Electric Elio May Be Closer Than You Think. Or Not.

[aknaten]

The future electric Elio won't use batteries. The body panels themselves will power the motors.

http://news.yahoo.com/next-electric-car-may-not-even-battery-210333742.html

 

[Jay3wheel]

If you want electric then maybe this is for you? All for the bargain basement price of $20K It looks like a half finished prototype. I think they forgot most of the body panels...LOL

You have to like a car with no roof and a windshield wiper.

 

[zelio]

The future electric Elio won't use batteries. The body panels themselves will power the motors.
http://news.yahoo.com/next-electric-car-may-not-even-battery-210333742.html
http://news.yahoo.com/next-electric-car-may-not-even-battery-210333742.html

It still uses a carbon foot print but is a cool idea. Thanks for sharing. :-) Z

 

[Devilstower]

I've mentioned before that I commute in a Chevy Volt. This is actually my second Volt. I leased one for three years, taking advantage of incentives that made for.a low lease price, then at the end of my lease I discovered that I could grab a used Volt for a reasonable price—so I did.

I have a seventy-plus mile daily commute, and most days the Volt gets me through that commute without a drop of gas, including a long section up I-55 at greater than 70mph. Daily electricity cost is about $0,75. Plus, since the car runs mostly on the electric motor, maintenance is very light. I've had one oil change in 60,000 miles.

When stuck in traffic, the battery use goes down to next to nothing. In fact, on bad traffic days, I arrive with a lot more "green" left on the battery gauge. And the combination of heated seats and a "smart" heater keeps the cabin comfortable without sucking all the power.

I kind of love the thing. The last couple of days the engine has been running part time due to cold temps. It's ruining my mileage. I think I'm down to 119mpg.

 

[Folks]

I discovered that I could grab a used Volt for a reasonable price—so I did.

I cant see any accurate way to place a value on the Volt because of Government interference. Obama fired the CEO and synthetically propped GM back up with money borrowed from China thus usurping the proper legal process of setting GM back on it's feet with a true and accurate company valuations. Now all you've got is funny money that reduces GM to a spigot of Government distribution. That you mentioned the uses Volt at a reasonable price without mentioning the actual specific used price you payed makes you look a little politticky too. LOL

 

[Tony Gore]

I've mentioned before that I commute in a Chevy Volt. This is actually my second Volt. I leased one for three years, taking advantage of incentives that made for.a low lease price, then at the end of my lease I discovered that I could grab a used Volt for a reasonable price—so I did.

I have a seventy-plus mile daily commute, and most days the Volt gets me through that commute without a drop of gas, including a long section up I-55 at greater than 70mph. Daily electricity cost is about $0,75. Plus, since the car runs mostly on the electric motor, maintenance is very light. I've had one oil change in 60,000 miles.

When stuck in traffic, the battery use goes down to next to nothing. In fact, on bad traffic days, I arrive with a lot more "green" left on the battery gauge. And the combination of heated seats and a "smart" heater keeps the cabin comfortable without sucking all the power.

I kind of love the thing. The last couple of days the engine has been running part time due to cold temps. It's ruining my mileage. I think I'm down to 119mpg.

The Volt is what I wanted when I was looking and the local Chevy dealer told me they can't keep them and are really hard to come by. Sounded like an uphill battle just to get my hands on one. Didn't think about looking at Carmax (duh!). I travel 60 miles each way (120 round trip) to work everyday, but we have a couple of free to charge EV hookups in one of the parking decks, so I could have plugged in for a recharge mid way. I think that would have been the ideal car for me. I settled for a new Sonic instead, because of it's 40+ MPG HWY rating (got the 1.4L Turbo version too). But I still lust after the Volt (see one on my way to work several times a week). EV's actually use little to none of the battery in stopped traffic. It only puts a load on the batteries when you start to accelerate and the motor engages, from what I've read. It's motor is either on or off and is off when you take your foot off of the pedal. That was one of my initial concerns is having the batteries run down when sitting idle in traffic. But yeah, if I could have found a Volt for $18k it would have been mine. I figured they would be at least $30k even used.

 

[Hotscoots]

This is all great news, but when I read these posts, I can't help but think that since the whole concept of the Elio is a narrow, 3 wheel trike that gets great gas milage, wouldn't most people opt for more passenger space, and storage if gas wasn't an issue? I'm not saying there isn't a fun factor involved here, but if economy isn't the issue, why not put that technology in a more spacious vehicle? I think the market, for an electric Elio, would be limited. Just my personal opinion.

I completely agree . I sincerely doubt most people would opt for a 3 wheeled electric car . ( just ask the folks over at Sparrow) . The value proposition for me is 84 MPG with the ease and range of a conventional Internal Combustion engine . I would prefer that they pursue an LPG powered 3 banger before making the Elio a toaster .

 

[Devilstower]

Really, Folks? I'm talking about a car, you're the one who goes on about politics, and I'm the one who' seeing political?

If you must know, the car was $17K. Leather seats. Nav. Upgraded stereo. 35K miles.

 

[Texconsin]

I'll place this in the "Believe it when I see it" category.

That makes you a Republican.

 

[NSTG8R]

That makes you a Republican.

Or a Missourian! Get it?...Show Me State. LOL, LOL, LOL......[crickets chirping].