Elio Crowdfunding

Ekh said:

I think actually being able to drive one -- P5, not P4 -- is important. Handling, noise levels, acceleration, all those very physical things -- to me (and to many) are really important, whether it's a $6,000 car or a $60,000 car. The prototype can't provide answers to any of those questions. Maybe some form of Oculus Rift display one could try? But I'd rather drive one in person.

If Elio keeps being smart, they're going to keep ownership of a number of early vehicles just so people -- reservation holder in particular -- CAN get a physical experience of the car before buying.

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A lot depends on how many will accept the reported experience of others. It will take the Real P5 and other models, but that's enough for a sizeable population of reservationists it seems.

Now 105% Reserved $26,257,250
So what do ya think, 110% by Monday? 112? 115?

Ekh said:

I think actually being able to drive one -- P5, not P4 -- is important. Handling, noise levels, acceleration, all those very physical things -- to me (and to many) are really important, whether it's a $6,000 car or a $60,000 car. The prototype can't provide answers to any of those questions. Maybe some form of Oculus Rift display one could try? But I'd rather drive one in person.

If Elio keeps being smart, they're going to keep ownership of a number of early vehicles just so people -- reservation holder in particular -- CAN get a physical experience of the car before buying.

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One of the things that has been commented on in every video of an Elio test drive that I have seen is the noise level.
And then the obligatory disclaimer ---- "Of course this is not the final Elio engine and it's louder than the production version will be".
You almost cringe after a while when you hear it.
They really need to get some final versions out that they don't have to apologize for. Make them pure base models. Or at most AMT versions. That way, it's noisy, or it isn't.

Ekh said:

The trolls are back -- $50K jump in just a few minutes. Let's see what happens.

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I don't think a 50k jump is out of the question. If/when they do ask us to 'put up, or shut up', I might triple my original 5k "show if interest". Could be a heck of a ROI if Elio takes off like I hope it will.

bowers baldwin said:

I don't trust ANYONE with a clean desk.... you must actually DO stuff...

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A clean desk is the product of a sick mind.........think OCD!

Ekh said:

I think actually being able to drive one -- P5, not P4 -- is important. Handling, noise levels, acceleration, all those very physical things -- to me (and to many) are really important, whether it's a $6,000 car or a $60,000 car. The prototype can't provide answers to any of those questions. Maybe some form of Oculus Rift display one could try? But I'd rather drive one in person.

If Elio keeps being smart, they're going to keep ownership of a number of early vehicles just so people -- reservation holder in particular -- CAN get a physical experience of the car before buying.

Click to expand...

According to a recent survey of 2,000 consumers conducted by the research company DMEautomotive, 16 percent of car buyers eschewed a test drive altogether, with 33 percent taking out only a single model out once for a quick spin before signing the paperwork. A separate study conducted by AutoTrader.com determined that among shoppers who did in fact take a test drive, 49 percent said they spent fewer than 30 minutes to make an informed decision.

Ekh said:

Not to mention hiring and training 1500 workers, building the distribution system, and creating real-world (as opposed to merely computer) marketing campaigns.

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They won't be hiring ALL 1,500 workers any time soon. They'll only run one of two eventual shifts to begin with. But, even hiring half their force WILL cost some money. Luckily, they should be able to hire most of those workers within weeks of actual production (if not just a week prior) so that they'll only be in arrears for a week's pay before Elios start popping off the line... already sold and paid for. IF Elio maintains their $1,000 profit per vehicle ability, they should profit about $66,000 per hour... even at half speed, they'll profit $33,000 per hour. I'm not sure how much labor cost is figured into each Elio but 1,500 people making $20/hr is $30,000 total per hour.

Wait, I can figure this out. If workers cost $30,000 per hour... shoot, I'm giving everyone a raise. Everyone now averages out to make an average of $30 an hour. Yay, Ty!!! Anyway, NOW, the labor costs would be $45,000 per hour (1,500 X $30) and 66 Elios (Line speed can produce one per 52 seconds but we ran it at one per 54 seconds) would have to generate manpower costs of $681 each. That isn't far fetched. Elio, the Board, and hangers ons pocket the $66,000 per hour profit.

At half speed, each Elio would have to generate $1362 in labor costs. They would then only make $638 profit per Elio or $21,054 per hour. Poor guys.

Ty said:

According to a recent survey of 2,000 consumers conducted by the research company DMEautomotive, 16 percent of car buyers eschewed a test drive altogether, with 33 percent taking out only a single model out once for a quick spin before signing the paperwork. A separate study conducted by AutoTrader.com determined that among shoppers who did in fact take a test drive, 49 percent said they spent fewer than 30 minutes to make an informed decision.

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This surprises me, yet it doesn't. Of course, in this case, there are only two models to test, AMT and manual. I imagine that at the outset most folks who are interested in the car will know quite a lot about it, compared to the more general population. For many of the early Elio buyers, the test drive is only to find out if there's something horribly wrong about a car they've already decided to purchase.

The length of test drive doesn't surprise me. My test drives normally last 20 minutes to 1/2 hour -- I have a route that tests high speed, hills, cornering, stop-and-go, and s-curves all in a very compact area, so 20 minutes is enough. Unless I'm having fun, in which case it's longer.