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Bricklen 3ev?

Rickb

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....but why wouldn’t they build one validated pre-production Elio to drive around the test track and/or use for reservationist test drive events? It would have sparked venture capital market interest, used the $15,000,000 of Reg A+ funding as intended, fueling continued venture capital interest to fund production (providing the Elio met our performance and handling expectations), and perhaps even used as a qualification requirement for EM’s ATVM Loan approval.
 
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BigWarpGuy

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I think a fuel cell battery hybrid would be better than just a battery electric vehicle. The batteries would kick in when there isn't any hydrogen for the fuel cell and the fuel cell could charge the batteries when they are low in power. I think this could make the 3EV more appealing by reducing charging time and extending the range.
visionary-vehicles-bricklin-3ev-03-888x444.png

Intelligent Energy makes fuel cells for cars as well as other uses. I have no doubt there are other companies that do that too but Intelligent Energy is one that I can think of.
Van_Engine_Open_icXKM7l-900x400.jpg
 

BigWarpGuy

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Visionary Vehicles.
I think this is their site.
'
The Bricklin 3EV is Redefining the Price of Fabulous in design and quality, interior comfort, driving experience, safety, environmental impact, and price. Sold and serviced by a professional network of America’s best and most customer-centric automobile dealers.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $25,980
' - copied from the site.
 

Coss

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Visionary Vehicles.
I think this is their site.
'
The Bricklin 3EV is Redefining the Price of Fabulous in design and quality, interior comfort, driving experience, safety, environmental impact, and price. Sold and serviced by a professional network of America’s best and most customer-centric automobile dealers.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $25,980
' - copied from the site.
When is that supposed to be released?
 

RSchneider

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When is that supposed to be released?
It's to be done by 2019. Panoz did the preliminary design work, but since Don Panoz died, the whiole engineering and racing operations have been shut down. Sounds like Bricklin is ready to kick the bucket too, so this project is dead. Just read this article from 2.5 years ago and you'll see that it's officially dead today. At least they have a 2.5 year old website up and we can dream.
https://www.autonews.com/article/20170515/OEM02/305159996/malcolm-bricklin-s-next-bright-idea
 

Made in USA

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Not sure they are dead. Sent a message to them and got this reply on Jan 14, 2020:

Figured I would ask them if there would be a dealer in my area (Dayton Ohio). Their response:

Thank you for your inquiry concerning our Bricklin 3EV.
We are in the process of assembling our preproduction vehicles, and will keep you advised when completed, as well as availability at a dealer in your area.

Sincerely,

Richard Janowski

Chief of Staff

Visionary Vehicles, inc.
 

3wheelin

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That's quite true. Others have a lot of money and become vaporware.... Hello, Faraday Motors, I'm talking to you.

I think that "reach" is a common problem. It's easy enough to make one car and sell it and then make another car and sell it and then make another car and sell it... you get the idea. The problem is scale. You can make a large profit on just building a few cars a year but you'll never be able to make a ton of money in the long haul... Lamborghini comes to mind. On the other side of that argument, you CAN also make a lot of cheap cars and still flop. Anyone ever own a Yugo? (Well, bombing the factory didn't help them at all)

So, you have two companies building three wheelers. Two thought processes come from the fans:
"Why don't they just build some to get them out there and then ramp up production?"
or
"They should wait to get all the production pieces in place and then build them from the actual plant and assembly line so they can keep the price down and build a bunch."

Well, it's hard to ramp up from a hand-build style of manufacturing. You can't just build a couple hundred and bank the profit and go out and buy an already functioning plant ready to go. And, you can't buy a piece of equipment here and a piece of equipment there and have any hope of ever producing more than a few per year. No, you need to start with a production line that can be ramped up to meet demand. That's what Elio is doing and has been doing through the years -- ensuring the pieces are in place so that when they CAN start producing, there will be no need to have ridiculously high prices in the beginning AND they can easily ramp up to meet demand.

The ONLY downside of Elio's path (other than those of us who want our cars NOW) is that they can reach too far and not ever reach production. There's always the possibility that too much money/time will be spent getting TO production that there won't be money to actually produce. Hopefully, Elio will take what they have and start producing. They'll need money to get things moving but hopefully, it won't be as expensive to get started. They have a design, they have a factory, they have an engine supplier, they have parts suppliers, etc... They just need to get to Shreveport, sort out the line, and start producing the things.

Let's go Elio!!!
I have to agree with you coming from your manufacturing experience. PE needed to think BIG from the beginning if his plan is to sell ELIO at such a rediculously low price that in so doing forgot what's really important- US future owners and most importantly the future INVESTORS to get a taste of what they're buying or investing. So I also have to agree with Rickb's contention that adding a test drive events using their already "functional" show cars would've quantified their funding efforts. In the end, it was just painful to accept how all that millions they generated came and went with nothing to SHOW for it, NADA, but their... what else....a few SHOW CARS!
 

RSchneider

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Not sure they are dead. Sent a message to them and got this reply on Jan 14, 2020:

Figured I would ask them if there would be a dealer in my area (Dayton Ohio). Their response:

Thank you for your inquiry concerning our Bricklin 3EV.
We are in the process of assembling our preproduction vehicles, and will keep you advised when completed, as well as availability at a dealer in your area.

Sincerely,

Richard Janowski

Chief of Staff

Visionary Vehicles, inc.
So they never answered your question but just changed the subject to one of hope? Thus, it's a fact, they are dead. A Bot answered your question, not a real human being.
 

RSchneider

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So I also have to agree with Rickb's contention that adding a test drive events using their already "functional" show cars would've quantified their funding efforts.
I do not agree unless I have better information. When you drove the Elio, did you feel that everyone would be as super excited as they were about the FUV? Even though everyone was super excited about the FUV, they are struggling to make production which makes no sense because they should have had way more than Elio when it came to reservations.
 

3wheelin

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I do not agree unless I have better information. When you drove the Elio, did you feel that everyone would be as super excited as they were about the FUV? Even though everyone was super excited about the FUV, they are struggling to make production which makes no sense because they should have had way more than Elio when it came to reservations.
"When you DROVE the ELIO" ????? Pay attention my friend, remember what we've been saying- there was no TEST DRIVE, just SHOW and TELL! ;)
 
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