The Importance Of A Clear Direction

[Jeff Miller]

Here's the funny thing, those that have the money and reserved more than 1 ELIO may not really care about it's real purpose, rather they can't wait to get their hands on it to add to their toys, to be the first in the block, to get attention, to have one of a kind transportation that they can add as much opulent touches, to have the baddest engine, to be the fastest, etc. Did I miss anything? Which group do you really belong? Now the have nots who really just want a cheap means of transportation are getting mad because with all these requests of add this and add that to the base ELIO, by the time it's available for them, it may not be within their budget! And there's no stopping the wealthy, after all, this is America right? Will I be surprise that some rich idiot try to slap 3 huge tires and big engine to it to imitate Slingshot? How about wings? A 4th wheel? The soul of an ELIO has already been bought and sold, the sad part is, the TARGET to the finish line is dictated by who else, the wealthy investors who can make it happen, who wants the most return for their money, who then wants to increase the base price!!! This is not about PE anymore, he does not have the money, he does however have the power to switch this whole project off if the deal is not on his terms! This is my reflection of the future of ELIO and again, this is just my opinion.

Hmm... I'm not really sure if this is sarcasm or an argument that EM should change course to satisfy customers other than the budget/economy minded that EM is currently focused on.

I think the elio is simply what it is and that because EM has been consistent in what it wants the elio to be that it will not suffer the fate of the Fiero. As a budget/economy/and car the elio has a huge potential number of buyers which is likely seriously more than if they were to get into competition with things like the slingshot. The elio as it sits today may not generate as much profit as something like a slingshot but they will make it up in volume. Better to go for lots of base hits than always swinging for home runs.

 

[Hotscoots]

I think the Fiero had more in common with the popular Hoverboard than with the Elio ...

 

[skygazer6033]

I don't think a high performance Elio is a good idea at least at first. A startup with limited funds going toe to toe with the likes of Can Am and Polaris is not going to turn out well.

 

[floydv]

I think the Fiero had more in common with the popular Hoverboard than with the Elio ...




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Oh come on! You can't compare the Elio with a hover board. The Elio has an extra wheel!

 

[Ekh]

I think Elio has no choice but to position and market this vehicle as a safe, reliable, simple, and affordable 3-wheeled vehicle replacement for VMT (vehicle miles traveled) that would otherwise be made by a person's other, more gas guzzling vehicle(s). In other words, EM is exactly where it needs to be. If the Elio were substantially more expensive ($10,000+), it would then be competing against compact econoboxes that are only a couple years old. If it were fitted with a high performance, high HP engine, it would be viewed as a rich person's weekend toy (no doubt the high performance engine would raise prices substantially). If it had all the latest doodads and electronics, it would be viewed less as a vehicle for the masses.

As for the claim that most of the interested potential buyers are older and wealthier than the target audience, I have seen no robust data to confirm that, only a non-scientific survey filled by those of us who are already predisposed to watching this forum. I have only seen the average buy in of less than $500, and no stats on the median buy-in, which would give more info on the distribution of the buy-ins. In any case, I don't have an issue with first adopters being wealthier than the ultimate target audience. After all, that's a standard model of new technology/device rollouts. Even electric vehicles are coming down to prices that are reachable by more people, where just a few years ago they were almost exclusively targeted for the wealthy.

I sort of agree with this and sort of don't. Elio themselves have said that the reservation holders are demographically wealthier and older than the target market. I don't see that as any sort of real problem so long as Elio isn't deluding themselves one way or another -- that is, if the market turns out only to be well-heeled geezers, they are sunk -- and if the actual market is really what Elio says it is, and they start playing to the reservation holders too much, they are likewise going to go off course.

This has to pose a problem for EM. They DO want reservation holders engaged, simply because we are their best marketing tool. But they can't let us drive the development priorities because we are the fringe and not the core of the business. It's a dilemma.

If we back up a bit and keep thinking (as Paul Elio does) in terms of the project, and not the car, it gets easier to stay on track. The project is to provide a transportation solution that is green, affordable, and which creates American jobs.

My concern for EM's long term viability, and this is acknowledged in the stock prospectus, is that alternative technologies and low-priced alternative vehicles (such as Toyota's Atkinson cycle engine) pose a competitive risk.

Fuel cell vehicles and far cheaper battery systems may also breed competitors for Elio. Whether they can get profitable enough to endure for 10-15 years while adopting new technologies into advanced Elios remains to be seen. But the basis project goals should drive them to keep going.

Of course, if we wise up and stop expecting individual vehicles to clog city streets and opt for efficient mass transit or on-call Uber-style self driving vehicles, Elio faces a very tough way to go. as do we all.

 

[3wheelin]

Hmm... I'm not really sure if this is sarcasm or an argument that EM should change course to satisfy customers other than the budget/economy minded that EM is currently focused on.

I think the elio is simply what it is and that because EM has been consistent in what it wants the elio to be that it will not suffer the fate of the Fiero. As a budget/economy/and car the elio has a huge potential number of buyers which is likely seriously more than if they were to get into competition with things like the slingshot. The elio as it sits today may not generate as much profit as something like a slingshot but they will make it up in volume. Better to go for lots of base hits than always swinging for home runs.

I apologize Jeff- no sarcasm there, just the way I see it from reading posts and what they want to do with their ELIO after delivery. Obviously the majority of reservist in here are well off and won't mind spending more to soaped up their new toy. I do agree with you that how you see it will cater to a broad range of potential customer if it can be more sporty or if were to offer a more potent motor/turbo.

 

[3wheelin]

I don't think a high performance Elio is a good idea at least at first. A startup with limited funds going toe to toe with the likes of Can Am and Polaris is not going to turn out well.

I agree. The way to go if possible is for EM to stay true w/ their goals and keep the price as close to their $6,800 target, produce the reservist batch first and that will test the market if demands are true to what they projected.

 

[floydv]

I agree. The way to go if possible is for EM to stay true w/ their goals and keep the price as close to their $6,800 target, produce the reservist batch first and that will test the market if demands are true to what they projected.

Just remember, when you go to pick up your Elio, don't do so flying your private jet or go to the retail center in a limousine. And for Pete's sake, leave the little girls who sprinkle rose petals ahead of you at home!

 

[imageon]

I don't go anywhere without my rose petal girls
MK

 

[floydv]

I don't go anywhere without my rose peddle girls
MK

Well, if you bring them, you'll only be able to take one back home with you in the Elio. You'll have to fly the rest of them home in first class. But of course!