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Tough Sell?
- Thread starter Brett H
- Start date
Maurtis
Elio Addict
Agreed. I am looking at getting a used Smart as a stand-in commuter until the Elio comes out, but that is just because they are dirt cheap. That is my only justification, otherwise I would get something like a Chevy Sonic hatchback with the little turbo. The Smart is cute but performs poorly all around and has zero utility. And that dreadful AMT. Awful.
I think Elio's biggest seller (in the US at least) will be the price. MPG is a good attention getter for advertising, but I really think if they can keep the price down that will be what really moves them. The looks and cool factor will get people interested, the low price will get them sold, and the MPG will be a good justification for the purchase so people do not feel cheap. Me, I have no problem being a cheapskate. I waste my money on other hobbies, not commuting.
Frim
Elio Addict
I agree that surging gas prices will not increase sales. Conservative, frugal people bought the economic car/cycle in the first place.. The person who is hit by surging gas prices has to weigh the cost of driving a gas hog against buying an economical vehicle and making payments. The rising cost of driving the gas hog always wins for the short term. Almost no one will rush out to buy an Elio because gas went up 20 cents in a month. or $1.00 in a year. The Elio market is the aging risk taker who still wants to ride his bike and the commuter who is planning to commute for the next 3-5 years. I sold my beautiful bike shortly after my 65th birthday. I had a near miss on a bad injury or fatal accident. I parked the bike for 3 months and then decided it was taking up space in the garage. I still miss my bike, but I am not that big of a risk taker. I really need an Elio.
John Painter
Elio Addict
You mean light a fire under ATVM, Donald Sussman or some other mega investors? It's not as if EM is dragging their heals, the only thing between us and our Elio's is $$$.
I have to agree with that one.You mean light a fire under ATVM, Donald Sussman or some other mega investors? It's not as if EM is dragging their heals, the only thing between us and our Elio's is $$$.
A counter point on what I said earlier, the only things stopping massive reservations, is the lack of current production, and EM knows that. So I have to narrow the purpose of the TV ads towards investor and government education. So they are the ones to be convinced.
Sure a bunch of reservations would help, but the real target for public education are the money and policy decision makes in our world.
If the ads prompt a bunch of letters to their congressmen, goal 2 points!
slinches
Elio Addict
I have to disagree with those in here that are claiming that mileage is not a strong selling point for the Elio. If they make it to production, it would be the first time that I'm aware of that a new vehicle would be cheaper to own and operate than an average paid off vehicle. I actually plan to sell my current daily driver ('04 Chevy Colorado, 21mpg) which will almost be a straight swap with the Elio as far as purchase costs and the operating costs should be reduced to 1/3-1/4 of the cost per mile after that. Nothing else comes close for affordability of transportation. It's not just going to replace "clunkers", it could replace a large portion of the daily driver used vehicles on the road right now.
Why doesn't Elio publish the results of a mileage test done on the latest model built? Haven't they driven the thing yet to "prove" it gets 84 mpg and goes 100 mph (or something close to that)? Wouldn't doing this generate unbelieveable interest, pre-orders and stock investments? How many times do you have to "build" sometthing and NOT test it? Doesn't the latest iteration have the ACTUAL working engine and transmission that's GOING to be used? So DRIVE the damn thing and tell us how it performs! THAT'S the next obvious step...not building 25 MORE cars slated for destruction! What a joke. No wonder people are losing faith in Elio. It apparently doesn't even work. (Please, prove me wrong. I'd LOVE to be wrong!)
Maurtis
Elio Addict
It would be funny if no one thought to just take the P5 with the IAV motor out for a 50 MPH cruise around a track for a couple hundred miles to get some "real world" numbers, or even on a dyno. But I am sure it has been mentioned around the Elio offices. So either they did it and the MPG numbers were not even close, or they knew the numbers would not match up so did not even try. Or maybe the P5 is not functionally ready enough for a trip of more than a couple of miles at a time yet?
Since they need to build the 25 E-series vehicles for testing anyway, we should have some answers soon!
Since they need to build the 25 E-series vehicles for testing anyway, we should have some answers soon!
RUCRAYZE
Elio Addict
No one here can prove you wrong, just as no one here can prove you right. When they slid the sheet off the P5 was the first I saw it, when they showed the bench test of the engine -the same, advertising or not, wheel size, options, engineering, milage, rational for wanting one, loan gurantee (folks lose track- the governed isn't writing EM a check), centers, stores, shipping, speed of production, has all been "calculated" here.
How, where and why EM spends its resources, is not public information, but we're having a great time socializing to fill the long, long wait. Jump right in, we're a friendly group with long term gratification issues.