I dunno… Anyone remember the Owosso/Litestar Pulse?
That little bit of awesomeness was a stretched Honda Goldwing with outriggers and a cabin shell. Drove like a regular car. Got 50-odd mpg. Was no more dangerous than a normal motorcycle, and in reality was less so - very difficult to tip over in a Pulse.
I’d buy one today, not only because I am at heart still a 14 year old boy who wants his own personal fighter jet, but also because I am at heart a miser who wants to get 50mpg plus on his way to work.
Elio has said that it will adhere to car safety standards. Whether that’s true or not, we’ll see. But it will certainly adhere to motorcycle safety standards. Unless we are going to call for banning motorcycles because the bloody things are ridiculously dangerous, then saying that just because you put a roof on a motorcycle means that it has to be completely safe is kind of silly.
As for fitting into it, it is being built not only in the USA, but in the heart of southern cooking USA. I have little doubt that it will be accommodating to American-sized bottoms.
Go to the basement model and then start your comparisons.
Why? It was compared to a Can Am. That’s not something that people who buy basement models of things would buy.
Because…not even the cheapest bike with a big enough motor that can move that kind of weight/drag safely can be had for $6,800. What does that tell you about the feasibility of achieving that price target when you start adding in AC and airbags?? It’s pure fantasy and I agree with the posters that surmised it was simply a ploy to attract investment capital from unsuspecting or overly greedy investors looking to make a killing…
TT, it isn’t a car, it’s a bike. It doesn’t need AC and airbags.
As you know, drag is far more complicated than simply cross sectional area. A properly designed shroud can reduce drag tremendously. A regular motorcycle without a shroud has a very poor Cd, even though its cross-sectional area is small.
Honestly, I find the projected price optimistic too. But give it a chance. History is littered with naysayers. It’s those that move forward anyway that succeed. I hope we truly are able in the near future to get a dirt cheap, basic commuter vehicle without bells, whistles, and needless fancy dooddads. I hope this vehicle is it. I support the quest.
Re: the CanAm, that was never designed to fill this niche. That’s designed for young people with too many toys looking for a new thrill. And IMHO its price is ridiculous.
I only compared it to the CanAm as they are both vehicles with two wheels in front and one drive wheel in the rear. Since the layout is similar, SOME of the engineering and pitfalls are likely to be the same.
Note that the “car” would require a motorcycle endorsement on the “rider’s” license since all three wheeled vehicles are licensed as motorcycles.
TT, it isn’t a car, it’s a bike. It doesn’t need AC and airbags.
Here’s my suggestion- go read their site. They are the ones saying it will have those features.
Call me a naysayer but I have decades of experience generating ROM and budgetary estimates for complex NPI programs. This doesn’t even pass the initial sniff test…
Can Am’s were not designed for the young, they were developed for and marketed to the older riders buying trikes and those that were wary of 850 lb 2 wheel cruisers.
As for the possible success of the 3 wheeled “car”, 2 words, Corbin Sparrow
Texases, I didn’t even have a car with AC until '82… and that was the family vehicle. My daily driver, the pickup, never had AC. I didn’t have a daily driver with AC until 1999.
That may be the point where our opinions really diverge. I believe there is a substantial market out there for a basic method or transportation free of all the bells & whistles… and their associated costs.
@mountainbike Au contraire! Time and again there have been “strippers” introduced into the market and although cheap to buy, these vehicles have not enjoyed good trade-in value and second hand car buyers are not even looking for those models.
Each generation wants a minimum of equipment. When I was young you needed Automatic and power steering. Now, air conditioning, cruise, power windows, is a must nearly everywhere.
Even the Tata Nano, the $3000+ car from India is not selling well in its basic form.
Our last “basic” car was my wife’s 1994 Nissan Sentra LE and it had automatic, stereo, cruise, deluxe trim and not much else. It would have been a “loaded car” for the 50s, with power steering, power brakes, reclining seats, variable speed wipers/washers, cruise, adjustable and telescoping steering column, and so on.
Whenever US consumers have a choice between a very basic new car or a well equipped 2-3 year old used car, the used car wins.
Understand that I’m not predicting success for the vehicle, only hoping for it. I’d like to see a basic vehicle that commuters can use to get to work that are affordable. I sure could have used one when I was working. I still think there’s a market there.
I guess time will tell.
Uh-oh - a HUGE alarm just went off: because it’s not a car, this thing will have about ZERO POLLUTION CONTROLS! The Elio is an ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER!
edit: Here’s what Elio site says:
“Although we will be registered as a motorcycle, it is our goal to pass both the motorcycle and automobile standards for emissions- even thought our vehicles will not be subject to this requirement. As of right now we will not have to go through a formal emissions process… but this might change and if it does your vehicle will pass with flying colors!”
Not zero, @texases, motorcycle. For some bikes, that means catalytic convertors and fuel injection. Bike standards are pretty strict these days as are those for stationary motors, forklifts and airport tugs. Nobody gets away with soot-belching, fire-spitters these days unless they are vintage cars or illegal.
