Metal...body?

[Elio Amazed]

I know this isn't the right topic but I'd be willing to pay more for my steel if I had a choice between American and "other" steel.

Oh no...
Not another poll...

 

[dbatch1715]

SMC Panels are out, Galvanized Steel is in. E-Mail from Paul today 8/18/16.

 

[AriLea]

I t doesn't make sense to me to make the test prototypes with SMC if you want representative results for many of the tests, though I realize they are already set up for SMC, so would probably be quicker To produce.

Definitely not sure about this, but I think this was the push-come-to-shove moment. It's the last moment to choose how to set up the cars that will actually be crash tested. And seems likely they will be in the steel version, for the reasons you state.
To tell the truth I'm a little surprised that this was decided this late in the game. But I'm used to 1980's/90's manufacturing with longer lead-times needed. In this era of 3d printing, tooling is a lot easier/faster to produce.

 

[AriLea]

I wonder if the Saturn's issues were more because of the price point? I do not recall gap issues with my father-in-law's C5 and C6 Corvettes.

But I understand the change to steel and have no problem with it. I was looking forward to the ding resistance of SMC, but I will just continue parking waaaaaay out and pass up the rockstar spots as usual.

It will be a lot easier to do major mods to the body this way. Look for lots of personalizations on the Elio. I know I am.

 

[TCBronson]

This kind of reminds me a little of the movie Tucker. While Preston was out promoting his car, the engineers were changing his designs. I would have thought that the composite body would have been lighter than steel and help with MPG goals as well as keeping the Elio ding free.

 

[booboo]

Well, the writing was on the wall. I am okay with the steel body decision, after all, this is not a 100K sports car.

 

[Frim]

This kind of reminds me a little of the movie Tucker. While Preston was out promoting his car, the engineers were changing his designs. I would have thought that the composite body would have been lighter than steel and help with MPG goals as well as keeping the Elio ding free.

I would have believed the same thing. However, I think we all knew that steel would be a faster build and less labor intensive. That's cost driven.

 

[AriLea]

This kind of reminds me a little of the movie Tucker. While Preston was out promoting his car, the engineers were changing his designs. I would have thought that the composite body would have been lighter than steel and help with MPG goals as well as keeping the Elio ding free.

I'm a little surprised too. But there was a bit of extra flanges and load spreading plates I noticed in some of the images. The new steel panels will have that built-in. Switching from the tubular frame to stamped steel put the panel changes into reach as well.

Anyway, these body panels and the chassis represent 'real weight', but frankly it's not as much as you might think. Worst difference I would have expected in frame plus panels is under 150lbs between the two.

Being tandem layout, It's a very small chassis. I suspect what happened is that switching the tubular to sheet saved a little (under 50lbs), and the switch of panels to steel upped back 25. So net-loss 25lbs in dry weight. (or even reverse those) So you can likely find out-of-context statements about both losing and gaining weight in these changes from the Elio team.

 

[Terrence]

Bumpers were mentioned a few posts back. I think it would be primo if they offered an upgrade with low speed impact resistant bumpers. It would make a nice place to put my trailer hitch.

Trailer hitches need strength, mounting to the frame is where the strength is-Go Team Elio!

 

[booboo]

I'm a little surprised too. But there was a bit of extra flanges and load spreading plates I noticed in some of the images. The new steel panels will have that built-in. Switching from the tubular frame to stamped steel put the panel changes into reach as well.

Anyway, these body panels and the chassis represent 'real weight', but frankly it's not as much as you might think. Worst difference I would have expected in frame plus panels is under 150lbs between the two.

Being tandem layout, It's a very small chassis. I suspect what happened is that switching the tubular to sheet saved a little (under 50lbs), and the switch of panels to steel upped back 25. So net-loss 25lbs in dry weight. So you can likely find out-of-context statements about both losing and gaining weight in these changes from the Elio team.

The idea ELIO composite panels was nice, but I think the good lightweight composites are expensive and and what ELIO would have used would not have been the super cool space age body panels. Maybe they will do a Carbon Fiber shift knob to appease the plastic deity.
" First, we have identified a new steel supplier and have configured several components in a way that actually provides some weight savings. Obviously, lower weight helps to get us closer to our fuel efficiency goal of up to 84 mpg highway." - Refinements to the Elio Body