Quote:
Originally Posted by cbaber
Going from a geo metro powered prototype to full production in a year? Forgive me if I am skeptical. Think about all the issues that will come up in a new chassis and engine design, as well as the testing and quality control they will have to complete before it's even ready for production. Even if it's ready by 2015, they are going to have a hard time selling them in the volume they need to keep that low price tag.
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Not to mention the extra troubles they'll face if the auto industry perceives this vehicle as a threat to the current status quo of a 15-million-unit-a-year auto market that provides an average $25K solution to our transportation needs.
All of a sudden, financing will be a problem, regulatory certification will be a problem, a distribution network will be a problem, and they'll suddenly get a bunch of expert critiques from the main-stream auto press giving them all kinds of grief about quality, safety, warranty work, etc (look what happen to Mahindra's pickup truck). It's not as if all of these issues won't be challenges even without the auto industry trying to interrupt every attempt they make. Forget about Big Oil; there won't be a problem with those guys. It's the auto industry, and their ability to weed out all prospective newcomers, save Tesla, that is the real barrier beyond the natural barriers to market. The oligopoly has many ways to stop threats. Lets hope Elios can stay low key and stay classified as a motorcycle, but the auto industry might have something to say about it, if they feel production might in fact actually happen and that people might think there is a better, cheaper way to get around in all four seasons.