Prototypes And Engineering Vehicle Assembly

[KD]

Since I have just found out about EM about a month ago, forgive me if this has already been addressed. I have been going through all the topics, but...

I had been under the assumption that P5 and the Engineering test vehicles were going to be assembled in Shreveport. But I see they are being done in Detroit. Are they being built by a company outside of EM? A contractor that specializes in low number custom builds with an eye towards mass production?

If so, how does this get transferred to Shreveport for the real deal? I come out of the aviation industry, where most everything is done in place, from the git go. For the most part anyway!

I am curious how this works in real time. Do they have mockup type things going on already in Shreveport to at least get the line "roughed in"?

Thanks...KD

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Elio isn't going to build the Elio, they have contracted with Comau to build it in the Shreveport plant.

There is nothing going on in Shreveport right now. It's an empty factory except for what was left behind by GM that hasn't been sold yet by Comau. Nothing else will happen there until after Elio has secured the funding they need.

A third party is building the first P5. The name was mentioned at one point, they are a custom fabrication house. It is unclear who will build the rest of the P5's and when that will begin.

 

[KD]

Elio isn't going to build the Elio, they have contracted with Comau to build it in the Shreveport plant.

There is nothing going on in Shreveport right now. It's an empty factory except for what was left behind by GM that hasn't been sold yet by Comau. Nothing else will happen there until after Elio has secured the funding they need.

A third party is building the first P5. The name was mentioned at one point, they are a custom fabrication house. It is unclear who will build the rest of the P5's and when that will begin.

Ah, I recall seeing the Comau name, but didn't put it together.

As I recall reading in the past, now that you brought it to my attention, none of the auto/truck manufacturers actually own or run the tooling to assemble any of their vehicles. That part makes sense now.

With the big guys, with all their years of working with the likes of Comau, I can see how their transitions from one model year to the next are "easier" after all these years.

I am still perplexed as to how EM will make that transition from basically 1 offs to Shreveport production. In a short period of time, once they were to get the go-ahead, I cannot fathom how they get to 500+ vehicles, per shift, in 90 days. There are a lot of logistics (suppliers) to get up to speed in place well ahead of time.

After all this, damn straight I want my Sour Apple model!

 

[BADBOY]

Ah, I recall seeing the Comau name, but didn't put it together.

As I recall reading in the past, now that you brought it to my attention, none of the auto/truck manufacturers actually own or run the tooling to assemble any of their vehicles. That part makes sense now.

With the big guys, with all their years of working with the likes of Comau, I can see how their transitions from one model year to the next are "easier" after all these years.

I am still perplexed as to how EM will make that transition from basically 1 offs to Shreveport production. In a short period of time, once they were to get the go-ahead, I cannot fathom how they get to 500+ vehicles, per shift, in 90 days. There are a lot of logistics (suppliers) to get up to speed in place well ahead of time.

After all this, damn straight I want my Sour Apple model!

well they got two years to figure it out

 

[KD]

well they got two years to figure it out

I figured as much. Gotta give my '98 GMC more loving than I wanted! Be up to ~260k by then.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

As I recall reading in the past, now that you brought it to my attention, none of the auto/truck manufacturers actually own or run the tooling to assemble any of their vehicles. That part makes sense now.

I don't think that's true. GM owned all the equipment in Shreveport, but left it behind in the bankruptcy. Elio signed a deal to lease the factory and buy all the equipment. Then hired Comau to sell all the unneeded equipment and built and run the assembly line.

I am still perplexed as to how EM will make that transition from basically 1 offs to Shreveport production. In a short period of time, once they were to get the go-ahead, I cannot fathom how they get to 500+ vehicles, per shift, in 90 days.

They'll make it, but nowhere nearly as quickly as they say they will. I think I've used the words "sheer fantasy" more than once.
Discussed somewhat in this thread: http://www.elioowners.com/threads/trailer.6483/#post-114667

 

[Sethodine]

From the (currently being discussed in another thread) SEC Re-filing document:

We plan to use Technosports Creative, a Livonia, Michigan-based prototype maker, to build 25 Elio prototypes and certain other manufactured parts used in the engineering and safety testing process. Technosports will build prototypes using a combination of fabricated and soft-tooled and off-the-shelf components provided by the Elio suppliers....Once the components are available, the actual vehicle builds will likely take four to six weeks. The vehicles will be built on a pilot manufacturing line to simulate the production build.

 

[Ty]

Ah, I recall seeing the Comau name, but didn't put it together.

As I recall reading in the past, now that you brought it to my attention, none of the auto/truck manufacturers actually own or run the tooling to assemble any of their vehicles. That part makes sense now.

With the big guys, with all their years of working with the likes of Comau, I can see how their transitions from one model year to the next are "easier" after all these years.

I am still perplexed as to how EM will make that transition from basically 1 offs to Shreveport production. In a short period of time, once they were to get the go-ahead, I cannot fathom how they get to 500+ vehicles, per shift, in 90 days. There are a lot of logistics (suppliers) to get up to speed in place well ahead of time.

After all this, damn straight I want my Sour Apple model!

Ford does it the same way... they build a one-off and then move to production. They'll figure it out. Actually, Comau Will figure it out at first and then Elio Will take over production.