Elio Motors, The Next Big Thing?!!...

[visionary]

I hear you Frank. So to paraphrase - no serious development means it must be a scam, right?
But do you think there was a way?, I mean "if he really wanted" ?

[Frank Lee]

Yes, if he really wanted to build trikes instead of scam people he could have.

He had more than enough product interest... at the time. Just like Aptera.

He didn't have to go "all in" on a huge manufacturing facility and so many special tooled components i.e. a proprietary engine before getting things going; Slingshot uses GM sourced engines and, well, just about all other commercially available trikes do. Like Vanderhall https://vanderhallusa.com/ They are a real, going concern with real, available, affordable product. How did they do it? They weren't big shots with bottomless pockets. P.S. And endless fund-raising and endless excuses for not delivering.

Or Tesla. They had Lotus build their first model to their specifications. Low overhead while learning the ropes and building momentum.

There still is a way but I think now it'll have to wait for higher gas prices and also it might need a new name to help wash away the horrible taste of "Elio".

[ME_Andy]

Clearly people here are still fascinated by the Elio concept, even if it's become 90% negative. Elio def f'ed up paying himself a $200k+ salary. However, I would argue he spent too much time in development, seeking perfection.

[Frank Lee]

"Seeking perfection" BAH. Same line Aptera used. Both of them let the interested crowd do half of their "development work" for free too.

[ME_Andy]

Yes Frank. We have heard your opinion.

[Frank Lee]

OK I have a question: How much more perfect is the latest iteration vs an early one? Did the early one have any "deal killer" flaws or was it good enough to produce and incorporate any diddly-fiddly nits and improvements for later models?

[freebeard]

The 'early one' already compromised the styling of the original design.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

YHe didn't have to go "all in" on a huge manufacturing facility and so many special tooled components i.e. a proprietary engine before getting things going; Slingshot uses GM sourced engines and, well, just about all other commercially available trikes do. Like Vanderhall https://vanderhallusa.com/ They are a real, going concern with real, available, affordable product. How did they do it? They weren't big shots with bottomless pockets. P.S. And endless fund-raising and endless excuses for not delivering.

Or Tesla. They had Lotus build their first model to their specifications. Low overhead while learning the ropes and building momentum.

I guesstimate it's easier to make a spark-ignited EPA-compliant engine than earning NHTSA and DOT certification for a car bodyshell, and eventually the development cost of an engine supplied from a third party could be paid off quicker due to the economics of scale from its usage in other vehicles and eventually other applications such as gensets, outboard motors, whatever. Had Elio partnered with some random Chinese make of copies of Suzuki, Toyota or Mitsubishi engines since day one, and there are plenty of them to choose from, it would have led to a quicker start, and I bet there would be many Chinese manufacturers willing to set their foothold in the U.S. even if that was only as an engine supplier.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Yes, if he really wanted to build trikes instead of scam people he could have.

He had more than enough product interest... at the time. Just like Aptera.

He didn't have to go "all in" on a huge manufacturing facility and so many special tooled components i.e. a proprietary engine before getting things going; Slingshot uses GM sourced engines and, well, just about all other commercially available trikes do. Like Vanderhall https://vanderhallusa.com/ They are a real, going concern with real, available, affordable product. How did they do it? They weren't big shots with bottomless pockets. P.S. And endless fund-raising and endless excuses for not delivering.

Or Tesla. They had Lotus build their first model to their specifications. Low overhead while learning the ropes and building momentum.

There still is a way but I think now it'll have to wait for higher gas prices and also it might need a new name to help wash away the horrible taste of "Elio".

I think the biggest shame is he sucked up all the oxygen in the room. There were better possibilities of something real happening and this took investments away from them. Then the failure makes it even worse, now it's that much harder for the next guy like you said, to get the taste of Elio out of everyone's mouth.

I think in today's world the "it's hard to start something in an established industry" is a bit of a cop out. It's hard but it's never been easier and faster to do it then now. You can't constrain yourself with too many must haves. Made in the USA, 84 mpg, less than 1/2 the cost of the average new small car, full car safety and features. I bet he ended up no better cost and MPG than a new Mirage and just lost a few seats. Heck he might have been pushing 50% more cost than the basic Mirage on sale. Just dropping a wheel may save 25% in wheels and tires but where else are the savings? Mitsubishi probably loses money on the basic Mirage but it gets people on the lots to sell other things.

Honda is probably best suited to make something like this. They could sell it at both the motorcycle dealers and the car dealers using off the shelf motorcycle and car parts they already have. Still no way it comes in under $10,000 but at least it would be reliable. The 1000cc African Twin is over $13,000, but it should be under the $17,000 Honda Fit. Actually after typing that I don't see how it could really "fit" in their line. More than a mid pack motorcycle but less than the least expensive car is a narrow gap at Honda.

[BLSTIC]

Honda *could* use the Gen1 Insight 3-cyl engine with a bespoke flywheel, it already functions perfectly in a lightweight aero 12v non-hybrid format...