Isn't Elio the company that emerged out of a government prize for building a efficient vehicle? I thought the whole goal was to make money by building something cheap so that it doesn't cut into the prize money profits?
Elio cars will never be a thing. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think these "inventors" are so much interested in developing compelling technology so much as making a profit.
EDIT: I was thinking of Edison2. For some reason I thought they were the same vehicle, but the Edison2 has 4 wheels.