My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[84mpg]

Nice renders AriLea!

I took off a couple of doors to see what it would look like.
I love the opposite doors! Would definitely get some stares when people view the vehicle from the passenger door side! Folks would have to wonder.... how do you get in it to drive? Ha ha!!

 

[AriLea]

While it is way too early, Please allow for a trailer hitch when finalized.

When the 'hopeful owners' (us) were looking at the hitch for the Elio, it was a bit inconvenient to get the height right around that wheel.
Of course at minimum some provision to bolt one on would be nice.
But now, I see a solution, just integrate it with the bumper (if there is one, bolt on or not) but up at some maximum height. Then just have one of those trailer height adjusters to get it back down to a more usable height. Anyway, it's just a thought to keep in mind. And of course it will have to come with a disclaimer, a maximum of a trailer built for motorcycles, something like that.

 

[JEBar]

I took off a couple of doors to see what it would look like.
I love the opposite doors!

for me, Mark's decision to go with 2 doors is at the top of his improvements to Elio's design ....

 

[JEBar]

While it is way too early, Please allow for a trailer hitch when finalized.

agree .... for us who would like to tour in our BEX trikes, being able to tow a small trailer like the ones designed for towing by a motorcycle would be very handy

 

[Made in USA]

Looking at the various designs for the rear, I couldn't help but wonder if the more open design for the rear wheel would lead to too much water being thrown onto vehicles behind you, therefore requiring a mudflap? Another consideration is with the closed designs if snow accumulation might be a problem.
Also, access to the rear wheel might not be a problem if flat-free tires were used.

 

[Mark BEX]

Also, access to the rear wheel might not be a problem if flat-free tires were used.

I don't see a big issue making the garnish quick to remove.

In theory, 3 wheelers should have less punctures than 4 wheelers, because 90% of punctures are to the rear tires, and that is because the front tire runs over a nail (whatever), and flicks it upright when the rear tire then hits it.

On a 3 wheeler, the rear wheel isn't in line to hit the bouncing nail from the front tire.

 

[Mark BEX]

Keeping with MB's comments, in/on that skirt you have your lug wrench and jack stored. A spare tire (reduced size) might be inside the skirt, but attached to the car, not the skirt.

And importantly, critical even, for a 3 wheeler, is you are able to keep the center of gravity lower hiding all those ancillaries down low.

The lower the CoG, the more stabilty you have.

 

[JEBar]

Although there is a strong desire to vacation for two using this car. Hence the trailer issue. There always seems to be a lot of desire to take on the challenge to travel using small and interesting vehicles.

that would be me, not to mention the packs of bikers we've seen in the last 4 days .... most had 2 on the bike with a small trailer in tow ....

as to the shape of the rear tire cover, I do believe it needs to be designed so that the rear tire can be checked without having remove the cover

 

[JEBar]

Personally, from the point of view of getting easy access to the rear tire for maintenance etc, I like the more open wheel design, probably the last one.. here is the link to the model where you can roll it around in your browser to see all angles, or download should you wish to.

nice link to the model .... I have no clue how to make it work but its nice none the less ..

 

[AriLea]

nice link to the model .... I have no clue how to make it work but its nice none the less ..

Once the page is loaded, when you hover the mouse over the image, a 3d button shows. Click that. Then for a while the model will download to the browser.
After it loads, and the 3d rendering shows, you click the model (to lock a point) and move the mouse to rotate. Use your mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Clicking again releases the locked point. You can also click/hold and move. Experiment, you will get it.