Jeff Johnson Interview - Autoline After Hours #347 - 9/16/16

electroken said:

You're really not getting it. I don't doubt the possibility of what you propose. As someone who designs high-reliability control systems for a living, I don't want the COMPLEXITY or expense of what you propose.

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You hit it right on the head.
The more complexity, the more chance for a very expensive major failure

WilliamH said:

Was that the one back in the 50's that you had to use the clutch to get started from a dead stop and after that it sort of shifted on its own?
I think I had the misfortune once when I worked at a gas station after high school.

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No. You just had to use the clutch to select which gear you wanted. Then you pressed the accelerator and it took off. It started in a low gear and you had to let up on the accelerato for it to change to high gear. It actually worked pretty good.

Frim said:

Has anyone ever driven the old Chrysler fluid drive? It sounds like you would appreciate it. It had a clutch that you could use or not.

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It's perfectlyfeasible to shift a standard into all the gears (yes, even first, but it's a miserable thing to do). Just go from whatever gear you're in to neutral, wait for the revs to be about right, then move to the gear you want. You have to play with the gas pedal to do this, but it's not all that hard. Getting into first from a stop is likely to crunch things kind of hard though; and reverse is worse, but it can be done. Used to do it all the time for fun (not first or reverse, that was never fun). But clutches and synchros are just there to coddle the youngsters ....

Me, I'm thinking pretty hard that I'll get the automatic. I'm not 18 any more.

Coss said:

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Sexist, misleading, overstated, and absolutely of its time and place. Thanks for this.

Ekh said:

Sexist, misleading, overstated, and absolutely of its time and place. Thanks for this.

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So went life in the 40's, so much for the "good old days"

Ekh said:

Current SEC filing lists 1350 as the design weight

Johnson said first cars will be manual tranny, automatic later in Year 1. If true that's a bombshell, since 93% of Americans buy automatic when offered the choice
.

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Wonder if that will move you up on the list if you want a stick?

Nothing is in "Concrete" mode yet. Wait and see what the final decision is. They have people to make the final decisions, not us.

Earlier in this thread I indicated I had sent a question to EM concerning production of the automatic transmission (AMT) after hearing the VP's comments on Autoline After Hours. The response came 3 weeks later after my email inquiry. I expected they would eventually get around to a response. The response is a typical polite, short and to the point response like all other inquiries I have made. I like the response and the message is as they have promised. I suppose like all other production questions, the when and what will only be know for sure at time of production. Here is the reply.

Elio Motors Customer Service (Elio Motors)

Oct 21, 18:56 EDT

Thanks for your email.
Our plans regarding available transmissions have not changed- we plan on having both available starting from Day 1.
Thanks again.

Best,
The Elio Team

I am surprised with the comments the VP made (very concerning for many) and emails they must have received, EM did not release a reassuring message in a follow-up email to its readers.

I realize that physical disabilities are a serious issue to some of our Elio fans.
At 72, I'm starting to feel some twinges and other issues.
But I think this can all be summed up as...............
Chicken Little et al. will have to find another issue to wring their hands and beat their breasts over.
The sky is not falling after all.