Elio tour
 

I went and sat in/ looked over the third elio made today!

Pics to follow but its a sweet looking car, the people doing the demo were very easy to talk with and new their product well but were very able to handle both my hypermileing questions and my brothers performance questions :)

The car was very comfortable even though the demo was hand built using most of a geo metro (dash, wheel, manual shifter, engine, window , etc).

The inside had enough room for both me and my brother to comfortable sit inside at the same time. The storage area is small but as a commuter car it looks great!

They said that it works well in slush and snow up to about 4". Over that and its not so good.

The hand built prototype was I interesting and they seem on track to make 25 test cars (I asked but I can't get one unless I want to pay several hundred thousand for a hand built one) to test production and to do EPA testing and crash tests.

Overall I liked the car and will be interested to get my hands on one or more next year!

Crash test? Wasn't it exempt since it's a 3-wheeler?

While it's exempt, they're still trying to have it be considered as much of a car as possible. This would obviously mean EPA and crash test ratings. Since you can't compete with cars in many people's eyes if you don't have tests to compare. I'm mostly looking forward to them changing laws regarding three wheeled cyclecars so that they can be driven with a regular license (rather than a motorcycle license) and also not require helmets.

It already happens in Uruguay, where I have seen a few cycle-trucks with an enclosed cab. The ones with a car-like interior are driven with a regular license, and actually can't be driven with a motorcycle license, while there are still some with a motorcycle-like handlebar for those who have a motorcycle license. Both use motorcycle-sized license plates, but the ones with car-like controls are registered as a car and the taxes are a little more expensive for them. And no helmet required, but seatbelts are mandatory.

Many states are calling it a car-cycle and not requiring a cycle license or a helmet. Elio web page as a listing of states and its like 35 that have exempted it!

Can you provide a source for that? I can't seem to find it. In searching I was only able to find this article linking to their state map for helmet laws, and mentioning that they're working on changing licensing laws.

That's what I was told today, I had seen it in print at one point, but I'll have to look for it again.

As I have my motorcycle license its not A huge concern but to make the car my marketable it needs to be able to be used for regular licenses. I doubt if you drove one that it would be all that different then a car. Same controls and not leaning like on a bike so why not classify it as a car?

If for some weird reason you live in one of the few states that would require you to have a motorcycle license to drive it, then get one! you get to take the test with your motorcycle... or in your 3 wheeled car.

As far as a helmet goes, there are 19 states that even require a helmet while on a regular motorcycle, my state, Wisconsin doesn't require a helmet but only eye protection.

This is definitely a car that will change the industry. I can imagine 100+mpg from that with very little modification. Question is, what modifications haven't already been designed into it? Is there much room for improvement?

There are lots of room for improvement mostly in driving style. Also an all electric version would be doable !

The EPA 84 mpg is without hypermileing. The people there i talked with said they can get that much normal driving. After showing them a pic of my car and explaining how I drive they were very sure I could get over 100 and 120 mpg was not a bad goal.