84 Mpg

[Smitty901]

84 mpg or something close to it what does than mean? Not that I can not afford to pay for gas. Fact is I get all my travel paid for so I could say so what.
This week as I often do I used my Harley I was back and forth between Chicago and Milwaukee and back home.
I averaged 47.8 MPG with the Touring bike. Had I taken my car it would have been about 37Mpg due to some traffic driving.
Given the option I am riding my bike that is just they way it is. But as I age I am less motivated to take it when it is raining a lot or cooler like in the 40's. I still do ,but the day is coming I will default back to the car.
I am just one person. I agree with PE on a fact many of us are forced to drive alone, just a fact of life we have places to be at set times and must also be flexible. If the ELIO were on the road today it could be the single largest factor in reducing fuel consumption . I am not interested in the hybrid electric spin. The hidden cost burn up any phony saving .
How much of a difference would an ELIO at anywhere near 84 MPG make in your fuel use.

 

[BlioKart]

I would expect to use less fuel but drive more. For example a trip i take is 16.8 gallons to drive 720 miles. Elio would only use 8.57 gallons . I could do two round trips with Elio. Using almost the same fuel cost in my current car.

 

[Smitty901]

This would be an ELIO morning. Cool out damp looks like rain. 28 miles round trip to town. I need to pick up some stuff for the pool. I could take the bike but it would mean taking everything out of the bags that are packed already.
84 Mpg for those of us that do not live in town that is a big deal. We don't need a 4 wheel drive SUV , we need an ELIO.

 

[Charlie G]

My car is rated at 36 MPG highway, I typically get around 32 at the speeds/conditions I'm traveling - that's around 89% of rated highway efficiency.
If that value scales properly with the Elio at their quoted MPG, that would put me at 74.6 MPG average.
I commute about 80 miles per day or 400 miles per week. With my current car that translates to 12.5 gallons. With the Elio, that would be 5.36 gallons, a reduction of 7.14 gallons per week.
Savings depends on the price of gas, at $2.6/gal that's a savings of $18.56/wk or $965/yr. If gas spikes back up for some reason, the savings follow. Of course it won't actually be practical to drive every day - especially in the winter regardless of what they claim. There's a reason my car has all wheel drive. Insurance will be the major deciding factor with respect to "And vehicle" savings. If it costs me 1200/yr to insure the thing, I'm saving nothing. If it's insurance rates are more motorcycle-like, it'll be a different story.

 

[Smitty901]

For us living out of town with grandchildren in school and all that goes on we do a lot of running. One Grand child needs to be here one there all at different times. Every one helps out . While we have been blessed and paying for gas is not really an issue, it still would be to everyones advantage to use less of it.
Living in Wisconsin we know what winter is. Unlike other parts of the US we just don't call for help every time it snows we deal with part of life.
Sense the move to modern front wheel drive cars I have never had a need for 4 wheel drive.

 

[Ty]

84 mpg or something close to it what does than mean? Not that I can not afford to pay for gas. Fact is I get all my travel paid for so I could say so what.
This week as I often do I used my Harley I was back and forth between Chicago and Milwaukee and back home.
I averaged 47.8 MPG with the Touring bike. Had I taken my car it would have been about 37Mpg due to some traffic driving.
Given the option I am riding my bike that is just they way it is. But as I age I am less motivated to take it when it is raining a lot or cooler like in the 40's. I still do ,but the day is coming I will default back to the car.
I am just one person. I agree with PE on a fact many of us are forced to drive alone, just a fact of life we have places to be at set times and must also be flexible. If the ELIO were on the road today it could be the single largest factor in reducing fuel consumption . I am not interested in the hybrid electric spin. The hidden cost burn up any phony saving .
How much of a difference would an ELIO at anywhere near 84 MPG make in your fuel use.

I get 16 MPG and drive 45 miles a day... about 3 gallons of diesel per day... or just over half a gallon in my Elio...

 

[CheeseheadEarl]

I drive about 35,000 miles a year. About 28,000 goes on the commuter car, the rest in the truck due to need or prrsonal choice. If I replace all the miles the car runs, it would save me 800+ gallons a year.

 

[Smitty901]

I drive about 35,000 miles a year. About 28,000 goes on the commuter car, the rest in the truck due to need or prrsonal choice. If I replace all the miles the car runs, it would save me 800+ gallons a year.

No way of knowing weather ELIO will put 50,000 ELIO's a year on the road 250,000 or Zero yet. But if ELIO can put 50K on the road to start with that would add up.
My Ford gets 32 if I am in town traffic a lot, 40-41 highway. When I do use it averages of 38-39 common . I bet it is no where near as much fun to drive as the ELIO .

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I'm curious what the savings is in cents per mile.
Not just fuel, but maintenance and initial costs and depreciation, too.

The IRS allows $0.57.5/mile for any car, van, or panel truck.

I'm known people to make a killing with a Prius (driving for work and being reimbursed).

 

[CheeseheadEarl]

I'm curious what the savings is in cents per mile.
Not just fuel, but maintenance and initial costs and depreciation, too.

The IRS allows $0.57.5/mile for any car, van, or panel truck.

I'm known people to make a killing with a Prius (driving for work and being reimbursed).

I drove to Chicago twice last year for work. Made good coin even at 30 mpg. And no TSA.

I suspect maintenance will be pretty cheap. Nothing real exotic to worry about. Depreciation? If you throw it away after 100,000 miles, its 7 cents a mile. Most cars in that mileage range are a third to half of new price, so probably less yet, and early years may see high demand. Not an issue that I can see worrying about.