Friday Blog Is Out

[Ty]

he has old pics of where the driving range was. It cuts across part of his backyard and that's there the golf ball graveyard is at. He calls the ones that show up, zombie golf balls.

LOL... Good name. The best place to be is in the slice area off either the 1st or 10th hole. That's the most likely place to be where you'll find good, fresh, high quality balls. Further along, you get the "Crap, any ball will do with my lousy play today" balls.

 

[Johnny Acree]

original date April 12, 2017

Simple, Yet Important
June 7, 2019



Bringing a revolutionary new vehicle to market can be likened to running a marathon. Both are arduous, long, and ultimately worthwhile endeavors. When running a marathon, the first and last miles may be the most exciting, but every single stride is of equal importance. Crossing the finish line is the culmination of every step and stride along the way. At Elio Motors, it has been our goal to include our supporters along the journey and show them each step and stride we take as we endeavor toward the finish line. Some steps require more unique solutions to challenges, like the engineering of the Elio’s wiper system.

Our unique configuration presents a unique set of challenges. One is the size and shape of the windshield. As the driver is the sole occupant in the front of the vehicle, the windshield is obviously narrower than a traditional vehicle.

In a traditional vehicle, the windshield’s width and height ratio allow for two wipers (or sometimes one large wiper) to work in unison to effectively clear the windshield of precipitation or debris. The Elio, with our front-to-back seating, has a unique windshield that is roughly half the size of a similarly sized car. The approximate measurements of the windshield are 33.25-inch wide at the base and 25.5-inches at the top and 29.75 inches overall height. With this reduction in size, the Elio could not use a traditional two wiper set-up and the challenge was set out for the Engineering team to solve this unique situation.



While having one single wiper can be a challenge, our engineers came up with an articulating system by using a linkage to lift the blade higher in the opposing corner to the pivot point of the wiper blade assembly. A four-bar linkage assembly is the key to providing sufficient coverage with our unique width to height ratio.



Valeo, a well-known name in the automotive industry, is our wiper system supplier. The wiper system has 5 speeds, similar to most vehicles on the road. The wiper blade is approximately 17 inches in length while the wiper arm assembly is approximately 30.5 inches. Additionally, the wiper system has three mounting locations to the vehicle with rubber isolators to eliminate vibration. The total system, which includes the wiper motor assembly, wiper arm assembly, and reservoir weighs only 3.58 lbs. Keeping the Elio lightweight is a pivotal factor in achieving superior fuel economy (hence the change from a single gallon replacement to a half-gallon reservoir) and our engineers are constantly looking for ways to reduce weight without sacrificing quality.

Having completed the engineering of the wiper system allowed us to plan its sequence in the assembly line. The wiper motor assembly and electric components will be part of the “Trim” section completed in Operation 12, the wiper blade assembly will be installed in Operation 13, and the washer bottle will be connected to the nozzle in Operation 14. This saves us time and resources in advance of production.

Each day, we make strides toward our ultimate goal. Producing a game-changing vehicle is a marathon and each and every step is vital to crossing the finish line.

 

[Watashiwah]

 

[Elio Amazed]

View attachment 23531

 

[Johnny Acree]

Original date May 9-2018

Can You Appreciate Depreciation?
June 14, 2019



It can sometimes be difficult to know with absolute certainty that your new purchase is a good deal. For example, a cheap product can offer immediate savings, only to prove costly down the road. The total savings equation is more complex than the initial price: it includes the cost of operation, depreciation, resale value, etc. Today’s Momentum will look at the true proposition value of the Elio.

The Elio’s affordability starts with our ultra-low base price. At a targeted base price of only $7,450* for new reservation holders, our base price is a fraction of the average new car. We will be offering several different financing options to keep monthly payments low for Elio owners. Additionally, as gas prices continue to climb, our impressive gas mileage will accumulate significant savings for Elio Motors drivers at the gas pump.

Further bolstering the Elio’s value proposition is the cost to insure and operating costs. As we are a three-wheeled vehicle, the Elio will likely be insured as a motorcycle. It costs significantly less to insure a motorcycle than an automobile. Additionally, the Elio should be affordable to insure based on our safety package, cost to entirely replace, and the cost of replacement parts. In terms of operating costs versus a used vehicle, the Elio comes standard with a 3-year, 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

One of the often-overlooked aspects of the Elio value proposition is the matter of depreciation. It’s widely acknowledged that the moment a new vehicle leaves a dealer’s lot and hits the open road, the value of the vehicle drops significantly. By at least one estimate, as soon as the vehicle leaves the lot, the vehicle has lost 10% of its value. In its first year, that same vehicle will lose as much as 20% of its value.

According to Kelly Blue Book, the average price of a light vehicle reached $36,270 in January 2018. Based on Carfax’s depreciation rates (which posits that the average new vehicle loses 10% of value after leaving the lot, 20% in the first year, and 60% after five years), let’s look at the lost value of the average new vehicle and the Elio.


Elio Average New Vehicle
Before ownership $7,450 $36,270
After leaving dealer lot $6,705 $32,643
After one year $5,960 $29,016
After five years $2,980 $14,508


Here’s a look at the total depreciation by vehicle, by time:


Elio Average New Vehicle Elio Advantage
Before ownership 0 0 Even
After leaving dealer lot $745 $3,627 $2,882
After one year $1,490 $7,254 $5,764
After five years $4,470 $21,762 $17,292


As you can see, the average new vehicle loses approximately $7,200 in only one year. Essentially, the depreciation of an average vehicle can almost pay for a brand-new Elio in full.

Affordability is one of the main tenets of the Elio Motors project. To offer a vehicle with a true value proposition we keep the base price and operating costs low, gas mileage high, and a favorable depreciation rate.

 

[Ty]

sigh...

 

[Johnny Acree]

They are still alive!!!
Original date September 27 2017
Making It Yours
June 21, 2019



American drivers spend enough time driving each day that their vehicles essentially act as a second residence. Since many Americans spend so much time commuting, the owner should be able to make the vehicle their own. Unfortunately, it’s virtually impossible for drivers to truly customize their own vehicles right off the lot. Currently, the automotive industry limits excessive inventory by offering option packages instead of allowing owners to purchase the individual options they want. We think that the status quo can be changed through a combination of both our ePlus: My Elio, My Way after-sale option program and the aftermarket.

If you’ve recently purchased a new vehicle, you know that adding an “option” is almost never a true option. Say, for example, you want to add leather seats to your new purchase. You can certainly have leather seats in your vehicle, but only if you add additional options that are included in your option package. Now, your leather seats will likely come with several other additions that you likely did not want or maybe never use. Additionally, if the newest technology is a part of an option package, this tech will almost assuredly be obsolete within a few years. The current system greatly benefits the dealer at the expense of the customer.



We think there is a better way, which is why we will offer our ePlus option program. The idea is simple: at the factory, we will produce a total of 14 vehicles (7 different colors and 2 transmission offerings.) From there, each Elio customer will have the opportunity to add the options they want to their vehicle. These options are OEM parts, designed and approved for the Elio. We will not offer any option packages and Elio Motors customers will select only the options they want and will use.

Additionally, Elio owners can make initial option selections with the opportunity to add improvements after taking possession of their vehicles by bringing their vehicles to an Elio Motors store. For example, an owner can choose a standard radio when they initially purchase their vehicle. When a brand-new, must have radio becomes available, they will be able to bring their Elio back to a store and install the new OEM option. Elio owners will be able to add the newest technology without having to purchase a new vehicle.

If options are not made available through our after-sale program ePlus, they will likely be made available through the automotive aftermarket. If you’re not familiar, the aftermarket provides parts (replacement parts like brake pads, and most everything you can think of to add to your vehicle) that they feel customers will use either in addition to or instead of OEM parts. The aftermarket is worth approximately $318.2 billion annually and employs more than 4 million Americans. Our goal is to provide you with original equipment parts, exactly what you want, at a great price, with OE fit and finish.

The low price and high mileage make the Elio an ideal commuter vehicle. We believe they should be able to choose when it comes to the vehicle’s features for a fair price. In an Elio, you can customize your ideal vehicle at an affordable price while keeping up with the newest tech trends.

 

[Ty]

Eventually, these archive blogs will stop... hopefully with some brand new ones that highlight some great news. Of course, there's always the chance they'll stop as Paul turns the lights off on his way out.

 

[Elio Amazed]

Eventually, these archive blogs will stop... hopefully with some brand new ones that highlight some great news. Of course, there's always the chance they'll stop as Paul turns the lights off on his way out.

To be honest, how many partly wish it would stop because of the pain that trying to believe in, and hold on to, something deep down we know is dead causes? Closure maybe? After all these years of torture it's like, "Make it stop! Please just make it stop!"

 

[Johnny Acree]

when you don't like something on TV, do you yell at the TV, or do you turn it off an do something else?
the power is in your hands.