It seems like a lot of UNDOING to me also. I originally thought all switchable items would be installed at the marshaling centers. That is, all seats would be installed at the marshaling centers, but this is not so. I talked to Paul Elio in LA and he said what was wanted the most would be installed at Shreveport, and changed at the marshaling centers. As an example, if most people wanted leather seats, that is what would be installed at Shreveport and cloth change at the marshaling center.
I assume there would be a lot of items sent back to Shreveport which requires packing, shipping some container holding these parts back to Shreveport, then sending the empty container back to the marshaling centers. This requires extra shipping. Also, I can see these returned items easily being damaged which would be a lot of waste and loss.
Installing all switchable items (like all seats, all fenders, etc.) at the marshaling centers would entail no undoing and no extra shipping, but I guess there is a problem with this.
You are missing something vital in Logistics.
Example time using only one marshalling center and only seats. This works for all parts and all centers though.
1. 80 customers in a row ordering from store A that gets its Elios from Marshaling center B wants leather seats. Of course, the Elios are already in place and the Marshaling center takes each Elio in and removes the cloth seats and installs leather. Elio does NOT send the seats back.
2. Elio Logistics sees that Marshaling center A has 80 cloth seat sets in their warehouse. The next 80 Elios sent to that station get leather seats set in place at the factory.
3. The seats can simply be placed on the bolts that will secure them in place without installing the nuts. In fact, it may just be easier to do that with all the Elios if seat swaps are common.
4. The truck that delivers Eli is will be going back empty. They Could make a car sized container for each truck that would displace one Elio on the delivery leg of the trip but could be swapped for a container of cloth seats if need be.
I don't see that as being an issue though. As for the backup camera, Skyz, lighted sill plates, etc., Paul said the Elio would be plug and play and that you could get it stock and then add on as you want. That, to me, means it'll be wired for everything already. At GM, they used 27 or so cross-body wiring harness configurations. If someone didn't want fog lights, they didn't get the wires for them. You were screwed if you changed your mind after you bought it. I hated that and I hated how that design decision affected those work stations.
By wiring the Elio for future upgrades, Paul will make the Elio into an enthusiast's dream. They are putting electric points and blind structural nuts every few inches on the frame. Man, this is going to be fun.