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Exhaust Upgrades?

Paolo

Elio Fan
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Mar 13, 2014
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Marysville, WA
It is a folly, if not shame to equate loud exhaust 'notes' to power, speed, or even the sense of freedom.
Such old school and old thinking.
The very same technological forces that brought about the sounds of the internal combustion engines (along with all of it's short-comings such as pollution, noise, and dependence on an nonrenewable fuel sources) also are driving the power sources of today and tomorrow.
Some of the fastest (we assume the thought is loudness equates to speed) factory or home-made vehicles running around today have electric power plants.
Compare the Tesla Roadster specs to any equivalent production fossil fuel production car.
Funner still is to compare the humble 'White Zombie' to any other home-grown or even commercial dragster.
Torque always wins.
Pound for pound, even today's electric relatively low tech motors obliterate any internal combustion engine.
With the advent of very high efficiency fuel cells and advanced battery and battery-capacitor technologies on the horizon, the wave of the future has a new sound.
Imagine what the promise of tomorrow brings - cold fusion, warp drive (well, ya gotta dream or it never happens).
The next phase for the Elio is electric drive.
Consider the loud exhaust note similar to buggy whips, type-writers, rotary telephones, cassette tapes, (etc.)
While quaint and collectable, museum pieces at best.
Move on.
Go quiet.
 

goofyone

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It would be very easy to convert the Elio to electric drive. I expect to see some people do it and maybe even an electric conversion kit on the market. The Elio is much lighter than most vehicles so it could use a smaller, and cheaper, battery than other EV's however a conversion kit would still likely cost as much or more than the Elio itself due to the cost of the battery pack.
 

Autoxdriver

Elio Aficionado
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Feb 25, 2014
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I have no doubt that someday (we aren't there yet) all our transportation will be electric smooth and quiet, and I'll have to go to the old geezers racetrack to experience the sweet adrenaline inducing note of a small block V8 and the visceral experience and skill of working the clutch and matching the rpms while downshifting heading into the next corner. <sigh>

I know internal combustion engines are ultimately unsustainable, I just thank the Lord that I was around during their heyday.
 

lafrisbee

Elio Addict
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Mar 14, 2014
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like the fools that draw attention to themselves with loud pipes on their motorcycles by claiming they are done for the practical concern of safety, well i think that explains it right there....
as to the "loud pipes save lives"... then lets have every vehicle on the road have em instead of just the jackholes.
 
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