I remember this forum when I first came to it. It was filled with excited people full of expectations and sharing a common energy of looking forward to something good in the future.
Things have changed recently.
A few extreme naysayers have been predicting doom and gloom and recently things have taking a turn for the worse. But do know this: they have no more insight into matters than the rest of us. Their negativity is due to their own personal anguish inside them.
The ranks may thin out on this forum but when funding comes through, which I believe it will, the old members will come back and the excitement will be even greater than before. It will be like greeting old friends we never met.
I agree with your assessment about the change in nature/atmosphere of this forum and that if/when funding comes through there will be a marked elevation in excitement
I agree - the seeming lack of product news out of EM has limited the discussion
What isn't helping is the constant recycling of old news from EM. I'm sure there are plenty of new potential customers out there, but reprinting the same tired old pictures over the same tired old ads .....
Right now, Elio Owners is the most powerful marketing tool the company has in its corner.
a few of the openly hostile members here (not to mention the even more hostile folks on anti EM sites) have shown just how guarded EM has to be in the nature and scope of info they release .... as examples, these folks twist missing a target date into being an out and out lie .... they take a truthful statement by Paul that right now they are a bit below hoped for MPG/engine HP/base price targets and such as proving they never will reach them and are dishonest in continuing to take reservations .... all that being said, I do believe that EM's handling of publicity and news releases leaves much to be desired .... Paul or whoever is in charge of this area needs some serious training .... here again, as an example : the release of the video of the motor running was and still is a big deal to most of EM's supporters .... weeks have passed and nothing but a comment that they are just under HP projections .... given that EM doesn't have a huge workforce and there is no doubt their personnel are all busy .... as noted above, Elio reservation holders and other interested supporters are a major strength .... one that they don't seem to have good handle on keeping them motivated as a positive force generating excitement and interest in the company