Please Remember That The Elio Is An Exercise In Simplicity.

[CrimsonEclipse]

Perhaps this is a rant or open letter to the buyers, readers, and maybe even the designers and engineers of the Elio.

The Elio is an exercise in simplicity!
I say this because I keep seeing ideas, requests, and or suggestions that go against the entire idea of making inexpensive transportation. It's the KIS (Keep It Simple) ((I left off the second S for professionalism)) philosophy.

There are suggestions on electric, hybrid, rotary, supercharging, turbo charging, more power, diesel, height adjustment, heated seats, heated mirrors, rear facing camera, blue tooth, GPS, wet bars, solar panels, leaning while steering, higher top speed, power steering, auto pilot, Bose 90 speaker surround sound, flux capacitor, moon roof, armor, run flat tires, tactical nukes, coffee maker and room to seat 20.

Stop... Just stop.

Let it all go. Get me to work, safely, predictably and efficiently.
Make maintenance easy with no special tools and procedures.
Make every component a line replaceable item, meaning not having to remove several components to get to a commonly replaced item.

I'll be honest, I'm ok with roll down windows and power NOTHING to keep everything nice and simple.

Keeping the Elio simple will keep research and development costs down at a time where investment capital is restricted and time is of the essence.

Final note to the Elio team.
One day the Elio will succeed. When there ARE advanced options available and the capital for researching them is easily available. When that happens, you need to remember your roots and keep the simplest model readily available. Every auto manufacturer has forgotten the entry level consumer. Please do not repeat their disastrous mistake.

 

[Coda1]

No other car company is interested in making a truly low cost car. Even our own government is making it worse. Cars keep getting more gadgets and more expensive. Some added by the manufacture and some mandated by the government. In a couple of years cars will have to have tire pressure monitors and backup cameras. Totally unnecessary. With only three wheels the Elio can skip a lot of the garbage the government is forcing on us. Elio should have skipped the power mirrors and windows. No need for them on a car with one door and you can reach both windows. If they keep the price near $7000 and the mileage over 60 mpg I think they will be in high demand.

 

[Craig]

I totally agree. I started this same post and people are still trying to jack the price.
http://www.elioowners.com/threads/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.336/page-6

 

[Craig]

I totally agree. I started this same post four months ago and people are still trying to jack the price.
http://www.elioowners.com/threads/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.336/

I hope at a minimum, they pre wire in some options so you can add on after you purchase the basic package and not force someone else to buy it.
Their mission should be to design a highly upgradeable, extremely basic form of transportation at a fair price to company and customer both. JMO.

 

[outsydthebox]

I agree with you all, they need to keep it simple. And I think they are. I would like to comment on power windows. It was explained to me several year ago, that even performance vehicles where "weight" savings is critical, power windows are used. Manual window mechanisms are large and heavy. Because EM's goal is to use assemblies that are currently in production, there may also be a "cost" savings involved. I could do without them also, but since they are included in the base model, I'm happy. All of the other options I can get thru aftermarket suppliers.

 

[ecdriver711]

Perhaps this is a rant or open letter to the buyers, readers, and maybe even the designers and engineers of the Elio.

The Elio is an exercise in simplicity!
I say this because I keep seeing ideas, requests, and or suggestions that go against the entire idea of making inexpensive transportation. It's the KIS (Keep It Simple) ((I left off the second S for professionalism)) philosophy.

There are suggestions on electric, hybrid, rotary, supercharging, turbo charging, more power, diesel, height adjustment, heated seats, heated mirrors, rear facing camera, blue tooth, GPS, wet bars, solar panels, leaning while steering, higher top speed, power steering, auto pilot, Bose 90 speaker surround sound, flux capacitor, moon roof, armor, run flat tires, tactical nukes, coffee maker and room to seat 20.

Stop... Just stop.

Let it all go. Get me to work, safely, predictably and efficiently.
Make maintenance easy with no special tools and procedures.
Make every component a line replaceable item, meaning not having to remove several components to get to a commonly replaced item.

I'll be honest, I'm ok with roll down windows and power NOTHING to keep everything nice and simple.

Keeping the Elio simple will keep research and development costs down at a time where investment capital is restricted and time is of the essence.

Final note to the Elio team.
One day the Elio will succeed. When there ARE advanced options available and the capital for researching them is easily available. When that happens, you need to remember your roots and keep the simplest model readily available. Every auto manufacturer has forgotten the entry level consumer. Please do not repeat their disastrous mistake.

Yea, what he said.

 

[msmith5150]

Hear Hear! I totally agree. I'm here for the ultra cheap gas to get me to work and back. If this vehicle pans out, I can find me a nice place to live outside town and have the quiet of a rural life but the cheap ride back to town for work!


(but I wouldn't be completely against the wet bar and the flux capacitor. Just sayin'....)

 

[whattheelf]

Well I certainly agree with these posts. To have any shot at doing this, it has to be rock bottom simple with the minimum threshold to tolerate driving it, in able to produce it for the advertised price.

With forums here and now, its the cart before the horse problem, and because of the ongoing delays and schedule push outs people here need something to do for the next year or two.

 

[Craig]

Hear Hear! I totally agree. I'm here for the ultra cheap gas to get me to work and back. If this vehicle pans out, I can find me a nice place to live outside town and have the quiet of a rural life but the cheap ride back to town for work!


(but I wouldn't be completely against the wet bar and the flux capacitor. Just sayin'....)

[Broken External Image]

 

[JNR]

Perhaps this is a rant or open letter to the buyers, readers, and maybe even the designers and engineers of the Elio.

The Elio is an exercise in simplicity!
I say this because I keep seeing ideas, requests, and or suggestions that go against the entire idea of making inexpensive transportation. It's the KIS (Keep It Simple) ((I left off the second S for professionalism)) philosophy.

There are suggestions on electric, hybrid, rotary, supercharging, turbo charging, more power, diesel, height adjustment, heated seats, heated mirrors, rear facing camera, blue tooth, GPS, wet bars, solar panels, leaning while steering, higher top speed, power steering, auto pilot, Bose 90 speaker surround sound, flux capacitor, moon roof, armor, run flat tires, tactical nukes, coffee maker and room to seat 20.

Stop... Just stop.

Let it all go. Get me to work, safely, predictably and efficiently.
Make maintenance easy with no special tools and procedures.
Make every component a line replaceable item, meaning not having to remove several components to get to a commonly replaced item.

I'll be honest, I'm ok with roll down windows and power NOTHING to keep everything nice and simple.

Keeping the Elio simple will keep research and development costs down at a time where investment capital is restricted and time is of the essence.

Final note to the Elio team.
One day the Elio will succeed. When there ARE advanced options available and the capital for researching them is easily available. When that happens, you need to remember your roots and keep the simplest model readily available. Every auto manufacturer has forgotten the entry level consumer. Please do not repeat their disastrous mistake.

I think most suggestions are for add on's that people are willing to pay extra for. Maybe some want more standard items for the same price, if so, I agree with you. However, the higher the average transaction price the better for Elio's bottom line and the better chance they have at offering a basic version for $6800. Those of us who will be loading up the Elio with add-ons will help keep the company in business when and if they start getting delivered.