1/14/2015 - Elio Motors Engine Debut (with Photos!)

[Kuda]

Snipped: ...... unless there is a "UK version", I'm not hopeful.
!

Not out of the realm of possibility. Given how forward thinking Elio is I have no
doubt they are aware of the registration issues vis-a-vis European distribution.
That said IAV is a European Design/Engineering/Consulting firm. Adapting
the Elio to meet various entry requirements is not rocket science to them or
similar firms. But all will require money & time. Buying the engine/turbo idea
is certainly a good short term fix...............

 

[Jim H]

One of the dubious benefits of living in Europe is that we are at the mercy of faceless rule makers. Faceless rule makers have to justify their existence by making more and more rules. Eventually, we will all become criminals because it will be impossible to avoid breaking some rule or other.

We are getting much like that here.

 

[BlioKart]

We are getting much like that here.

Fo Sho

 

[Kegger]

.... this explanation is 100% bogus. .....

Someone have some burn cream? I need it badly.

I guess I could have worded it better. The Reflector being "overwhelmed" is probably more accurately the part that is incorrect.
In any case, the position of the bulb, as you stated, is the major reasoning for this, but there are a couple other things as well. Reflector based lights typically focus the light in a nice horizontal line that is nice and crisp, however the lower part of the refector cup is designed to scatter some light above that line, albeit dimly above that line. This scattered light is intentionally designed to help with illuminating highway signs that are off to the right, that are typically above the line of your normal beam.

When you replace a dimmer bulb with HID's they are many times brighter, yet that slight scattering is amplified a whole lot more. This is what I meant by "overwhelmed." Basically the reflector pattern used for a lot of headlights are just not designed for that intensity of light. At lower intensities, that scattered light is tolerable. Once again, by design. When using higher intensity light, like HID's, you have salt crystals, and an electrical arc creating the light, instead of a filament. These have a reflector cup behind them and also a focusing lense. These are designed to work with HID's etc and do a great job of focusing the light below a certain line. The lense also splits just a fraction of that light upward to help with illuminating signs. The percentage of the light focused upward is far less than what the incandescent reflectors "scatter" upward.

Hopefully this is a bit more clear in terms of what I was trying to explain, I think I was oversimplifying before, so much so, that it was changing the meaning of what I was trying to convey.

 

[wheaters]

Not out of the realm of possibility. Given how forward thinking Elio is I have no
doubt they are aware of the registration issues vis-a-vis European distribution.
That said IAV is a European Design/Engineering/Consulting firm. Adapting
the Elio to meet various entry requirements is not rocket science to them or
similar firms. But all will require money & time. Buying the engine/turbo idea
is certainly a good short term fix...............

They are aware, I emailed them last year about the lighting issue as soon as I saw the design of the P4. I got a reply telling me the info had been passed on to the relevant department.

 

[AriLea]

They are aware, I emailed them last year about the lighting issue as soon as I saw the design of the P4. I got a reply telling me the info had been passed on to the relevant department.

And they ARE playing with the E2 design as we speak. Changing from the out-riggers to a covered fender could increase MPG as well as address where to place lighting. It's a good time to push the issue. The problem in that layout is the door.
I plan on illustrating a solution on the 3d thread.
I had handled that issue differently on my Atlantric, which isn't mass-marketable.

 

[Mike W]

Mike, I wouldn't really expect many in USA to be really interested and posted the link out of frustration, I suppose.

I really would like an Elio and when I saw the P3 version, I was sure it would be possible to use one here. Since the P4 appeared, which involved a fairly radical design change to the front end, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to own one.

Having built my own car, which had to be done to comply with these design regulations (the factory built car didn't have to go through the same testing procedure because it predated it's introduction and would have failed for a number of reasons), I know what's involved and how strictly the rules are enforced.

People keep giving me advice and encouragement but unless there is a "UK version", I'm not hopeful.

However, I'm really pleased to see the recent progress with the engine. If I can't have an Elio, maybe I'll just stick with the old Suzuki Swift and buy an Elio engine, turbocharge it and bolt it in!

I think the problem with the advice you are being given is that here in the States, even thought there are a good number of rules and regs, they can't fathom the rules and regs there in GB and the continent in general. It's the whole "rights infringement" subject. They just can't imagine those extra levels of hoops you have to jump through and figure there must be ways to get around it. I appreciate your contribution to Elio Ownersand can only guess the frustration at both the inability to get your hands on an Elio and at the inability of us on this side of the pond not getting what you are or aren't able to do mechanically to get the Elio. Well, there's probably a bunch of us that would invite you to take a turn behind the wheel if you ever make it over here! Shoot, if you do your research, you could even drive the color you want as well.

 

[Ocean9000]

I must admit that my comments to Wheaters regarding the motorcycle headlight were somewhat tongue in cheek. I have a good friend who is a British ex-pat, living in France and worked as a commercial driver throughout the EU. He told me quite a bit about the various regulations, not just in the UK but throughout Europe - to say the least, it is staggering! The worst part is, I can see the US headed down the same regulatory rabbit hole. (sigh) So be nice to Wheaters, he is really Scrooged.
BTW, my friend has moved to Quebec, and now does long-haul from eastern Canada to the US west coast, he loves the scenery and hates some of the roads and foolish drivers - I tend to agree.

 

[wheaters]

I must admit that my comments to Wheaters regarding the motorcycle headlight were somewhat tongue in cheek. I have a good friend who is a British ex-pat, living in France and worked as a commercial driver throughout the EU. He told me quite a bit about the various regulations, not just in the UK but throughout Europe - to say the least, it is staggering! The worst part is, I can see the US headed down the same regulatory rabbit hole. (sigh) So be nice to Wheaters, he is really Scrooged.
BTW, my friend has moved to Quebec, and now does long-haul from eastern Canada to the US west coast, he loves the scenery and hates some of the roads and foolish drivers - I tend to agree.

"Scrooged" is a polite way of putting it
Strangely enough, difficult as it might seem, the UK is one of the only EU countries (might be the only one) where we can build our own vehicles for use on public roads. Other countries such as France won't allow it at all and I understand there is a market for ex UK built and registered vehicles in other parts of the EU; once registered its easier to get them re-registered elsewhere (after all, we're all meant to come under the same legislation.....aren't we?

I would imagine a strong market for the Elio in Europe so I'm sure these design issues will be addressed. I certainly hope so. Thirty years ago, as someone who commuted on two wheels every working day and got tired of the terrible winter weather, I said if someone ever marketed a covered motorbike, I'd buy one. I still would. I drive 45 miles each way and see single occupied, enormous people movers. We're getting it wrong. We need to get more single occupancy drivers in small, light vehicles such as the Elio.

 

[Ocean9000]

I agree. I think of my Elio as a motorcycle-with-roof. My 50 mile round trip commute just isn't fun at 40 degrees on two wheels, although still great (and much more economical) in better weather. So I get to have it all... well mostly, the motorcycle-without-roof is a teesy bit more zippy.