Friday Blog Is Out

[Ty]

I have a $250K house and pay $4500 in taxes. Sounds like I need to move to Phoenix. Now I do use a percentage of my house for business and that cuts down on the total tax bill. I bet Paul is like me, use your house as an office and thus pay less in taxes. It’s a smart move.

... and I pay close to $9,000 in property taxes on my house.

 

[Ty]

Before everyone goes down this path, let's just look at the facts:
October 2010 (a year after Elio Motors was formed) this happened (according to Paul Elio): https://www.autonews.com/article/20...uck-and-patience-keep-paul-elio-s-quest-alive

On the Elio Website, Paul is a divorced guy with three boys:
https://www.eliomotors.com/the-glob...muting-in-his-minivan-so-he-created-the-elio/

Elio Engineering official Department of Corporations in Arizona:
https://ecorp.azcc.gov/BusinessSearch/BusinessInfo?entityNumber=08677356

Elio Motors official Department of Corporations in Arizona:
https://ecorp.azcc.gov/BusinessSearch/BusinessInfo?entityNumber=15610344

ESG HQ, Elio Motors HQ and Paul Elio's House:
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/102-W-El-Caminito-Dr-Phoenix-AZ-85021/7794903_zpid/

As you can see, The house was last sold in 2004 and for $518K. Current value $562K. According to Maricopa County in AZ, worth $475K:
https://mcassessor.maricopa.gov/mcs.php?q=160-58-040

More public information:
https://maps.mcassessor.maricopa.gov/?esearch=16058040&slayer=0&exprnum=0

The house has been transferred to Paul Elio Trust:
https://recorder.maricopa.gov/UnOfficialDocs/pdf/20170018837.pdf

So, this is a guy that was nearly bankrupt and supporting three boys. He does need money to support this as i find it hard to believe that we'd rather have him than the boys be in a homeless shelter. Yes, he does live in a house that costs alot of money but it was bought in 2004 and way before you even knew who he was, so for most of you, it was a 10 year old purchase. It doesn't matter what he does personally. Honestly, I am not seeing any "Living like a King" with the millions that he supposedly took. It's a 2500 sqft house in an area where he bought when the value was really high. Honestly, from a real estate standpoint, a bad purchase. I can tell you my house was worth double what it is now and that was before the real estate bubble. Thus the reasons why when many bought around me, they went bankrupt and lost the home. Paul was smart, he figured out a way to keep it even after a divorce and nearly going bankrupt by starting Elio Motors. There's something to be said for that. He has three boys and I can see the reason for the trust. He needs to take care of them and as we all have found out, he leaves his family out of the business. So, he's just making sure if something terrible happens to himself, his boys are protected. Sign of a great dad but smart businessman.

He's done a tone of things wrong but personally, going after him is not the right thing to do. It will get you nowhere. Let's just deal with Paul Elio, CEO of Elio Motors. Not Paul Elio the loving and responsible dad. We only go after dad if we know him personally and not a single person here does.

Well said and a good guideline.

 

[Ty]

Hey, I have a question. I know that Roush was providing engineering support at one point. Red Dot had one, Continental had one... these may have all been the same Elio prototype but that's not what I'm getting at. WHERE are the Elio prototypes? Does Paul keep them under his carport? Are they locked away in various trailers? Are they being stored at some warehouse? Where are they?

 

[Made in USA]

I think all the early prototypes are in a warehouse being preserved for the future Elio History Museum. Other significant Elio's like production #1, end of first year, #100,000 and #1,000,000 are probably also earmarked for the museum. They might even have a small group, one of each color (including the new yellow), the turbocharged model, and the first electric. (OH, and don't forget the custom limo one, stretched to fit four).

 

[Samuel Gompers]

Just for the record, and hopefully someone knows more detail, but I think there were a total of 5 prototypes. I believe only one had an engine and drivetrain that was capable of maybe 25 to 30 mph. There might have been another that ‘moved.’ It was rumored that maybe one engine was moved around. Three never were more than static displays and their designs were quickly obsoleted. I do not think Paul and Hari were ever forthcoming on just what engine was in the mobile one.

I’m sure someone else knows more detail, if they are still alive and following this.

From memory, not worth the time to look up again:
p1 - frame only, Metro engine (tube frame)
p2 - green, reworked p1 with body added (tube frame)
p3 - grey, Metro engine (tube frame)
p4 - orange, Elio engine (I believe) (tube frame)
p5 - red, Elio engine #2 (tube frame)
p6/e1 - black, Elio engine #2 taken from p5 (stamped frame)
none of the rest of the e's were "completed". one may have had the p4 engine
As far I I could discover, only 2 "Elio" engines were ever built.
The early Metro-engined prototypes were rough, but were capable of 60mph or more. The Elio-engined units were never observed over 45mph to my knowledge.
4 tube frames existed as noted above.
Either 4 of 5 stamped frames were made:
The Black P6/E1, a Red test unit (incomplete, but with an engine), a White rolling chassis (HVAC test unit), and a frame that was never used. There may have been one more frame that was built into a rolling chassis.
Even though prototype development never went where it should have, it was not quite as bad as you remembered.

 

[RSchneider]

The White Elio was sent to Continental for ABS/SC/Stability testing. It ran and drove. The orange one went to Red Dot for HVAC testing. Black one is for show. One body in white was made to fitment studies.

 

[Ty]

From memory, not worth the time to look up again:
p1 - frame only, Metro engine (tube frame)
p2 - green, reworked p1 with body added (tube frame)
p3 - grey, Metro engine (tube frame)
p4 - orange, Elio engine (I believe) (tube frame)
p5 - red, Elio engine #2 (tube frame)
p6/e1 - black, Elio engine #2 taken from p5 (stamped frame)
none of the rest of the e's were "completed". one may have had the p4 engine
As far I I could discover, only 2 "Elio" engines were ever built.
The early Metro-engined prototypes were rough, but were capable of 60mph or more. The Elio-engined units were never observed over 45mph to my knowledge.
4 tube frames existed as noted above.
Either 4 of 5 stamped frames were made:
The Black P6/E1, a Red test unit (incomplete, but with an engine), a White rolling chassis (HVAC test unit), and a frame that was never used. There may have been one more frame that was built into a rolling chassis.
Even though prototype development never went where it should have, it was not quite as bad as you remembered.

Good synopsis there. I'm also pretty sure that P1 became P2 which became P3... So, you'll never see P1 or P2. P4 actually had the Geo motor in it but the Red P5 had the Elio engine like you stated. The White one must have been P6 but it was WAY incomplete... no engine, no headlights, etc.

 

[RSchneider]

Also, Elios manufacturing license plate number is, 00M72. If you look in the official Elio motors gallery, it’s there a number of times.

There’s a blog entry with the white one wired up for data, camera on the front nose and missing the RO fender. That’s the one that went to Teves.

In the end, all still have hand made fiberglass bodies, no steel bodies.

 

[Johnny Acree]

White car is E1A Look here

 

[Ty]

White car is E1A Look here

That's right! I could have sworn there was also a black one.