectively protect their brand is to take a page from Harley Davidson . Build a loyalty so profound that competitors always appear to be cheap copies .

The Elio brand loyalty currently is and always will focus on economy, yet to be proven reliabilty, and customer service. Old school genuine Harley Davidson brand loyalty likely won't apply.

 

[floydv]

There is nothing patentable about a 3 wheel vehicle . Even if Elio's engine is unique , competitors will supply their own engine . There is nothing unique about the materials or process that Elio will use . Again , even if there is subtle design propriety, competitors ( China) can and probably will enter the market with a virtually identical ride . Gasp ....cheaper too .
The only way Elio can effectively protect their brand is to take a page from Harley Davidson . Build a loyalty so profound that competitors always appear to be cheap copies .

Sorry to disagree, but that's patently (pun intended) not true. Design patents cover the ornamental design of an object and are very important in today's market -- just ask Apple and Samsung. And I argue that the most unique thing about the Elio is its design, which it should spend some money to protect (after all, it's partly our -- the shareholders -- property now). See also Wiki.

 

[Ekh]

I had a similar thought and while there are no guarantees, I concluded that Elio is building a moat. At least that is what we call it in my industry. A unique set of features\utility, safety, price, and style. There is room for other combinations which give heavier weight to different aspects. In the end, this endeavor still seems like an expansion of the market rather than just adding another product competing for the same buyers.

It's not that there's something unique here, but that the combination is hard to beat and, as we all know, the entry barriers are very, very steep. (Parenthetically, the Big 3 won't attempt this -- they'd rather stick to their traditional high-margin monsters and buy CAFE credits from EM is it's possible to do that).

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

There is nothing patentable about a 3 wheel vehicle.

You would think that everyday, obvious things wouldn't be patentable. You'd be wrong.
With unscrupulous lawyers and idiot government bureaucrats, you can patent anything.

The complete and utter morons at the USPTO recently granted a patent for swinging on a swing.

I'm not kidding. (<-- link)