As we have found out Elio Motors has not made up their minds about charging or not charging the delivery fee and things may be different for reservation holders than for normal buyers as even the delivery methods will change.
I have no doubt Elio Motors will negotiate rates with transport companies just like any other automaker. The rates will be substantially less than the listed retail rates as EM would pay wholesale rates and receive volume discounts. I have found out from shipping vehicles as part of my business that transport broker fees account for about 25% of the retail cost of shipping vehicles.
For reservation holders Elio Motors will likely not have the retail stores available as standardized delivery points. During this phase it would likely benefit them to have no charge or very little charge for factory pickup as this is much easier for them than arranging home delivery for this many vehicles. It is also possible they will offer some variations like delivery to Pep Boy locations which would likely be easier on the drivers and transport companies. Elio Motors could also use some rail shipping to get groups of cars headed to the same general area across the country cheaper.
Once the distribution/retail network is up and running the plan is to deliver the majority of these vehicles from the factory to a network of distribution centers around the country which actually finish the vehicles. For this type of transport they can use rail as much as possible as the Shreveport plant has a rail loading facility formerly used by GM. Using dollies on this first leg would also be relatively easy as the dollies could be easily put on at the assembly plant. After unloading at the distribution center the dollies could be removed as part of the finishing process so it would be transparent to the transport drivers. In this case the fleet of special transport trailers needed would be greatly reduced as they would only be needed for the regular relatively close circuit of deliveries between the distribution centers and retail stores.
Hi Goofyone,
When I first signed up, I talked to Elio Motors rep about the delivery costs, they were not sure on the amount yet for delivery..
Two prices were stated $750 or $400, and not sure if you would have to pay it, if you picked it up at the plant... Paul Elio was fighting for no charge for pick up at plant... but accounting wanted the even pay program for shipping the Elio's...
But he did say they were going to be using the rail system to move the Basic Elio's to different hubs about the states...
He stated that their warehouses would be near the rail systems, so all the Basic Elio would be shipped to the warehouses and any upgrades for the Elio's that are ordered from their local Elio stores would be installed there... they can always get more warehouses if needed for growth...
Maybe the warehouses are the 7 hubs Elio is talking about, with the idea that a auto mover would bring a load of Elio's from the warehouse/hub to the store each morning... or 24hrs, you order it at 3:00 pm get the next day at 3:00 pm...
All the upgrades are at the warehouses not at the stores, so they can have low cost over head for the stores, no big store is needed for just for a computer stand an a lot of pictures of upgrades and 3 Elio's, one to look at the store and 2 outside to test drive... kind of like having a fast food menu to choose from, but for Autocycles...
The Autocycle sales are going to be on-line, so when you pick out everything you want, and click... the order goes to the warehouse and they start heating up the buns and melting the cheese, your Elio is on it's way... it's fresh, they don't make it until you order it, just the way you like it.... no extra's...
He may not have used those words, but that is what I heard... just have to wait and see...
Proud to Be... an Elio owner #2225...