Elio Motors 84 MPG. now that's some good gas mileage!

G

Gillvane

Veteran
http://eliogenuine.eliomotors.com/?...rce=quantcast&utm_content=us-la-al-u1-ba-s300

I think it looks like a pretty cool vehicle and the gas mileage is certainly attractive. There's not much cargo space but I've ridden motorcycles before and adjusted to the lack of a lot of cargo space. It's probably fun to drive because it has good acceleration and it's low to the ground.

They claim they are going to get a 5 star safety rating in the US which is the top rating. I wonder if it will be successful?

20K orders so far but they have to get approval and actually manufacturer that many vehicles.
 
Heard about this a while ago... just waiting to see how it all pans out. In Arizona, 3 wheeled vehicles are considered motorcycles, meaning you'd have to pass a motorcycle test.

"Only thing is, they can’t pass the field portion of that test in an Elio, which he said has the same front wheelbase as a Ford Taurus." - via http://azstarnet.com/business/local...cle_bd1ae792-f446-57bd-93a2-97fb99a7ec71.html

So I'm really interested... $6800 for a commuting vehicle seems pretty good to me.
 
awelgraven said:
Heard about this a while ago... just waiting to see how it all pans out. In Arizona, 3 wheeled vehicles are considered motorcycles, meaning you'd have to pass a motorcycle test.

"Only thing is, they can’t pass the field portion of that test in an Elio, which he said has the same front wheelbase as a Ford Taurus." - via http://azstarnet.com/business/local...cle_bd1ae792-f446-57bd-93a2-97fb99a7ec71.html

So I'm really interested... $6800 for a commuting vehicle seems pretty good to me.
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I hope they can work out any conundrums like this regulation. It's a great price for getting around without getting wet or getting to cold. I have ridden a motorcycle in most weather, but sometimes you just have to call it quits when it's raining to hard or it's to cold. Obviously this wouldn't work for really cold snowy climates where everyone drives a 4 wheel drive.
 
3 wheel = motorcycle = hello HOV lanes!

if there's room for a Great Dane (in tandem), there's room enough for a small shoot kit
 
This thing looks fun to drive and a lot cooler than a Smart car. Interesting way to go about marketing. Being made in the US is a big plus. Hundreds of factories are sitting dormant, just waiting for companies like this to take over and revive the US manufacturing base.
 
I'm very skeptical about this being safe compared to a regular 4 door. 0-60 in 9.6 seconds is pretty slow. I'm all for good gas mileage but I won't sacrifice safety.
 
egproductions said:
I'm very skeptical about this being safe compared to a regular 4 door. 0-60 in 9.6 seconds is pretty slow. I'm all for good gas mileage but I won't sacrifice safety.
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5 star safety rating, roll cage, 3 air bags (it only goes to 5 stars). I for one would take "slow" acceleration for 84 mpg. Not going to get into a political discussion of course, but just take a look at recent news and you can see that gas is going to go up, not down.
 
Gillvane said:
5 star safety rating, roll cage, 3 air bags (it only goes to 5 stars). I for one would take "slow" acceleration for 84 mpg. Not going to get into a political discussion of course, but just take a look at recent news and you can see that gas is going to go up, not down.
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They claim it is "engineered for a 5 star crash test safety rating", not that it has received it.

While we are on the subject… An example of testing… Vehicles are crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 mph, which is the equivalent to a head on collision between two "similar" vehicles each moving at 35mph.

So since the Elio only weighs 1200 pounds, it would be crash rated based on a collision with another 1200 pound vehicle. Here is the scary fact… The average car in America weighs 4000 pounds!!!
 
David W. Jones said:
They claim it is "engineered for a 5 star crash test safety rating", not that it has received it.

While we are on the subject… An example of testing… Vehicles are crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 mph, which is the equivalent to a head on collision between two "similar" vehicles each moving at 35mph.

So since the Elio only weighs 1200 pounds, it would be crash rated based on a collision with another 1200 pound vehicle. Here is the scary fact… The average car in America weighs 4000 pounds!!!
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Yeah, this. My understanding is the 5-star is a rating within the vehicle's class.

You get hit by an actual sedan, let alone a Suburban, guess who wins the physics fight?

Still - if some people want it, go for it. I prefer the Tesla route and I hope Musk can make his affordable EV car sooner rather than later to get everyone making them. The Model S seems to have been wildly successful. I'd love to produce my own fuel with solar or whatever or use free quick charging stations like Tesla is building.
 
Though this vehicle looks like it would be fun, I think I agree with the view it's a Can-Am with a roof or the one we often see that's made up here the T-Rex. Canada has recently opened up its regulations to allow more three wheeled vehicle development due to pressure and the high cost of gas. As a big person I have always leaned towards larger vehicles, always seem to be lugging gear here or there or picking up a beer fridge or something. It was a big move for me to part with my Grand Cheroke and trailer hitch to move to a European wagon. But last year I really took a leap .I have been driving a Smart Car for two years now, getting the what would be close to 40mpg in American terms. The three cylinder Mercedes diesel is certainly not quick off the line but super reliable. I load my EFP camera bag, PMW300 full size case and Gitzo/Sachtler sticks combo. I still have my passenger seat free. Up here gas prices are now at $1.57 per liter or $5.93 per US gallon so my Passat Wagon (V6) is out of the question for most of the time. When I bought the Smart I was spending $120 a week on gas and that went down to less than $20. most weeks. Now this is not to say that it is the ideal production vehicle, it is not. I would love to own a Sprinter van and be able to still clear a profit but it's not gonna happen until oil goes down or politics change. But now that I drive a small car I can't help but notice how many people are alone in their SUVs or large vehicles and it just seems a waste of energy.
 
David W. Jones said:
They claim it is "engineered for a 5 star crash test safety rating", not that it has received it.

While we are on the subject… An example of testing… Vehicles are crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 mph, which is the equivalent to a head on collision between two "similar" vehicles each moving at 35mph.

So since the Elio only weighs 1200 pounds, it would be crash rated based on a collision with another 1200 pound vehicle. Here is the scary fact… The average car in America weighs 4000 pounds!!!
Click to expand...

David, one small correction to your point. A vehicle crashing into a fixed barrier at 35mph would be the equivalent of two equally weighted vehicles crashing into each other, each going at only 17.5 mph. It doesn't take much to cause a a catastrophe and as you said, the smaller the car the less meaningful the saftey rating becomes in the real world. Drive safe and responsibly people.
 
5-Star Safety Ratings Test Procedures

13. How does NHTSA perform the frontal crash test?
Crash test dummies representing an average-sized adult male and a small-sized adult female are placed in the driver and front passenger seats, respectively, and are secured with seat belts. Vehicles are crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 miles per hour (mph), which is equivalent to a head-on collision between two similar vehicles each moving at 35 mph.
 
egproductions said:
A vehicle crashing into a fixed barrier at 35mph would be the equivalent of two equally weighted vehicles crashing into each other, each going at only 17.5 mph.
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Understandable mistake, but your physics are off. Equal masses in opposite vectors effectively cancel one another out (Momentum = mass * velocity, P=mv). Example would be a simple elastic collision, wiki that for a thorough explanation. If one mass is much larger with negligible velocity, its effect on the second mass are about the same as an equal mass with equal velocity. If mass1 is much larger with equal velocity, as hinted before, yep, it'll obliterate the everloving crap out of mass2.

That said, I'd drive the wheels off this thing given the chance.
 
David W. Jones said:
They claim it is "engineered for a 5 star crash test safety rating", not that it has received it.

While we are on the subject… An example of testing… Vehicles are crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 mph, which is the equivalent to a head on collision between two "similar" vehicles each moving at 35mph.

So since the Elio only weighs 1200 pounds, it would be crash rated based on a collision with another 1200 pound vehicle. Here is the scary fact… The average car in America weighs 4000 pounds!!!
Click to expand...

I used to drive a motorcycle every day and the Elio certainly isn't less safe than a motorcycle, so this really isn't a concern for me. But I can see how other people might base their decisions on this.
 
I was hit by an elderly woman years back and dragged for 7 blocks until they could get her to stop. I have asphalt scars that nobody would wish for. Sometimes it doesn't matter how safe you are, it matters how safe the other person is.
 
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