Maybe they think it has a generator on board, and it take a gallon of gas to power it 84 miles; it's a direct drive, generator directly to electric motor.Sure, every company should have well-run media campaigns, and Elio is no different. EM can certainly benefit from better marketing. With that said, it's not like EM is out there putting forth misinformation or even misleading info about the Elio. What part of "84 mpg" doesn't Motorweek understand? Every EV and plug-in manufacturer reports their mileage rating as "mpg equivalent." That alone should've put Motorweek on notice that this is not an electric vehicle.
At the end of the day, it's the reporter's responsibility to report accurate info, not EM's. A simple call to EM or search of EM's website could've confirmed that fact, as well as the other facts Motorweek muffed. Yes, Motorweek is generally a credible source. But in this instance, they messed up, plain and simple.