With Gas Prices Falling, Will That Impact Sales Of High Eff Cars?

[Sethodine]

At $2.50 a gallon, the Elio will cost about half as much to drive cross-country than it costs to fly. So in a low-gas-price world, the Elio wins in long-distance trips. (This is based on a 2400 mile trip costing about $80 in the Elio, and $160 for a one-way ticket).

At $4 a gallon, the Elio will cost 1/2 to 1/3 as much as other cars for the daily commute, so in a high-gas-price world, the Elio wins in daily driving.

And really, at ANY gas price the Elio is going to be cheaper to drive than any other car short of an EV (which, obviously, has a higher up-front cost than the Elio). The savings are bigger when gas prices are higher, but there will always be savings regardless.

 

[Ian442]

Still buying an Elio regardless of gas price.

I could care less how cheap gas gets, it has got to be one of the stupidest idiotic moves in modern history to buy some gas guzzling beast because gas is cheap.

I recently dumped my Escalade for a Mini Cooper. Why ? the transportation needs changed. I wasn't towing anything anymore, and kids start at college this and next fall.

I still have my steady as it goes mini van. that will do for family transportation.

 

[Muzhik]

If Elio hits its target sticker price, the price of gasoline is secondary. $2.50/gallon is a lot less than $4, but people have seen $4 and even $5 and expect to see these prices again. The credit card gimmick might not work as well at $2 a gallon, but that's also a secondary consideration. The low sticker price combined with a huge cool factor (and a green factor to a lesser extent) will move these cars off the lot. How often does a middle income consumer, even lower middle income, get to be the first on the road with this sort of innovation? If Paul Elio succeeds, he won't be the next Elon Musk. He'll be the next Henry Ford, and middle America will flock to his car. It's been a hell of a long time since we've had a new Henry Ford.

Don't forget:

MADE IN AMERICA!!!

 

[DailyLunatic]

There are plenty of people who will like the elio for reasons other than gas prices. Some will want to have a lower environmental impact, others like the minimalist lifestyle, others like the uniqueness or cool look. The price will appeal to others. Just look at the growth of the tiny house movement. People are building or purchasing tiny houses for many of the same reasons they will want elio.

I like the coolness factor, but would not be able to afford were it not for the price.

-sterling

 

[Martin Brock]

At $2.50 a gallon, the Elio will cost about half as much to drive cross-country than it costs to fly. So in a low-gas-price world, the Elio wins in long-distance trips. (This is based on a 2400 mile trip costing about $80 in the Elio, and $160 for a one-way ticket).

Driving 2400 miles is a week of my time. A week of my time is worth a lot more than $80. Still, no matter how you slice it, doubling or tripling the mileage is an attractive proposition even at $2.50/gallon.

And really, at ANY gas price the Elio is going to be cheaper to drive than any other car short of an EV (which, obviously, has a higher up-front cost than the Elio). The savings are bigger when gas prices are higher, but there will always be savings regardless.

It's hard to say how cheap an EV is to drive. Electricity is not free, and neither are the batteries. Over the life of the car, I doubt that a comparably sized/priced EV is cheaper to drive.

 

[Sethodine]

Driving 2400 miles is a week of my time. A week of my time is worth a lot more than $80. Still, no matter how you slice it, doubling or tripling the mileage is an attractive proposition even at $2.50/gallon.

It's hard to say how cheap an EV is to drive. Electricity is not free, and neither are the batteries. Over the life of the car, I doubt that a comparably sized/priced EV is cheaper to drive.

I'm infamous around here for getting into lengthy discussions about EV's, so I won't say much for fear of derailing the thread. But I will say this: since buying our Leaf over a year ago, we haven't spent more than $35 per month on electricity for it. The Elio will be cheaper in other respects (fewer tires to buy, cheaper to insure, etc) so I expect them to both cost about the same in fuel and maintainance costs over their lifetimes. And that is all the point I was trying to make.

 

[Ty]

I'm infamous around here for getting into lengthy discussions about EV's, so I won't say much for fear of derailing the thread. But I will say this: since buying our Leaf over a year ago, we haven't spent more than $35 per month on electricity for it. The Elio will be cheaper in other respects (fewer tires to buy, cheaper to insure, etc) so I expect them to both cost about the same in fuel and maintainance costs over their lifetimes. And that is all the point I was trying to make.

Good point. On that note, do you know anything about replacing individual cells in a Prius battery? I'd like to know and would rather do this via PM to keep this thread on track.

To keep it on track. I want an Elio not to save money, not because it's cheaper. I want it to help get the US off foreign oil. Sure, I know electrics are WAY more fuel efficient when considering barrels of oil though their electricity comes from somewhere (Please don't start THAT debate). But, I happen to believe that there is a huge segment of the US that cannot afford to move to electrics yet and the Elio seems poised to become a stepping stone in the right direction. If it becomes "in" to drive smaller vehicles, maybe we can get more and more people to consider smaller cars and THAT will help electrics in a bunch of ways... weight savings, more customers, more vehicle options, etc. It will also help the good old US to get heavier vehicles off the roads. Sure, there will always be big rigs but those big rigs aren't tearing up the roads in my neighborhood... it's that ass with the big F-350 or the Hummer. (I drive the F-350). Anyway, while the Elio isn't completely preventing the import of oil, it's a LOT more efficient than my truck!

 

[Coss]

Good point. On that note, do you know anything about replacing individual cells in a Prius battery? I'd like to know and would rather do this via PM to keep this thread on track.

To keep it on track. I want an Elio not to save money, not because it's cheaper. I want it to help get the US off foreign oil. Sure, I know electrics are WAY more fuel efficient when considering barrels of oil though their electricity comes from somewhere (Please don't start THAT debate). But, I happen to believe that there is a huge segment of the US that cannot afford to move to electrics yet and the Elio seems poised to become a stepping stone in the right direction. If it becomes "in" to drive smaller vehicles, maybe we can get more and more people to consider smaller cars and THAT will help electrics in a bunch of ways... weight savings, more customers, more vehicle options, etc. It will also help the good old US to get heavier vehicles off the roads. Sure, there will always be big rigs but those big rigs aren't tearing up the roads in my neighborhood... it's that ass with the big F-350 or the Hummer. (I drive the F-350). Anyway, while the Elio isn't completely preventing the import of oil, it's a LOT more efficient than my truck!

Did you know that only 17% of the oil we use daily comes for the middle East? They have been working on changing the balance for a long time now; and they finally have us off their products.

EEEKKKKKKK!! I just had a truck (truck is what they call a set of 4 wheels on a train) jump a rail; quick; someone put it back on track! Quick!

 

[Marshall]

I'm infamous around here for getting into lengthy discussions about EV's, so I won't say much for fear of derailing the thread. But I will say this: since buying our Leaf over a year ago, we haven't spent more than $35 per month on electricity for it. The Elio will be cheaper in other respects (fewer tires to buy, cheaper to insure, etc) so I expect them to both cost about the same in fuel and maintainance costs over their lifetimes. And that is all the point I was trying to make.

I think Electrics and Hybrids like my Prius are great until the expensive parts start going south. Batteries on Electrics and regenerative braking and the battery on the hybrids are extraordinarily expensive at this moment.

But they are great while they are working.

 

[Sethodine]

The thing is, batteries aren't really a "maintenance" cost. If the battery loses capacity at a greater rate than expected in the first 8 years, then it is replaceable on warranty (most EVs have followed Nissan's lead and offer an 8-year/100,000 mile warranty on the battery).
The cost of replacing a battery that is unusable is high, but when you compare it to rebuilding an engine+transmission, it is of similar cost for similar effect. Replacing the battery gives it a whole new lease on life. If you replace the battery at 150,000 miles, then you just bought yourself another 150,000 miles of service out of your car. Aside from replacing the shocks and a few other mechanical components periodically, an electric car with a new battery will drive basically like a brand new car.