Pop-up Event 5-16-2017

[Ekh]

I drove 240 miles from my home to Kendalville, IN to talk with a couple of Elio folks and check out the E1-C, which I did very briefly. Had my talks, plunked butt in car, shot some pix, and drove 240 miles back again.

About the car: the E1C really is a vast improvement over the P5. The fit and finish on the interior are remarkably better. The trunk seems to have a bit narrower opening, but is properly weatherproofed with a better latch. The attached pictures show the trunk empty (rear seat is up) and with my camera bag. With the seat down there's still room for a good size duffel and a tripod (maybe on the tripod, definitely on a monopod).

The seat is nicer (and softer) than the earlier seat. The cabin feels more roomy; things like armrests, cupholder, and so forth are all present. The A-pillars seem even thicker than before, enough to change the feel to a bit less open and definitely to make corner visibility a little worse.

The instruments, as we all know, are not the Elgin dash.

The front suspension looks substantially different, and will look more different still since the Contnental tweaks.

Interestingly, there are lots of signs of wear and dirt -- they've obviously been driving this car somewhere.

About the company:

The mood is very upbeat. Of course no one would be specific, but they seem to be on the cusp of some very important funding. It will be sooner rather than later, IMO, if it happens at all. As Paul said in Shreveport, they are still projecting 2018 for the start of production.

Sadly, Jerome is on furlough. I do know he's actively doing other things in Las Vegas. I did see Chip Stempeck, head of marketing and communications, and Joel Sheltrown, the gov't relations guy. He's optimistic about a new bill in Senate, with bipartisan sponsorship, that clarifies the autocycle stuff but doesn't go for CAFE certification at this time.

 

[Doug McDow]

I drove 240 miles from my home to Kendalville, IN to talk with a couple of Elio folks and check out the E1-C, which I did very briefly. Had my talks, plunked butt in car, shot some pix, and drove 240 miles back again.

About the car: the E1C really is a vast improvement over the P5. The fit and finish on the interior are remarkably better. The trunk seems to have a bit narrower opening, but is properly weatherproofed with a better latch. The attached pictures show the trunk empty (rear seat is up) and with my camera bag. With the seat down there's still room for a good size duffel and a tripod (maybe on the tripod, definitely on a monopod).

The seat is nicer (and softer) than the earlier seat. The cabin feels more roomy; things like armrests, cupholder, and so forth are all present. The A-pillars seem even thicker than before, enough to change the feel to a bit less open and definitely to make corner visibility a little worse.

The instruments, as we all know, are not the Elgin dash.

The front suspension looks substantially different, and will look more different still since the Contnental tweaks.

Interestingly, there are lots of signs of wear and dirt -- they've obviously been driving this car somewhere.

About the company:

The mood is very upbeat. Of course no one would be specific, but they seem to be on the cusp of some very important funding. It will be sooner rather than later, IMO, if it happens at all. As Paul said in Shreveport, they are still projecting 2018 for the start of production.

Sadly, Jerome is on furlough. I do know he's actively doing other things in Las Vegas. I did see Chip Stempeck, head of marketing and communications, and Joel Sheltrown, the gov't relations guy. He's optimistic about a new bill in Senate, with bipartisan sponsorship, that clarifies the autocycle stuff but doesn't go for CAFE certification at this time.

Thanks!

 

[Ekh]

I drove 240 miles from my home to Kendalville, IN to talk with a couple of Elio folks and check out the E1-C, which I did very briefly. Had my talks, plunked butt in car, shot some pix, and drove 240 miles back again. When I got there at 2:20, there were between 40 and 50 people admiring the car, most of them die-hard Elio fans like us.View attachment 21658View attachment 21659View attachment 21660View attachment 21661View attachment 21662View attachment 21663View attachment 21664View attachment 21665View attachment 21667View attachment 21658View attachment 21659View attachment 21660View attachment 21661View attachment 21662View attachment 21663View attachment 21664View attachment 21665View attachment 21667View attachment 21658View attachment 21659View attachment 21660View attachment 21661View attachment 21662View attachment 21663View attachment 21664View attachment 21665View attachment 21667

About the car: the E1C really is a vast improvement over the P5. The fit and finish on the interior are remarkably better. The trunk seems to have a bit narrower opening, but is properly weatherproofed with a better latch. The attached pictures show the trunk empty (rear seat is up) and with my camera bag. With the seat down there's still room for a good size duffel and a tripod (maybe on the tripod, definitely on a monopod).

The seat is nicer (and softer) than the earlier seat. The cabin feels more roomy; things like armrests, cupholder, and so forth are all present. The A-pillars seem even thicker than before, enough to change the feel to a bit less open and definitely to make corner visibility a little worse.

The instruments, as we all know, are not the Elgin dash.

The front suspension looks substantially different, and will look more different still since the Contnental tweaks.

Interestingly, there are lots of signs of wear and dirt -- they've obviously been driving this car somewhere.

About the company:

The mood is very upbeat. Of course no one would be specific, but they seem to be on the cusp of some very important funding. It will be sooner rather than later, IMO, if it happens at all. As Paul said in Shreveport, they are still projecting 2018 for the start of production.

Sadly, Jerome is on furlough. I do know he's actively doing other things in Las Vegas. I did see Chip Stempeck, head of marketing and communications, and Joel Sheltrown, the gov't relations guy. He's optimistic about a new bill in Senate, with bipartisan sponsorship, that clarifies the autocycle stuff but doesn't go for CAFE certification at this time.

 

[booboo]

Excellent report Ekh. I can't believe they did not start it and let you hear it rev.
I swear, if I ever get to see an Elio in person I will refuse to leave until I hear it rev.

 

[Ekh]

Excellent report Ekh. I can't believe they did not start it and let you hear it rev.
I swear, if I ever get to see an Elio in person I will refuse to leave until I hear it rev.

Too many people. No key in the car -- I told Rudy Schloup (early Elio investor, who's a dedicated roadie) that that was a good thing, or I'd drive it away!

 

[raptor213]

Ekh,

I'm assuming due to your round-trip commute, you weren't there very early or very late in the event's window of opportunity for static display of the E1c. But did you happen to observe or catch any commentary about the E1c in operation? I imagine the management team simply popped it in neutral and rolled it out of the enclosed trailer and there it sat for a few hours. But it'd be sweet if anyone had a chance to see the E1c shuffle around the parking lot under its own power.

You're convinced it's been logging some real-world outdoor driving? That's enlightening.

Was there any confirmation as to what role 'Creative Liquid Coatings, Inc.' will play in the project? I was personally convinced after perusing their website that they'd source injection molded plastics, but then unofficial minutes out of Monday's Annual Shareholders Meeting revealed Elio Motors is interested in updating the seven paint lines in Shreveport, which is also right up CLC's alley.

Did Joel Sheltrown appear confident that he'll have the same legislative success at the Federal level as he's had at the State level? Or was he tentative and standoff-ish about the likelihood of federal autocycle designation becoming a reality? After all, Congress takes one week each month off plus the entire month of August is written off: https://www.majorityleader.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2017-MONTHLY-CALENDAR.pdf

The more baskets that Paul Elio & company can pull from financially, the brighter their future outlook appears. While an ATVM lending decision isn't enough on its own to get to production, I can picture a breakdown like this:

ATVM - $186M
Borrow - $100M
Private Investment - $90M
Total: $376M

Despite the political climate in Washington, I remain hesitantly optimistic about the ATVM loan guarantee prospects, for one pivotal reason -- current application status. According to the most up-to-date SEC filings, the current application status remains to be in progress, under review, requires further documentation/substantiation, awaiting approval, what have you. Years in the making and Elio Motors' request for $186M in federal DOE loan guarantees has yet to be outright denied and tossed out. They're stringing them along as they wait for validation of some critical piece of intel, whether it be the technical qualifications of a production Elio vehicle, or proven market acceptance for wide-scale adoption of three-wheeled consumer commuter vehicles, or financial backing and solvency of the Company itself.

The fact that you were able to place your camera bag in the trunk is not a trivial observation. Since its debut at the LA Auto Show in November 2016, the Tour Team had always displayed the E1c with a golf club bag in the trunk and the rear seat folded down. Therefore, passersby could never take a seat in the rear of the E1c when on display. There were rumors and speculation as to why this was consistent throughout the LA and Detroit auto shows; was there a mechanical malfunction with a hinge, latch, seatbelt, plastic trim not mating correctly, driver seat not mounted on fore-aft adjustable rails, driver seat not able to tumble forward for rear passenger entrance/egress, etc.? Or was it simply a decision made by the Tour Team for not banging up their one-of-a-kind show pony, or enforcing crowd control at shows, or providing a more 1-on-1 experience for answering questions, or was that the only viable storage solution for Jerome's clubs?! I never did read or catch wind of why that was the case.

 

[Elio Amazed]

Too many people. No key in the car -- I told Rudy Schloup (early Elio investor, who's a dedicated roadie) that that was a good thing, or I'd drive it away!

Does the trunk open remotely with a fob?

 

[Made in USA]

I saw this car at the Detroit show. I got there early and the back seat was up and you could sit in it. Perhaps at the next show someone can ask how many miles they have on it. I would also like to see one of the test vehicles with the Infinite Skyz option installed. Hearing the engine run would also be nice. Wonder if they could record it and put it in one of their Momentums.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

Ekh,

I'm assuming due to your round-trip commute, you weren't there very early or very late in the event's window of opportunity for static display of the E1c. But did you happen to observe or catch any commentary about the E1c in operation? I imagine the management team simply popped it in neutral and rolled it out of the enclosed trailer and there it sat for a few hours. But it'd be sweet if anyone had a chance to see the E1c shuffle around the parking lot under its own power.

You're convinced it's been logging some real-world outdoor driving? That's enlightening.

Was there any confirmation as to what role 'Creative Liquid Coatings, Inc.' will play in the project? I was personally convinced after perusing their website that they'd source injection molded plastics, but then unofficial minutes out of Monday's Annual Shareholders Meeting revealed Elio Motors is interested in updating the seven paint lines in Shreveport, which is also right up CLC's alley.

Did Joel Sheltrown appear confident that he'll have the same legislative success at the Federal level as he's had at the State level? Or was he tentative and standoff-ish about the likelihood of federal autocycle designation becoming a reality? After all, Congress takes one week each month off plus the entire month of August is written off: https://www.majorityleader.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2017-MONTHLY-CALENDAR.pdf

The more baskets that Paul Elio & company can pull from financially, the brighter their future outlook appears. While an ATVM lending decision isn't enough on its own to get to production, I can picture a breakdown like this:

ATVM - $186M
Borrow - $100M
Private Investment - $90M
Total: $376M

Despite the political climate in Washington, I remain hesitantly optimistic about the ATVM loan guarantee prospects, for one pivotal reason -- current application status. According to the most up-to-date SEC filings, the current application status remains to be in progress, under review, requires further documentation/substantiation, awaiting approval, what have you. Years in the making and Elio Motors' request for $186M in federal DOE loan guarantees has yet to be outright denied and tossed out. They're stringing them along as they wait for validation of some critical piece of intel, whether it be the technical qualifications of a production Elio vehicle, or proven market acceptance for wide-scale adoption of three-wheeled consumer commuter vehicles, or financial backing and solvency of the Company itself.

The fact that you were able to place your camera bag in the trunk is not a trivial observation. Since its debut at the LA Auto Show in November 2016, the Tour Team had always displayed the E1c with a golf club bag in the trunk and the rear seat folded down. Therefore, passersby could never take a seat in the rear of the E1c when on display. There were rumors and speculation as to why this was consistent throughout the LA and Detroit auto shows; was there a mechanical malfunction with a hinge, latch, seatbelt, plastic trim not mating correctly, driver seat not mounted on fore-aft adjustable rails, driver seat not able to tumble forward for rear passenger entrance/egress, etc.? Or was it simply a decision made by the Tour Team for not banging up their one-of-a-kind show pony, or enforcing crowd control at shows, or providing a more 1-on-1 experience for answering questions, or was that the only viable storage solution for Jerome's clubs?! I never did read or catch wind of why that was the case.

I would "assume" they put the golf bag there to show you how much room there actual is in such a tiny "car."

 

[LillyMayPatterson #1685 & #5648]

OH EKH, Thank you for driving that far for this event. I just had to pass this time. (farm duties, Grandma duties and lack of ready funds) Sounds as if you all had the 18th Elio OHIO Enthusiast Meeting without me and I am so proud of you all. (I'm marking it down as such.) How many of us showed up? Did the display stop traffic or was it out of the way in a parking lot? Joel & Chip was there. Anybody else from the company? So, this was about paint. Cool ! Thank you again and to Wayne & Dianne, Laura and Kevin, Dave from Cleveland and everybody else for making the trip. I am more positive about this than ever.