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POLL ---- Production In Or Before 2023

Do You Believe Elio Motors Will Have An Electric Model In Production In Or Before 2023 ?

  • YES

    Votes: 4 7.4%
  • NO

    Votes: 50 92.6%

  • Total voters
    54

JEBar

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Elio Motors has announced its intention of suspending its effort to produce a vehicle powered by gasoline and switch to an electric model.
 

Rabrandt99

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Even if Elio Motors were to get full funding for an electric model this year (including enough to pay off their debts), I wouldn't believe they could get re-engineering done, get everything sourced and in the amounts needed until 2024.

Contrast that with the equally troubled Faraday Future, who at least had 98% percent of their engineering done before funding issues, who now seem set to get their flagship FF91 out within 12 months of funding. I just don't see that happening here. If they manage to prove me wrong, I won't be too upset ;)

Because like with Elio, I thought Faraday Future was dead and gone, but somehow they managed to survive...
 

Made in USA

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I don't think so for reasons other than financial and suppliers. Consider the factory. It's in Louisiana, a high humidity area, and the plant has not been maintained. I doubt that any of the robots still work after sitting so long. The controls and all the electrical connections will need to be checked. That is not a quick thing to accomplish. In addition they will need some people who are familiar with these "old" machines. They've been sitting there for what, 14-15 years?
 

AriLea

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The only hard part about engineering an EvElio is the space and structure for the battery pack. Splitting it up does not look tuff to me in the spaces I see in the current platform. And in that case it will not affect the crash worthiness as much as you would think.

The real issue, is the same one as before. They want a huge lump of money, and many steps, to even start producing.
So unless they actually did this switch to EV specifically to satisfy a current investor, I don't think they can get enough money fast enough to push forward and go to production before 2024.
On the other hand, there are now a number of startups in the small car EV area, which is lending great amounts of believability to the investor arena. And distracting them from anything in ICE drive. So this isn't just the best move for Elio, it's the only move.
 

RSchneider

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Problem is, Elio will have to do yet another complete redesign of the chassis (not as easy as some think). As we all remember, the IPO literally funded the space frame to unibody design. It was a complete about face as to what Elio had been telling us since 2008. So, be prepared for a long timeline for a redesign. Also, remember, Elio needed another $85M for R&D. That means, that amount is going to go up in 2021. Add into that, the $215M in debt, which those creditors are waiting in line to get paid now. So, the EV press release is yet another fishing expedition for investors. Elio doesn't even have enough to pay the employees (since the $110K in PPP money they got, is not going to happen this year). Then the only reason why they mention the gas version is to keep people quiet. So they can put that off as long as they want and there's nothing that anyone can do about it. Obviously, any new investor is going to want a payback on their investment which will have to be an EV, not gas.

Plus, 76 weeks from today is March 14, 2023. Then, never forget the Elio business plan, this is not a three wheeler made by someone in a garage but a mass produced vehicle with all the bells and whistles. Thus a fully equipped car that needs to sell 250K per year.
 

JEBar

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my wife and I attended several Elio shows and sat inside an Elio at each of them ..... the only area I can see where they can mount a significant number of batteries is the trunk .... doing so will add considerable weight to that already on the single rear tire .... having a strong (heavy) battery pack isn't a problem if extended distance between charging, if the cruising speed doesn't matter, if running accessories like AC/heater isn't necessary .... if/when they produce an electric vehicle it will be interesting to see how they make it work
 
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