Elio Lighting (head, Tail, Brake, Signal, Fog, Auxiliary, Blinking,etc...)

[outsydthebox]

hmmm! so a motorcycle with side car and one head light is ok but a 3 wheeler with two close set head lights isn't ok? or, a trike with a mc front end and two rear wheels and one head light in the center is ok but the elio is not? there is a story in the u s about a car in the '30s that had the head lights mounted on the extream outter width of the vehicle and a motorcyclist thought is was two other motorcycles riding abreast and would scare them by going between them. the outcome was predictible.

LOL. Two phrases come to mind, 1) "you can't fix stupid" (altho it obviously "fixed" him) and, 2) "culling the herd." tho tragic, it does improve the "gene pool."

 

[wheaters]

hmmm! so a motorcycle with side car and one head light is ok but a 3 wheeler with two close set head lights isn't ok? or, a trike with a mc front end and two rear wheels and one head light in the center is ok but the elio is not? there is a story in the u s about a car in the '30s that had the head lights mounted on the extream outter width of the vehicle and a motorcyclist thought is was two other motorcycles riding abreast and would scare them by going between them. the outcome was predictible.

I can't answer all those questions, because I just don't know. Unfortunately, what was or wasn't allowed here in the 1930s, or even the 1990s, isn't allowed now. The rules got really tightened up here in UK in about the year 2001. Vehicles have to go to the same testing stations as heavy goods vehicles.

I have however read the MSVA (motorcycle single vehicle approval) regulations which apply to a personal import or low volume vehicle such as the Elio (unless they put it through the full type approval, which would involve crash testing etc). As far as I can tell, the headlights on the P4 probably don't comply with the regulations because they are too far from the outer edge of the vehicle. The regulation requires a maximum of 400 mm (this would be taken as the outer face of the front fender) and since they moved them to the main body shell, I'm fairly sure they are outside that.

My own home built car had to go through the same type of testing (SVA, single vehicle approval) and I was fortunate and glad that I'd looked up the regulations in advance (I bought the testers' manual) and made sure my build complied, so it passed first time out, which wasn't happening elsewhere. Some other owner/builders of the same car ended up with over two A4 sheets of fail points. If you can't get the vehicle to pass the test, it cannot be registered. It's a show stopper.

The regulations elsewhere in Europe are even stricter than in UK. For example in France, you cannot register a home built vehicle because there is no other way than full type approval. Some French owners build their vehicle, bring it to UK to get it through the testing and registration process, then export it to their home country and re-register it.

 

[OctoberGlory]

I’m hoping HID headlights and driving/fog lights will be offered as a factory option. I’ve got some tough roads to travel on my long commute and need all the illumination I can get.

If HID’s aren’t offered I’m wondering if anyone here has retrofitted an existing car they own and if it was worth the cost and effort.

 

[Johnapool]

Here is a part of the Missouri statute about vehicle regulations you may find interesting. Clearance lights may simply be required by law.

307.045. 1. Except as in this chapter provided, every motor vehicle other than a motor-drawn vehicle and other than a motorcycle shall be equipped with at least two approved headlamps mounted at the same level with at least one on each side of the front of the vehicle. Every motorcycle shall be equipped with at least one and not more than two approved headlamps. Every motorcycle equipped with a sidecar or other attachment shall be equipped with a lamp on the outside limit of such attachment capable of displaying a white light to the front.

(my underlining)

 

[Chaz]

Here is a part of the Missouri statute about vehicle regulations you may find interesting. Clearance lights may simply be required by law.

307.045. 1. Except as in this chapter provided, every motor vehicle other than a motor-drawn vehicle and other than a motorcycle shall be equipped with at least two approved headlamps mounted at the same level with at least one on each side of the front of the vehicle. Every motorcycle shall be equipped with at least one and not more than two approved headlamps. Every motorcycle equipped with a sidecar or other attachment shall be equipped with a lamp on the outside limit of such attachment capable of displaying a white light to the front.

(my underlining)

The Elio does not have a sidecar or other attachment so, there is no need for these extra lights.

 

[Johnapool]

The Elio does not have a sidecar or other attachment so, there is no need for these extra lights.

That's not the point- the requirement is that the light is on the outside limit of the attachment. I have read lots of questions about lights on the wheel pants- those fender lights will be required, without a doubt. It's really no big deal- they'll just have to figure out a good way to get the wires out there and armor the part under the fender. We can't have ordinary 4-wheel drivers running into our 3-wheel fenders!

 

[wheaters]

Paul Elio has stated that he intends to pursue the European market in time. Seems to me it would make best economic sense to think about the design requirements well in advance.

I'll be very interested to see what Halloween brings. I hope it's not a nightmare

 

[Husker1]

That's not the point- the requirement is that the light is on the outside limit of the attachment. I have read lots of questions about lights on the wheel pants- those fender lights will be required, without a doubt. It's really no big deal- they'll just have to figure out a good way to get the wires out there and armor the part under the fender. We can't have ordinary 4-wheel drivers running into our 3-wheel fenders!

The Plymouth Prowler didn't have lights on its fenders.

 

[tazairforce]

That's not the point- the requirement is that the light is on the outside limit of the attachment. I have read lots of questions about lights on the wheel pants- those fender lights will be required, without a doubt. It's really no big deal- they'll just have to figure out a good way to get the wires out there and armor the part under the fender. We can't have ordinary 4-wheel drivers running into our 3-wheel fenders!

'We can't have ordinary 4-wheel drivers running into our 3-wheel fenders!'

'Bout right there is where 'Road Rage' might kick in for some Elio owners, if they do.lol

 

[Johnapool]

View attachment 3201

The Plymouth Prowler didn't have lights on its fenders.

Hey, I'd take one of those for $6800.

You are right, they don't, but the back of the prowler is as wide as the front fenders.