Elio Now Legal In Maryland

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Well, it is Maryland. We were governed for eight years by an idiot who got replaced by a Republican in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2 to 1!

Ehk, why wouldn't what you are suggesting already be true of two-wheel motorcycles? What prevents unsafe cheap Chinese two-wheelers now that are already legal under "motorcycle safety standards"?

 

[Ty]

That's really interesting. They had it requiring motor vehicle safety standards, and crossed it out to read motorcycle safety standards. This is not good news -- there are many cheapo three-wheelers imported which would be legal as auto cycles under this definition and be drastically unsafe.

Sloppy legislation, and the Federal regulation changes now pending may be necessary to correct this kind of muddy legislative thinking. Elio had better hope that's the case, because being branded as one of these grossly UNSAFE vehicles is not to their best interest. They don't want to be tarred with the same brush, so to speak.

Except the part where they say they adopt the Federal equipment standards for Autocycles... last page. That means Autocycles will have to have airbags at least.

 

[Ekh]

Except the part where they say they adopt the Federal equipment standards for Autocycles... last page. That means Autocycles will have to have airbags at least.

But-- by their definition -- auto cycles don't have to be enclosed, hence don't have any place to put airbags. See what I mean about sloppy? The good part is that the legislation charges transportation department (or other agency, I don't recall which) with working out the details.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Except the part where they say they adopt the Federal equipment standards for Autocycles... last page. That means Autocycles will have to have airbags at least.

It doesn't say that anywhere.

It says the definition of an "autocycle" in Maryland includes that a vehicle must be manufactured to comply with federal equipment standards for motorcycles.

 

[Sethodine]

I see nothing wrong with requiring motorcycle instead of automobile Federal Safety Standards. The main difference between the two: cars need Airbags, ABS brakes, Electronic Traction Control, Bumpers, and several vehicles for Crash Safety tests. As EM themselves have mentioned, there isn't even standards set for three-wheel vehicle and/or tandem seating crash safety tests. Requiring a non-existant standard would be tantamount to outright banning autocycles.

Autocycles are cycles, like bicycles, tricycles, motorcycles, and motor-driven-cycles. They are the most car-like of cycles, so it makes sense to legislate an in-between standard for autocycles, but it would be nonsensicle to mandate automotive standards for what is essentially an all-weather motorcycle. Autocycles are safer motorcycles, not less-safe cars.

And the worry over "cheap chinese imports" is unwarrented. Trust me, I've been looking into this as a business model. No highway-capable chinese autocycle will come even close to beating the Elio for price--let alone quality--without some millionaire dumping buckets of money into EPA testing of chinese-made engines. The only way for a chinese import to hit American streets short of that is by going electric, and that pushes costs past the Elio's base price, at which point you might as well buy an American-made Arcimoto SRK.

 

[Ty]

It doesn't say that anywhere.

It says the definition of an "autocycle" in Maryland includes that a vehicle must be manufactured to comply with federal equipment standards for motorcycles.

Except for the last page where it says, and I quote, "The Administration and the Division shall adopt, consistent with federal law, regulations, establishing equipment,performance, and other technical standards for [low]: (1) Autocycles; and (B) Low speed vehicles.

 

[Lil4X]

I think that "low speed vehicle" reference is made to cover an emerging class of vehicles that are limited to 20 - 25 mph. These may include NEV's or Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. The distinction is made because the requirements for airbags, side-intrusion protection, and other crash-worthiness features are dropped. They are not "street legal", but occupy a niche between a golf cart and an automobile. They do have to be equipped with" headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, tail lamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and vehicle identification numbers" according to NHTSA. They are not intended for freeway or highway use, but rather for "short trips for shopping, social and recreational purposes primarily within retirement or other planned communities with golf courses". They may be gasoline or electric powered, and some may even have a "low range" that further limits speed so that they may be used safely on a golf course.

Edit: According to NHTSA, one of the reasons golf carts don't require seatbelts is that it was initially believed you were safer leaping out of the vehicle than remaining inside in the event of a rollover. I'll bet more than a few people who were tossed overboard when the driver made a sudden turn might argue with that.

I followed one of these LSV/glorified golf carts home from the store a couple of years ago, after which a little online research on that vehicle ultimately brought me to Elio Motors . . . . and here.

 

[Terrence]

My I am glad I search eliowners for information, today I spotted this HB 805 bill, passing on 3-16.
Thank you my Elio Friends for the blogs on and about HB 805 Maryland

 

[XanWolf]

It seems that HB805 was vetoed! At first, I was upset; however, it seems that the reason that it was vetoed was that there was already SB 774 which covered this.

HB805: https://legiscan.com/MD/bill/HB805/2016
SB774: https://legiscan.com/MD/bill/SB774/2016

 

[TonyCV]

Glad to hear that MD is passing legislation - I was excited about the Elio but didn't think to check into the legality in my state.