Two Door Elio?

[pistonboy]

Is the Elio going to have two doors? I think so. Look at the latest chassis drawing and it has an opening on each side and each opening looks like they are to accommodate a door. Notice the beam at the bottom on the right side is notched. In previous chassis drawings (does anyone have one?) the right side has permanently installed structural members.

I believe this would be done for safety reasons. If the Elio were on it left side, the occupant could not get out.

If I were in charge of this, I would not call it a door, but rather a “safety hatch” for use in case of emergency. (a vehicle where the one driver has two doors may be the butt of jokes) I would leave the console with the shifter and hand brake in the same position and a handle to open the door, but no handle on the outside. The absence of an outside handle would reinforce it is a safety hatch, not a door for routine entrance and exit.

This will add cost to the vehicle, I am glad I locked mine in for $7,000. Fence sitters should make a decision and reserve a spot in line before it is too late.,

I don’t think a company would go through a major redesign effort like this if it was close to death.

Obviously they (EM) have been very busy. No wonder we have not been hearing much from them.

Your opinion?

Does anyone have a previous chassis drawing?

 

[Grumpy Cat]

I doubt it will have 2 doors. I'm willing to be they are doing this so they are more ready for when they start selling in right hand drive markets.

 

[pistonboy]

I doubt it will have 2 doors. I'm willing to be they are doing this so they are more ready for when they start selling in right hand drive markets.

That is interesting. They would permanently install a chassis panel in one side and a door in the other side.

In England where the steering wheel is on the other side of the vehicle, which arm does the driver shift gears with? Right or left?

 

[booboo]

This is weird, there was a chassis drawing here, April 28, 2016, but it seems to be hacked ?
https://www.eliomotors.com/elio-mot...ies-vehicles-with-chassis-design-elio-motors/

 

[floydv]

And what's that zigzagging tube on the right rear side? Is that the re-rerouted exhaust? It wasn't on the E-1 frame.

 

[booboo]

One can see the right side of an Elio chassis in Joe's Nov 22, 2016 video. Skip to 12:58. It does look like an inserted "chassis panel".

 

[Coss]

That is interesting. They would permanently install a chassis panel in one side and a door in the other side.

In England where the steering wheel is on the other side of the vehicle, which arm does the driver shift gears with? Right or left?

Right hand drive, left hand shift. But the pedals stay the same, accelerator on right, brake in the middle, clutch on left.
E-brake (if lever style) is in center console (Left hand operated) if pedal type. and be on left or right depending on manufacturer.

The Lotus Europa the shop raced was right hand drive, left hand shift.
I had a easier time going from my street lotus to the race car (R-D, L-S), then I did adjusting back to the street car.(from R-D & L_S back to L-D & R-S)

 

[pistonboy]

Perhaps The elio could have an "escape hatch" that is not on hinges. Instead it is held in place with latches that release with the movement of a lever. Then the hatch does not swing away like a door, but simply falls away.

Is the driver door used in another car? If so, there is a right side door design already existing that can be modified and fit in the right side opening as a hinged door or latched in hatch.

EM may comment soon on this subject. It will show they have been making progress.

 

[booboo]

Ejection seat rockets add hardly any weight.

 

[Ty]

It is highly unlikely that the 1,300 LB Elio will ever end up in a situation where it is perfectly balanced between the front left tire and the rear tire. It seems that if it were EVER in that position, the driver could just push on the door and the car would just tumble one way or the other and the driver could then just open the door. I see no reason or benefit to having a "door" on the right side unless you just wanted to make it impossible to place a manual shift lever somewhere...