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

[NeilBlanchard]

From the exhaust note, does it sound like it is fairly high compression? Obviously, not a high reving engine, so I am thinking longer stroke?

Elio has also done some crash testing:

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015...0307-elio.html

[niky]

Originally Posted by Christopher Jordan

I saw a very similar 3-wheel enclosed 2-seat vehicle on Facebook yesterday; I can just hear the minds whirling at Alibaba

Alibaba... the Number One internet resource for EV and auto start-ups looking to make a quick buck!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Alibaba already has many 3-wheelers which could eventually have been federalized before Elio hits the market.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Elio introduces 0.9-liter, three-cylinder engine for 84-mpg trike

[Xist]

I tried to read that article, but after it scrolled back to the top for seriously about the fifteenth time, when I never had a chance to find where I was interrupted because it scrolled back immediately, I ragequit.

Aren't there "legal" issues around this design? I remember classifying a trike as a car. Were there others?

I just wondered, if someone could argue that a specific trike could do everything a police motorcycle could do, plus other things, while being safer and saving money, there might be more momentum to change relevant laws.

[Grant-53]

Most states in the US will classify a trike as a motorcycle even if enclosed since historically most trikes have been motorcycles with two rear wheels. Helmet laws apply where in force. At some point a car has to pass federal rollover standards which means that the roof has to support three times the vehicle static weight. A streamlined kit car with a 3 cyl. diesel engine can get better than 90 mpg with more comfortable seating.

[Randy]

Interesting dyno run. I didn't expect the coil-per-plug setup: the other pictures have a pretty big space and a hole through the head at the end of the cam, which looks a lot like a distributor takeoff.

One possibility is to take the animation they put out a while back literally. It shows two thin cam lobes per intake valve, and a cam-phaser-sized can opposite the chain. Perhaps it's variable cam after all? It would be a very complex camshaft, with another shaft inside and pressed-on parts, but I guess it could work. Maybe I've been too quick to judge this engine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkZS1YWPpIE

[Christopher Jordan]

The ultimate regulation "Energizer Rabbit":
New Rules For Three-Wheeled Vehicles Proposed - Gas 2

[mikesheiman]

Perhaps this has been mentioned before (this is one huge thread), but I really wonder about the aerodynamics about this thing. The lack of streamlining on the wheel fairings and flat rear end really makes me think this could easily get well over 100mpg with some basic ecomodding.

I also really wonder what, beside the engine, really is going to make this unique vis-a-vis Chinese imitation trikes...especially considering there's nothing exceptional/patentable/worth-patenting in my mind about the shape.

It really reminds me a lot of this modified Metro concerning features, efficiency, and overall aerodynamics (cdA).

I agree with many here that I have my doubts it will reach production, especially considering how many times the release date has been pushed back: it's a good basic idea (cut the surface/drag area on a car in half) with IMO a clumsy execution so far.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by mikesheiman

Perhaps this has been mentioned before (this is one huge thread), but I really wonder about the aerodynamics about this thing. The lack of streamlining on the wheel fairings and flat rear end really makes me think this could easily get well over 100mpg with some basic ecomodding.

I also really wonder what, beside the engine, really is going to make this unique vis-a-vis Chinese imitation trikes...especially considering there's nothing exceptional/patentable/worth-patenting in my mind about the shape.

It really reminds me a lot of this modified Metro concerning features, efficiency, and overall aerodynamics (cdA).

I agree with many here that I have my doubts it will reach production, especially considering how many times the release date has been pushed back: it's a good basic idea (cut the surface/drag area on a car in half) with IMO a clumsy execution so far.

Cd isn't great, but the thing is the surface area. The CDA is great being so small.

And stop complaining! If they made it perfect, what would we get to do to 'em?!