Can I See One?

[Coss]

Thanks for your responses to my idea. A couple of things.... I don't suggest these replace the retail centers. In fact, if the mall has a retail center I don't think it will need one of these. The electronic information sign is just a way to provide info without the expense of a live person. Anyone who is seriously interested will pursue things further.

As to the pressed fiberglass mock up, there is no substitute for the real thing.

You expect people to stop and READ something to figure it out???
You don't get out very often do you

You could have the most interactive reader board around, and people would still rather talk to a person to get their questions answered.
Basically do it for them.

 

[xtspode]

Yeah I'm pretty new to Elio but I have gone over the site many times, watched every YouTube video, read Facebook posts and researched the stock and read everything I could find online.. I understand how they are to be sold and I was not looking for a store in Phoenix but because the headquarter is in Phoenix I was just wondering if they had a proto at their office that was available to view. Mostly what I've read from posts over the years is why there will never be a production Elio. I see they have overcome one obstacle after another and I hope they realize Paul's dream.

I am with you. Paul has beat all the naysayers to this point, I dont see any sign of throwing in the towel yet. It is looking pretty good these days!

 

[Trusting]

You expect people to stop and READ something to figure it out???
You don't get out very often do you

You could have the most interactive reader board around, and people would still rather talk to a person to get their questions answered.
Basically do it for them.

You're right. Most people don't read things like instructions in any real detail. My idea is not to "sell" them the car with this, but rather to get them interested in the car so they'll take the next step and go to a retail center. Having a live person instead of an electronic sign would cost, 30 or 40k a year. Might as well just set up a retail center instead...

 

[Ekh]

Yeah I'm pretty new to Elio but I have gone over the site many times, watched every YouTube video, read Facebook posts and researched the stock and read everything I could find online.. I understand how they are to be sold and I was not looking for a store in Phoenix but because the headquarter is in Phoenix I was just wondering if they had a proto at their office that was available to view. Mostly what I've read from posts over the years is why there will never be a production Elio. I see they have overcome one obstacle after another and I hope they realize Paul's dream.

At the moment there are four Elios, all prototypes.(there would have been 5, but one was destroyed several years ago). Only the P4 and P5 are making the rounds of tour sites. There is a series of Engineering Test and Evaluation vehicles now under construction. This is the E series. Very soon there will be a new Elio "marketing car" -- complete in all respects, and to be upgraded as changes are made to the other Engineering test and evaluation vehicles. This car will be the E1-C.

The E1-C is going to have a very, very busy life. Meanwhile, it's brothers, the remainder of the E-series (E1-A through E1-W or X) will be tested for everything under the sun. Not all the E cars will be fully completed, with operating windows, full interiors, etc -- just what is required for the tests they will be subjected to. Six of these vehicles (if I remember correctly) will be crash-tested. The others will be used for things like A/C testing, electrical system testing, brake testing, handling, gas mileage, durability, paint testing, gasoline system testing, emissions testing, and a number of other tests.

E1-A went off to Continental a couple of months ago so the brake design could be refined. That needed to be done before any road testing cars could be built. I don't know what happens to the E1-A after that. It may be finished out (it had no headlights or working instruments when it was handed over to Continental), or not, but it will probably be used for additional tests.

If Elio can afford it, they may build a handful of additional marketing-related cars at the end of the testing. (That is not part of any formal Elio communication to date).

After that, they will build 100 cars to be put into-real world testing. These cars will be purchased by one or more fleet operators -- Elio knows who they are, but we do not.

Then, FINALLY, they'll build cars for you and me. They will also be building a few hundred cars to stock the Sales Centers (or whatever they're calling them these days). Each Sales Center will have at least three cars: one inside the store, and two parked outside (one standard shift, one automatic).

That's the long answer to your question.

The short answer is "no."

Welcome aboard!

 

[Jeff Porter]

I live in Scottsdale and Elio is based in Phoenix. Does anyone know if they have one available to view in Phoenix? I hope the first ones off the line will go to Pep Boys all over the country so the public will have a chance to see what they can buy.

I think your question has been answered, but here's my two cents: Elio is only based in Phoenix in the sense that Coss stated... it's only a mailing address and Phx is where Paul Elio lives. Nothing for the public happens in Phx.

To view the tour schedule where you can see a prototype, go to eliomotors.com and go "Find Us | Tour Events". Sometimes the tour focuses on a certain section of the country, and sometimes they might be in Iowa one day and California 6 days later. Both the latest prototype (the P5, red) and the previous one (the P4, orange) can be at any given tour stop.

The info we have now is that the first ones off the line are going to be sold to fleet owners. The plan is to build 100 vehicles in December and sell them to fleet owners. Feedback will be given to Elio by the fleet owners, then at some point in 2017, production for the masses will begin.

Pep Boys will be a service provider. As far as we know, there are no plans for a production vehicle to be on display at Pep Boys locations. Not a bad idea though...

 

[Rickb]

I think your question has been answered, but here's my two cents: Elio is only based in Phoenix in the sense that Coss stated... it's only a mailing address and Phx is where Paul Elio lives. Nothing for the public happens in Phx.

To view the tour schedule where you can see a prototype, go to eliomotors.com and go "Find Us | Tour Events". Sometimes the tour focuses on a certain section of the country, and sometimes they might be in Iowa one day and California 6 days later. Both the latest prototype (the P5, red) and the previous one (the P4, orange) can be at any given tour stop.

The info we have now is that the first ones off the line are going to be sold to fleet owners. The plan is to build 100 vehicles in December and sell them to fleet owners. Feedback will be given to Elio by the fleet owners, then at some point in 2017, production for the masses will begin.

Pep Boys will be a service provider. As far as we know, there are no plans for a production vehicle to be on display at Pep Boys locations. Not a bad idea though...

A DISPLAY production vehicle? A better idea would be to build 103+ fleet vehicles.......100 sold to fleet owners......and 3+ used for ride and drive events. It's about time reservationist's get a chance to experience how the Elio performs behind the wheel. That marketing strategy may boost the number of reservations and lock-in more non-refundable reservations if the Elio has fit, finish, is responsive, and gets 84 smiles per gallon. EM seems apprehensive about test drives.

 

[Francisco]

I live in Scottsdale and Elio is based in Phoenix. Does anyone know if they have one available to view in Phoenix? I hope the first ones off the line will go to Pep Boys all over the country so the public will have a chance to see what they can buy.

After I get mine......

 

[Ekh]

A DISPLAY production vehicle? A better idea would be to build 103+ fleet vehicles.......100 sold to fleet owners......and 3+ used for ride and drive events. It's about time reservationist's get a chance to experience how the Elio performs behind the wheel. That marketing strategy may boost the number of reservations and lock-in more non-refundable reservations if the Elio has fit, finish, is responsive, and gets 84 smiles per gallon. EM seems apprehensive about test drives.

Rick, the idea is that the E-series (now set for 22 vehicles) may include 3 for test drives, or the series may expand back to the original 25 vehicles. It's a matter of funding, like everything else Elio.

 

[Rickb]

Rick, the idea is that the E-series (now set for 22 vehicles) may include 3 for test drives, or the series may expand back to the original 25 vehicles. It's a matter of funding, like everything else Elio.

Better yet, to Test drive the E-Series, but I would be happy to see test drives in the tweaked fleet vehicles which would be closer to the production model Elio..........to insure maximum performance, handling, fit and finish.

 

[Ty]

Something I didn't think about when they made the switch to steel... that was just after they built the E1a. I was kind of wondering why it was taking so long to build E1b, c, d, etc.. and then it hit me. (I just made myself LOL thinking about the joke - "Why is that football getting bigger? And then it hit me.") Elio may be delaying putting the bodies on those frames till they get the new steel ones. That way, they can use the E1 models as a proof of concept for the steel stamping and that way, they can get the stamps down pat before producing the 100 for the Fleet.