Electric Elio?

[JEBar]

Like the Elio, the Smart car is free, if you base your vehicle costs on a long commute with a gas-hog. My problem is why have Smart car sales died instead of taking off? No, they are not as attractive on any plane as an Elio, but they are here, NOW!

can't speak for anyone else but I know why I have no interest in a Smart Car .... I look at it as a car and as a car it, it has no redeeming features that interest me .... I look at an Elio as a motorcycle (OK, as an auto cycle) with numerous features (including looks) that do interest me .... for me, gas mileage is important but it isn't the only important thing

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

My problem is why have Smart car sales died instead of taking off?

IMHO:
1. Ugly
2. Two seats
3. Poor fuel economy
4. Terrible ride
5. High price

The Smart was designed and built as a city car. Only in the USA was it marketed as an "economy" car.

 

[Rickb]

Price is at the top of the list for every future Elio Owner. I would like a manual transmission, but lose the use of a limb and I wouldn't be able to drive it to physical therapy, so it's a crappy AMT for me. I hope it's fun too.

 

[Rickb]

I just did a check and realize my first kit experience was 50 years ago. Probably worked on 50+ kits up to a 40' boat. The education has been well worth the time and expense, as it taught me how to build robust commercially viable equipment. To my parents annoyance, when young, I always kept a few wrecked cars on the farm. These provided me parts for projects and an income when between jobs. They also provided a connection to other like minded souls and an education. It also taught me that the hull of a boat or the shell of a kit car is 10% or less of the total cost, even if you use a donor wreck for everything. I used a road grader for power and hydraulics for the 40' boat. Still, the hull was close to 10% of the finished cost, if you count your labor.
At this point, the only thing Elio has going for it, is the commitment of 40,000 dreamers. The low price is a big part of that dream. If this concept will fly, anywhere near this price, some company will surely take note and build it? Like the Elio, the Smart car is free, if you base your vehicle costs on a long commute with a gas-hog. My problem is why have Smart car sales died instead of taking off? No, they are not as attractive on any plane as an Elio, but they are here, NOW!

The general driving public has had underwhelming acceptance of small cars, particulary 2 seaters. Maybe the new Smart for 4 will jumpstart their sales.

I prefer the Elio's styling too over the Smart's but many will think the Elio is butt ugly and impractical. I am sad for them. LOL

 

[nimblemotors]

Thank you for the compliment on the looks!

How would I rephrase what I said to be more friendly?

I like the looks of your design, but why not keep your comments friendlier?

Not many that will buy an Elio next year (or later if production will be delayed), will have any interest in it being electric in the near future. Me neither, since for what I would like to use the Elio for, the combination of low purchase price and maintenance combined with the long range, trumps everything else.

The comparison between Elio in regards to Aptera, Edison and your project, is apples and oranges.

 

[nimblemotors]

The Small two seat Mazda Miata was wildly successful in the US.
What a car looks like matters a great deal.

 

['lio]

Thank you for the compliment on the looks!

How would I rephrase what I said to be more friendly?

For example by leaving out comments such as: “…good luck getting an [Elio] without a drivetrain when you can’t get one WITH a drivetrain!”

As others have pointed out, right now your project isn’t exactly rolling off the assembly line either so to speak. And no, to compare an Elio that is well engineered to the latest safety standards to a simple kit car, does not make much sense.

 

[Reid3400]

The Small two seat Mazda Miata was wildly successful in the US.
What a car looks like matters a great deal.

Our Miata also gets better mileage that a Goldwing Motorcycle with 2 people on it. We enjoy the AC, no helmet or hot heavy gear and carry the beer for the bikes. For $5500US we can convert it to electric. For another $4000 we even can buy enough batteries to go 60 miles between charges. http://www.canev.com/kits.php Spend $10K and make a grocery getter out of a perfect little travel car.
Leave the RV at home and save enough to stay in a 5 Star hotel every 400 miles.

 

[Jeff Miller]

The Small two seat Mazda Miata was wildly successful in the US.
What a car looks like matters a great deal.

Thanks for that comment; I was completely confused about all the two seat cars being unacceptable in the US market. It simply isn't true.

There are several other examples beyond the miata. Certainly there are all the European sports cars from Fiat, Triumph, Jaguar, etc. but there are also other Japanese cars like the delsol that are hugely successful. There are other American cars that are 2 seat as well but they start with things like the corvette (tell me that car isn't successful - sheesh) ranging up to truly expensive like the cobra.

I believe it is a fallacy to believe Americans don't want 2 seat cars. What is true is that many Americans need the functionality of a bigger car and so their dreams of 2 seat cars get pushed aside for the mini-van, SUV, or some other generic 4 door family sedan. Enter EM and its brilliance of the AND car. Something that is much more affordable than any other 2 seat car, small enough to squeeze into your 2 car garage along with the other vehicle you have to own, and fun enough to satisfy that craving everyone wants in a sporty little 2 seater.

Another market that EM might want to look into exploring are the closet motorcyclists. I work with a fellow that has a very young family. He has wanted a motorcycle since before he got married but life got in the way and now with the family, well, it just ain't going to happen. He saw my elio poster and we talked at length about it and because of it being enclosed, safe, and looking like a car as well as very affordable he got permission to buy an Elio instead of a motorcycle.

 

[Rickb]

Thanks for that comment; I was completely confused about all the two seat cars being unacceptable in the US market. It simply isn't true.

There are several other examples beyond the miata. Certainly there are all the European sports cars from Fiat, Triumph, Jaguar, etc. but there are also other Japanese cars like the delsol that are hugely successful. There are other American cars that are 2 seat as well but they start with things like the corvette (tell me that car isn't successful - sheesh) ranging up to truly expensive like the cobra.

I believe it is a fallacy to believe Americans don't want 2 seat cars. What is true is that many Americans need the functionality of a bigger car and so their dreams of 2 seat cars get pushed aside for the mini-van, SUV, or some other generic 4 door family sedan. Enter EM and its brilliance of the AND car. Something that is much more affordable than any other 2 seat car, small enough to squeeze into your 2 car garage along with the other vehicle you have to own, and fun enough to satisfy that craving everyone wants in a sporty little 2 seater.

Another market that EM might want to look into exploring are the closet motorcyclists. I work with a fellow that has a very young family. He has wanted a motorcycle since before he got married but life got in the way and now with the family, well, it just ain't going to happen. He saw my elio poster and we talked at length about it and because of it being enclosed, safe, and looking like a car as well as very affordable he got permission to buy an Elio instead of a motorcycle.

The comment was not that 'all' 2 seater cars are unacceptable, but rather not widely accepted by the average driver. Those 2 seaters that have style, handling, and performance, are certainly accepted by a demographic that justifies production and provides some profit for the makers.

The Elio Concept is a totally new class (autocycle) of 2 seater commuter that should have wide appeal and acceptance to a wide range of demographics, along with the affordability factor.