Elio Vs Spark Ev

[Craig]

An EV will ALWAYS win in fuel savings so long as you can drive within it's limited usable ability(dependant on battery size vs charge time vs available chargers). The only EV I've driven that truly beats an elio fuel wise is a Tesla model s but they aren't in the same sport much less the same ballpark. The 2013 Nissan leaf with quick charging is a distant second to the tesla, and other manufacturer's EV options just aren't there yet.

I looked at taking our loaner leaf on a road trip and was quickly turned off by charging availability outside the major markets. Taking the trace to Tupelo, MS has been a fun weekend jaunt in most of my cars. In the leaf it's a strategic endeavor to see if you can even make it there and back without begging to borrow a 120v outlet!
Here's the charger availability in Nashville, TN
Untitled by systemdelete, on Flickr

And for comparison Tupelo, MS (zoom level is the same in both images!)
Untitled by systemdelete, on Flickr


So will I buy an EV, sure if I want a car to drive around Nashville for cheap, but the Elio gives me range as well as affordability.

I think it is safe to say, as far as mileage (MPG) is concerned, all most all the people wanting an Elio for the mileage is mostly do to it's relationship to overall cost savings, not range. Therefore an EV for most Elioer's is totally out of the question regardless of it's MPG.JMO

 

[Rickb]

I wouldn't buy and or drive a spark ev based on styling alone. I will buy the Lit C-1 EV or the Toyota i-Road Tilter EV motorcycles for the sheer fun of driving if they make it to production. Cost of charging is cheap mpgE but if you factor in battery life and replacement cost it becomes more comparable, however, fuel cost isn't the only factor in play for those choosing EVs.

 

[wayne kemp]

I think it is safe to say, as far as mileage (MPG) is concerned, all most all the people wanting an Elio for the mileage is mostly do to it's relationship to overall cost savings, not range. Therefore an EV for most Elioer's is totally out of the question regardless of it's MPG.JMO

Once one rides in a Elio on a long trip feeling the bumps and hearing the noise they will go back to long trips in their 50K SUV'S.

 

[Craig]

Once one rides in a Elio on a long trip feeling the bumps and hearing the noise they will go back to long trips in their 50K SUV'S.

Guess we will just have to start our own Iron Butt chapter. After all, it's not a touring sedan, it's a motorcycle.JMO

http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm?CFID=7688664&CFTOKEN=35651026

 

[Rickb]

Once one rides in a Elio on a long trip feeling the bumps and hearing the noise they will go back to long trips in their 50K SUV'S.

Have you driven or even been for a bumpy noisey ride in the Elio?

 

[Yogi Leigh]

If the elio gets 60 mpg combined compared to 119 mpg for the spark, whats the better deal? Lets say the spark costs 20k after tax incentive and you drive 12k miles a year. After 3 years, what do you guys think it cost to drive them, when you count depreciation and gas savings.Elio wins in depreciation, but the spark wins in gas savings.

evboy,
I'm surprised you ask this question in this Elio owners site. The reason all of us are talking about the Elio is because we have a vested interest in the Elio. We've already made our decision to go all the way with this car. I don't think many of us went in blindly, and each have our own reason why we are making a purchase.

You have every right to ask this question. You may like to play the devil's advocate to get everyone's wheels turning, and to hear reasons why we picked the Elio over others. It's understandable.

I think there's a little twinge of "I'm smarter, and did you think of this?" attitude. Chaps me only a tiny bit. Really, that's okay. I'm proud we live in a country that allows us each to have our own voice and share individual opinions. It's what makes us Americans.

Thanks for reminding me we can all have our own ideas, and disagreement is just part of it.

 

[Jim H]

evboy,
I'm surprised you ask this question in this Elio owners site. The reason all of us are talking about the Elio is because we have a vested interest in the Elio. We've already made our decision to go all the way with this car. I don't think many of us went in blindly, and each have our own reason why we are making a purchase.

You have every right to ask this question. You may like to play the devil's advocate to get everyone's wheels turning, and to hear reasons why we picked the Elio over others. It's understandable.

I think there's a little twinge of "I'm smarter, and did you think of this?" attitude. Chaps me only a tiny bit. Really, that's okay. I'm proud we live in a country that allows us each to have our own voice and share individual opinions. It's what makes us Americans.

Thanks for reminding me we can all have our own ideas, and disagreement is just part of it.
View attachment 2775

Well said and I'll have to add you to my follow list.

 

[wayne kemp]

Have you driven or even been for a bumpy noisey ride in the Elio?

Rocket science isn't needed to know that the Elio will not ride, drive or be as comfortable as a 30 to 50K auto.
And you can watch someone drive the Elio down a smooth highway and watch it bounce and also video from inside with a man driving saying it is bumpy.
It's an Economy car and a big boys toy, nothing more.

 

[Folks]

Once one rides in a Elio on a long trip feeling the bumps and hearing the noise they will go back to long trips in their 50K SUV'S.

Come on Wayne, I'll give you that the Elio will not be a gliding sofa cruiser but you really don't know how comfortable it will be. Plus the Elio should excel in back road travel encouraging a stop and smell the roses big travel cruisers miss. I'd prefer to think the Elio will encourage more exploration than just travel.

 

[goofyone]

Rocket science isn't needed to know that the Elio will not ride, drive or be as comfortable as a 30 to 50K auto.
And you can watch someone drive the Elio down a smooth highway and watch it bounce and also video from inside with a man driving saying it is bumpy.
It's an Economy car and a big boys toy, nothing more.

The Elio is an economy car and I would definitely tell people to keep their expectations on the lower end of the vehicle scale. However at the same time those videos and reviews are from someone driving an early prototype, which even the P4 is, and not a final production car so you can't really base any real decisions on how it will ride based on those videos.

The P4 has even received a suspension update since those videos was made so it should now ride better than it did before and this will continue to change as the vehicle development program continues with the E series.