Not to be a downer realist, but do you recall how long it took ElectraMeccanica to develop the Solo prototype, the Beta fleet for testing and the certification process, redesign and fixes, and get the production model Solo to the China based manufacturer, and how long it took for the Chinese partner to tool for limited production numbers that are shipping to the USA in even more limited numbers? I could say the same about the built in the USA Arcimoto FUV @ the current build rate of 6 units per day/4 day work week. Max 24 units per week……and I’m not sure they are building at that rate…….demand is there but production scale progress since 2019 sucks. The BEX might be a few years down the road, providing the interest is there and the funding is available to make it happen. I’ll need an autonomous drive option because I’lll be to old to drive and someone will have cut up my drivers license.
-
Welcome to Elio Owners! Join today, registration is easy!
You can register using your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account, just click here.
Odds & Ends And All Things That Don't Fit Anything Else
- Thread starter Coss
- Start date
Well, there is a benefit to have the designer be the engineer and the business owner all in one. It's faster by the total man hours and certainly much cheaper.
On the other hand a team gets to overlap their hours into a shorter time-window. And that is all true in this phase of the process.
All that scales up to a point, and translates to some maximum volume level.
The other page of this story is the likelihood that there will be interested buyers. Mark has studied that well, and Elio gave lots of examples of the level of interest. Plus there are major similarities between Australian buyers and the US, such that Mark can be taken as having strong knowledge on those customers bases.
Basically because this path is hugely different than Elio, or all others. Mark is uniquely qualified know the risks here, more than anyone else I can think of.
I am a multi-disciplinarian. And there are some places such a mix can do amazing things. With Mark's mix, I do expect amazing things.
In any case, none of us are risking anything but our hopes.
On the other hand a team gets to overlap their hours into a shorter time-window. And that is all true in this phase of the process.
All that scales up to a point, and translates to some maximum volume level.
The other page of this story is the likelihood that there will be interested buyers. Mark has studied that well, and Elio gave lots of examples of the level of interest. Plus there are major similarities between Australian buyers and the US, such that Mark can be taken as having strong knowledge on those customers bases.
Basically because this path is hugely different than Elio, or all others. Mark is uniquely qualified know the risks here, more than anyone else I can think of.
I am a multi-disciplinarian. And there are some places such a mix can do amazing things. With Mark's mix, I do expect amazing things.
In any case, none of us are risking anything but our hopes.
I'm sure Mark is reading our viewpoints and hopefully he'll chime in when he is feeling better.
My best hope would be for a current three wheeler manufacturer like Harley, Spyder, Slingshot to consider offering an enclosed option and I wonder why they haven’t considered it. Heck I can’t even get a full enclosure option on the currently in production three wheeler that prototyped and marketed open, partial, and full enclosure options over the 12+ years leading up to production.
There are two tremendous issues about makers with products like the Slingshot, Can Am, Vanderhaul, etc etc.
These are sports-market products with high margins and low volumes. A non-sports autocycle product completes against these products especially when sourced at the same maker. Add the fact that the initial investment is considered to be higher and riskier, those makers are even less likely to give it a go than a producer that already makes non-sports vehicles. And we know how resistant standard brands are to that change. They all need some stronger insentive to justify the business investment.
If the Elio were produced, or the Bex-Built hits the American market enough that it challenges these existing sports-precieved products, then yes those guys may well feel pressured enough to respond, and make a model with enclosed cabin or other upgrades.
They do have to do one other change(s) that they are resisent to. First redesign for front wheel drive. Second, adapt to the space requirements for a cabin.
Vanderhaul would require a complete new engineering process to accomlish the cabin, and everyone else needs about that deep of a redirection to accomplish the front-wheel-drive 'imangineering.'
The Bex, Elio (or Aptera) would have to scare them a lot to force such considerations.
Consider for example the Bombardier Can Am motorcycle. At the time, they fully knew about the COOP2000 prototype by Pierre Either in Canada (can't even look that up anymore)((OOPS: This did work! But only went back to this web-forum.. google on 'pierre COOP2000 prototype')) Which was intended as exactly the same platform type as the Elio or Bex. (but never built out one with a cabin) It was one of several potential autocycles for future commuting sturing the public up (in Canada) at the time.
But Bombardier turned all that energy (that they could siphon off) into a sports product as the Can Am. They would never consider crossing over into a COOP2000 clone. Thier perception is that they consumed part of that energy and interest off from any COOP2000 type product, and the later died down into irrelevance as a result. I think Vanderhaul and the Slingshot people are all well aware of these issues.
I'm sure they are watching the Solo, Daymak Spiritus(September 2023) and others very closely.
(my personal problem with the Spiritus? It does nothing better than a cheaper 4wheeler can do, Aptra at least can run 100% solar)
Anyway, my current bet is on 'The Bex'. And he will have an open shot at this until 5 years after he is big enough to challenge the current market thinking.
( Guy, thinking about three wheelers? )
Last edited:
They're already too expensive to start with. Once Mark is finished with his working prototype, it will be more appealing to his investors and car/motorcycle makers there because it's a 2 seater on ICE. But I do agree, the whole process offers no shortcut and all we can do is wait (again).
I’ve found that a concepts target price is always low to generate interest and the final specs are yet to be determined. The roll out MSRP is always higher and the pricepoint might come down as production scale kicks in. Off the shelf parts and or custom parts for that matter are cheaper when ordering In volume. My best example is the FUV’s $11,900 marketed, $19,900 fully optioned roll out, current base $17,900……….targeted $11.900 when production scale kicks in. There were a lot of disappointed $11,900 FUV reservationists, many either not being able to afford it or didn’t think it was way overpriced for what it was. It’s a struggle getting a concept across the finish line, to include sales, delivery, and service available to the masses.
It is. Sadly, even with scaled production it'll be hard for me to believe we'll ever see that $11,900 price in the future because it's still mostly hand assembled and labor intensive. I just got an e-mail from ElectraMecannica that they're offering a $3,000. Holiday discount on a new SOLO so it's now down to $15,500. (excluding applicable taxes and fees) and shipped anywhere in 48 states at NO CHARGE! It is really tempting even with one seat.
I like the SOLO and it’s a tempting single seat price to include shipping. Shipping the FUV can add $1000-2000 to the total order, However I’d be concerned about the Solo service network and parts availability “anywhere” in the USA. The other personal issue is that I’m old and to beatup to get iin and out of a vehicle that solow to the ground. The seat is so close to the floorboard it would be like driving a Vette……..a young guys toy.
Rickb, this is your chance for a fully enclosed, all-year-round comfort 3wheeler at an unheard of 15.5k price! I understand about your seat situation- not sure if there's adjustment for height. SOLO also benefits from it's liquid cooled batteries which relates to slower degradation and longer battery life than air-cooled FUVs. I also think that the SOLO's skin (hood, bumpers, doors and roof) are fiberglass- which resist dings.
Last edited: