Crash Testing?

[CompTrex]

Or, just explain to them that it's a motorcycle. Then compare safety. Creates a whole new perspective.

• It attracts people that aren't afraid to ride bikes.
• It attracts those of us who are either too afraid to ride bikes or have significant others who would make themselves a whole lot less significant if we were to ride a bike.
• And it also attracts normal car drivers who aren't afraid to 'live a little'.

I have no doubt that a person in this vehicle will not fare as well as a person in a larger vehicle would in the same crash scenario. But they will most likely fare a whole lot better than a person on a motorcycle in the same scenario.

 

[Darren Cruse]

[Broken External Image]
By the way the side impact protection system in the Elio is no different from what you have in any other car so there is no reason at all the Elio would do worse than any standard car in a side impact. It should actually do a bit better on the right side where there is no door creating a gap which much be reinforced.

Another interesting safety tidbit for the Elio is that in side impacts, due to the single rear tire, the vehicle has a tendency to spin away from an impact instead of staying put and absorbing the impact like a four wheel vehicle would.

As an engineer (but a software engineer not an automotive engineer so what do I know!) I like the innovative design of the Elio but one question that's been nagging me is whether there being only *one* door on the Elio presents a safety concern? i.e. With a single door isn't there a *possibility* (even if it's not likely) for the damage from the collision to mess up the latch/hinge/whatever in a way that the occupant can't get that *single* door open after the crash? Whereas obviously in a car with multiple doors (thinking of a side impact) it seems likely the doors opposite the crash point would still open right...

Then I remembered - there is this thing called a *window* . i.e. The analog to opening the door on the opposite side of a side collision on a regular car might be just rolling down the opposite side *window* and crawling out on the Elio?

Not super concerned about it - mostly just wondered what others thought whether I was being overly paranoid to think the single door might be a safety concern.

(searched the forum briefly apologies if there was already discussion on this point if so I overlooked it)

 

[Coss]

It's never been an issue (and yes it was discussed many times)
If you Have to get out of the Elio; you'll use any means possible; as you pointed out, the window is the primary 2nd choice, if you can't roll it down, they do break (shatter into little pieces); the rear hatch the third. If you've ever sat in an Elio, you'll realize how big the side glass is. There is a photo showing Paul Elio going out through the rear hatch.

 

[Maurtis]

 

[Ian442]

does that hatch come with Vaseline for us big boys ?

 

[W. WIllie]

No, but in the tool kit is a "bathroom plunger".

 

[Darren Cruse]

It's never been an issue (and yes it was discussed many times)
If you Have to get out of the Elio; you'll use any means possible; as you pointed out, the window is the primary 2nd choice, if you can't roll it down, they do break (shatter into little pieces); the rear hatch the third. If you've ever sat in an Elio, you'll realize how big the side glass is. There is a photo showing Paul Elio going out through the rear hatch.

Aside from the size and location the rear hatch doesn't seem a serious exit option unless there's a release inside the cab to open it? Do you know if there is one?

Esp. as you describe it the window sounds the better option (no I've never set in an Elio btw - atm my involvement is my 100 shares of stock!! and my hope to buy one eventually!!).

Anyway I didn't mean to harp on this - e.g. I've been annoyed with the recent focus on "autonomous driving" and these Tesla crashes - maybe its my software development background but it seems obvious to me that both the *positive* expectations are overblown *and* the *negative* reaction to those crashes is overblown.

Lastly I didn't see those other discussions here about the single door you mentioned but I did see http://www.elioowners.com/threads/tech-talk-your-top-questions-answered.748/#post-6658

Why only one door?
It often takes a bit to realize this is in fact the case given we are accustomed to always having at least two functional doors. However, only one door is needed in the Elio since the occupant seats are tandem. More importantly, it is also a benefit from a safety standpoint. One door allows us to have three full sides that are continuous reinforced steel roll cage.

 

[NSTG8R]

Aside from the size and location the rear hatch doesn't seem a serious exit option unless there's a release inside the cab to open it? Do you know if there is one?

Esp. as you describe it the window sounds the better option (no I've never set in an Elio btw - atm my involvement is my 100 shares of stock!! and my hope to buy one eventually!!).

Anyway I didn't mean to harp on this - e.g. I've been annoyed with the recent focus on "autonomous driving" and these Tesla crashes - maybe its my software development background but it seems obvious to me that both the *positive* expectations are overblown *and* the *negative* reaction to those crashes is overblown.

Lastly I didn't see those other discussions here about the single door you mentioned but I did see http://www.elioowners.com/threads/tech-talk-your-top-questions-answered.748/#post-6658

Hello, Darren! Just happened to notice you're in my neck of the woods! I'm #5971, so I'll have to swing by with mine next year so you can check out the production model up close. As for crashing in an Elio, I think the front and rear impacts would be fairly survivable with the large crumple zones. A straight "T-bone" impact is a sketchy no matter what you're driving, but the light weight of the Elio could work in your favor.

 

[BiloxiGeek]

Every modern vehicle with a trunk is required to have a luminous (glow in the dark) trunk release handle inside the trunk. It's been law for quite some time. I doubt Elio will not be able to get around that law even though there's hardly room for a body in the trunk.

 

[Rickb]

Aside from the size and location the rear hatch doesn't seem a serious exit option unless there's a release inside the cab to open it? Do you know if there is one?

Esp. as you describe it the window sounds the better option (no I've never set in an Elio btw - atm my involvement is my 100 shares of stock!! and my hope to buy one eventually!!).

Anyway I didn't mean to harp on this - e.g. I've been annoyed with the recent focus on "autonomous driving" and these Tesla crashes - maybe its my software development background but it seems obvious to me that both the *positive* expectations are overblown *and* the *negative* reaction to those crashes is overblown.

Lastly I didn't see those other discussions here about the single door you mentioned but I did see http://www.elioowners.com/threads/tech-talk-your-top-questions-answered.748/#post-6658

I like the idea of 2 doors. Have the national highway safety folks weighed in on the issue of doors in all classes of vehicles? Regarding overblown reaction to Tesla, how many vehicle crashes were prevented as a result of the technology or may be prevented in the future by the development of autonomous vehicles? Many drivers apparently are distracted and not focused on driving. Tesla, seems to be over reacted to in general conversation.

My recollection of the reason for the single door on the Elio was reducing cost to maintain the $6800 target base price, saving money with no regards to safety.