Old Guys Rule

[stevecaz]

I've had the opportunity to sit in the front and back seat of the Elio prototype. Front seat is spacious. Back seat has plenty of leg room but could get claustrophobic over an expended road trip. The Elio will not be my primary vehicle when I travel with my wife unless in town. But, for my work travel alone it will be great.

Everyone has a different need for this vehicle. It will fill many needs with great gas milage.

I agree with you Buckeyejake!

 

[stevecaz]

Wow ! Well, That's me, the trend setter of my time. Been trying to join the boy's club, since I 've been a young girl and joined the army. The closes I've gotten is the America Veteran Legion Post kitchen.
But, once we get this puppy on the NE Ohio roads all the masses will be joining in, like tie dyed tee shirts and smoking pot.
GO ELIO !

Your right QuickNE! Once the Elio hits the street, they are going to get hit with a ton of orders!

 

[Double D in Ohio]

I'm 51 going on 40 right? I've still got my vrod and my 77 gs750 but here in the Texas heat an air conditioned Elio sounds very cool not to mention it will get far better gas mileage.
Dteke

Been to Texas a Couple times in the summer. The heat is stifling between 1000am and 8 pm. I wouldn't want to take a bike out Till 8pm. Air conditioning and heat are both good things. Our Tuesday morning commute temp is supposed to be about 10 below Tuesday morning. Double D

 

[jtmarten]

Hi. Another over 50 guy here...I got the chance to sit in the back seat and it was comfortable. It needed a small TV screen on the back of the drivers seat for viewing both a front view camera and as a DVD player for long road trips. That seems easily added as an option. The other issues I noticed were the lack of emergency exit door, non functioning rear windows and I don't remember a cup holder in the back. The window issue made it feel claustrophobic, but I'd gladly ride in the back on road trips.

Emergency exit door? This is an automobile, not an aircraft.

 

[KScarguy]

I was under the impression that the rear would open like a hatchback and that would be the emergency exit for the back.

 

[NRB]

Now lets get a complete Elio on the ground which includes the IAV engine and drive train that will permit some actual milage determinations from the final configuration!! RB

 

[NRB]

They say you are as old as you act. At 83 I still do 90% of the household repairs , the yard and keep the rolling stock serviced, so am looking forward to the ELIO experience! My hobby thru the years was restoring A model Fords and flat 4 aircooled VW"S. I believe the ELIO should be fun to service and tinker with, if not too many gadgets are bolted on it ( the more you got , the more can go wrong!) RB

 

[jtmarten]

I was under the impression that the rear would open like a hatchback and that would be the emergency exit for the back.

P4 does have the small cargo area accessible from the outside. You'd have to fold the back seat down in order to access the trunk lid as an emergency escape. If the structure were intact enough to allow the seat to fold, it would still be very difficult for a person to fold the seat down while occupying the same space. The trunk lid is tapered as well, and doesn't look to be very wide along the narrowest edge.
The 5-star crash rating really means nothing for a vehicle of this size. There won't be much left of any vehicle of this size if hit by a Suburban, 3/4 ton truck, large luxury car, etc. at any real speeds (Force = mass x acceleration). The structure will be strong, but with a vehicle designed for high mpg, it also has to be light. A stronger structure/materials would either increase the cost or weight.

 

[NRB]

jtmarten---you have that right! However these small compacts will not fare any better and everytime the fuel costs go up 50 cents, dealers cannot keep enough of them on hand, so there is a standing market particularly for folks that can think on their own, and plan ahead when fuel prices will be equal to Europe ($6--$8/ gal), and don't think it cannot happen here! The ELIO or vehicles very similar to it are the answere , it"s just getting Americans out of these "tanks" they think they must drive. Take yourself on a trip to Italy, Greece, Turkey, Germany , United Kingdom ,Japan, China , and see the sea of compacts (many smaller than our compacts) that flood the cities and highways! GO ELIO!! RB

 

[Rolf]

jtmarten---you have that right! However these small compacts will not fare any better and everytime the fuel costs go up 50 cents, dealers cannot keep enough of them on hand, so there is a standing market particularly for folks that can think on their own, and plan ahead when fuel prices will be equal to Europe ($6--$8/ gal), and don't think it cannot happen here! The ELIO or vehicles very similar to it are the answere , it"s just getting Americans out of these "tanks" they think they must drive. Take yourself on a trip to Italy, Greece, Turkey, Germany , United Kingdom ,Japan, China , and see the sea of compacts (many smaller than our compacts) that flood the cities and highways! GO ELIO!! RB

This would be a toss-up between having to pay the bank for a car loan (if you qualify) or paying higher gas prices on the pumps. One reason why many still drive their "old tank". However, for a big country like ours, big cars are preferred for their ride, comfort and safety which becomes more and more a thing of the past if gas prices remain high. Compared to north America, you can drive across Europe in almost a day or two. The Elio makes a perfect commuter.