10-09-2014, 07:16 AM
|
#651 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Syracuse, NY USA
Posts: 2,935
Thanks: 326
Thanked 1,315 Times in 968 Posts
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
Until it snows.
|
Can't drive the Elio in the snow either. The single rear wheel will be plowing through the slush between the two clean tracks. He should have learned from Aptera which was killed because it lacked the forth wheel.
|
|
|
Today
|
|
|
Other popular topics in this forum...
|
|
|
10-09-2014, 01:59 PM
|
#652 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,907
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,950 Times in 1,844 Posts
|
The Aptera failed because of several reasons - mainly incompetent leadership and a totally unnecessary redesign to get full roll down windows. It gained a LOT of weight, and the changed Cg was the last straw.
|
|
|
10-09-2014, 02:44 PM
|
#653 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA.
Posts: 871
White Whale - '03 Chrysler Town & Country mini van all white
Thanks: 69
Thanked 44 Times in 39 Posts
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
The Aptera failed because of several reasons - mainly incompetent leadership .
|
The Green Vehicles fiasco in Salinas began when Salinas promised a 3-wheel Triac factory. Salinas loaned Green Vehicles $100,000.00 and welcomed them into a former Firestone Tire warehouse. The one and only Triac drove to Santa Cruz, and yes- well done. Then in a few weeks that car, the owner/builder vanished, Firestone building remained empty. Something hit the fan.
China is building the Triac now I think. We are in luck! Alibaba has them and is doing business with the U.S.! ( however- no one in or near Salinas would feel very safe in a Triac. There may be a bounty on those things )
I bet they might have an Elio in future years .
|
|
|
The Following User Says Thank You to Christopher Jordan For This Useful Post:
|
|
10-09-2014, 02:57 PM
|
#654 (permalink)
|
EcoModding Apprentice
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA USA
Posts: 142
Thanks: 6
Thanked 53 Times in 31 Posts
|
Isn't there a saying about if something seems too good to be true, that might actually be the case?
Excelsior-Henderson (Hanlon) was well capitalized and built a new state of the art plant and still went bust and they actually made close to a couple thousand vehicles
Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elio doesn't seem anywhere close to the level of "legitimate business" E-H was.
|
|
|
10-09-2014, 05:29 PM
|
#655 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 28,544
Thanks: 8,086
Thanked 8,878 Times in 7,327 Posts
|
Now, that right there is funny.
|
|
|
10-10-2014, 01:13 AM
|
#656 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Elmira, NY
Posts: 1,789
Thanks: 320
Thanked 357 Times in 298 Posts
|
Sendler and I are used to snow around the Great Lakes. It's a matter of tires and ground clearance for traction and control. The wind chill is the limiting factor right now hence the body work and heater. A liquid cooled engine has an advantage by allowing for a heater core. It worked on the riding snow blowers.
|
|
|
10-12-2014, 10:21 AM
|
#657 (permalink)
|
EcoModding Apprentice
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Greater Milwaukee area, Wisconsin
Posts: 157
Thanks: 46
Thanked 30 Times in 23 Posts
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by diesel_john
There may be ATV drive trains big enough to power the Elio. Both gas and diesel. And they might not have a conflict of interest.
|
Do ATVs/UTVs face any restrictions regarding emissions? I also certainly doubt any of those engines are even remotely efficient.
|
|
|
10-20-2014, 05:58 PM
|
#658 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,907
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,950 Times in 1,844 Posts
|
|
|
|
The Following User Says Thank You to NeilBlanchard For This Useful Post:
|
|
10-20-2014, 06:53 PM
|
#659 (permalink)
|
home of the odd vehicles
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere in WI
Posts: 3,891
Thanks: 506
Thanked 867 Times in 654 Posts
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by sendler
Can't drive the Elio in the snow either. The single rear wheel will be plowing through the slush between the two clean tracks. He should have learned from Aptera which was killed because it lacked the forth wheel.
|
Lets be frank, Aptera committed suicide the 4th wheel would have done nothing given the silliness in that rollout.
Next "can't" is a strong word, many people won't drive in slush but can't would indicate some other transportation means I have used in the past could not do so and clearly could, albeat likely not at the level of awesomeness some might want.
|
|
|
10-20-2014, 08:32 PM
|
#660 (permalink)
|
Master EcoModder
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Syracuse, NY USA
Posts: 2,935
Thanks: 326
Thanked 1,315 Times in 968 Posts
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by rmay635703
"can't".
|
Can't is the correct word when considering taking the Elio on a snowy highway with 65 mph traffic in the slow lane. The single rear wheel will be plowing through the slush between the tracks and hunting back and forth like a constant lane change. It could have been just as aero with a beam axle in the rear and pod fairings. Which would also alleviate the hangup of forcing all of the prospective owners to get motorcycle licenses. But then it would have to be crash tested as a car.
|
|
|
|