Elio Stores Delayed Till 2017

[WilliamH]

Let's just hope there's a need for retail centers before most of us on this board die of old age.

I can't see the change in dates for the retail center is a really big issue. Since Elio has said that the objective is to have your vehicle within a day or two of placing the order it makes sense that you wouldn't start taking orders at your retail center until you had produced enough units to cover all of your pre-orders and enough additional units to have some amount of stock at the planned staging centers.
As a result if you already have 40,000 orders and your planned maximum capacity for your plant is 125,000 per year with a production start in mid-2016, and allowing for plant startup you wouldn't need retail centers until 2017.

 

[grampi]

Very possible! WOW! that mean ship to your home?o_O

Since we ALL will be paying a destination charge, having it shipped to your home should be an option...included in the destination charge of course!

 

[Rickb]

I happened to see an Enterprise Car Sales TV ad last night. Enterprise has over a 120 Car Sales Locations in about 40 States, beyond the Enterprise Rent-a Car Store locations. I had no idea they were one of the largest used car sales businesses in the country. A great partnering opportunity for Elio Motors for Elio Store locations, similar to the Pep Boys Servicing partnership. A partnership would make for a fast, efficient, and economical sales location rollout and sales staffed by Elio employees. I'm guessing nearly every City has a convenient Enterprise location nearby. Also, a good marketing opportunity for Elio Fleet Sales.

 

[Coss]

I happened to see an Enterprise Car Sales TV ad last night. Enterprise has over a 120 Car Sales Locations in about 40 States, beyond the Enterprise Rent-a Car Store locations. I had no idea they were one of the largest used car sales businesses in the country. A great partnering opportunity for Elio Motors for Elio Store locations, similar to the Pep Boys Servicing partnership. A partnership would make for a fast, efficient, and economical sales location rollout and sales staffed by Elio employees. I'm guessing nearly every City has a convenient Enterprise location nearby. Also, a good marketing opportunity for Elio Fleet Sales.

Hertz does the same thing; I've known people that has bought from Hertz Sales and they have been really happy working with them. The bigger rental agencies do take good care of their cars, and they sell them off at low mileage.

 

[Rickb]

I mentioned this idea on Elio FB sometime back and their response was stay tuned, we can't discuss anything just yet. So perhaps they are promoting the idea with the established major rental or car sales companies. How convenient that would be!

 

[LillyMayPatterson #1685 & #5648]

I mentioned this idea on Elio FB sometime back and their response was stay tuned, we can't discuss anything just yet. So perhaps they are promoting the idea with the established major rental or car sales companies. How convenient that would be!

Wonderful for the folks that are saying they want a test drive before ordering. Test drive one for a weekend trip.

 

[John Painter]

I can't see the change in dates for the retail center is a really big issue. Since Elio has said that the objective is to have your vehicle within a day or two of placing the order it makes sense that you wouldn't start taking orders at your retail center until you had produced enough units to cover all of your pre-orders and enough additional units to have some amount of stock at the planned staging centers.
As a result if you already have 40,000 orders and your planned maximum capacity for your plant is 125,000 per year with a production start in mid-2016, and allowing for plant startup you wouldn't need retail centers until 2017.

Where do you get the 125,000 figure from? Elio has always said 250,000 (comparable to what motorcycle companies produce) it their target production numbers, though in the firs three years they will be building their way up to that.

 

[WilliamH]

Where do you get the 125,000 figure from? Elio has always said 250,000 (comparable to what motorcycle companies produce) it their target production numbers, though in the firs three years they will be building their way up to that.

I believe I got that number from something I read about planned first year production.
My memory, of course, could be wrong.
It happens in your 70s.

 

[JEBar]

I believe I got that number from something I read about planned first year production.
My memory, of course, could be wrong.
It happens in your 70s.

it can happen much sooner in some of us .... trust me on that one ....

 

[John Painter]

I believe I got that number from something I read about planned first year production.
My memory, of course, could be wrong.
It happens in your 70s.

What I've read from Elio is in the first year of production between 60 and 68 thousand is their target, building up to 250,000 over the next three to four years.