Where Do You Stand Now?

[Jerry Greif]

I am considering a second reservation, Just thing what will happen when they start down the assembly line, everyone will want one now. If I have an extra one to sell I bet I can easily sell it for 1K over list price. I bet you will find that every car dealer will want a used one on their lot just as a draw.

 

[KScarguy]

"Range" is misleading...my Dakota that gets 16mpg can go really far with a 100 gallon fuel tank.

I went for 4/10 because of the repeated push back in the "announced" production date. I also doubt it will happen/succeed because of the childish business strategy...they display a lack of emphasis over getting this built and instead focus on displaying the mule in weird locations, and have a fascination with a Facebook site as marketing campaign.

I've said it before...They are designers not builders.

 

[raybonz]

"Range" is misleading...my Dakota that gets 16mpg can go really far with a 100 gallon fuel tank.

I went for 4/10 because of the repeated push back in the "announced" production date. I also doubt it will happen/succeed because of the childish business strategy...they display a lack of emphasis over getting this built and instead focus on displaying the mule in weird locations, and have a fascination with a Facebook site as marketing campaign.

I've said it before...They are designers not builders.

Yup thank God I only went $100.00 all in! This was a dumb mistake on my part as I think I am going to lose it.. Starting to think we're all getting taken for a ride and unfortunately not in a new vehicle..

 

[ecdriver711]

I have been following for a year. I saw the P3 last June. I am at ten because the people involved have a heart to make this happen. The concept is awesome. If it requires some delay to make it work well that is just what it takes. The P4 is a nice refinement to the aerodynamics. I'm only in for a $100 because it is all I can afford just now when putting kids thru school.

 

[KScarguy]

I really hope I am wrong, but there are many things with Elio Motors that seem "odd" to me.

I have been involved at major startup companies. Money is spent, people hired, offices wired, computers installed, and buildings are modified and constructed. There is enormous simultaneous activity at all levels. We never saw a "delay by lawyers ". We worked our butts off to get the company up and running on schedule. We had project plans and schedules. We met with vendors and contractors almost daily. There was noticeable professional activity.

I don't see that here.

Everything I see at Elio, even the mules, is unfinished. The vehicle design is not finished, the web site is unfinished (you can't actually buy a vehicle or get prices on options, etc...), there are no actual dealership locations (only a list of cities), there is no completed engine, there are no actual mileage numbers - only computer estimates, there are no crash test results - only computer simulations, there is no real marketing (no print ads, no New Car shows, etc...), there is an empty plant owned by the Parish (remember when Elio was going to buy it, but that didn't happen), There are machines in the plant - but no tooling, there are agreements with vendors like cooper tires, but no actual contracts to buy...

It all feels like a Giant Junior Achievement project...no wait, they actually get something done.

What I see is a sales pitch with a promise of a vehicle that gets 84 mpg, $6800. I see t-shirts being sold on that promise and I see a company that repeatedly delays the promised production start.

I also see a company that believes in itself, but does not appear to know how or when to get out of it's own way....

If this was GM or Ford or Toyota, they would work round the clock to finalize the design. They would put in place a real marketing strategy and greatly improve the web site (no cheap computer graphics). They would accept that the price could be higher and the mileage less. They would put it into production. They would then work to improve the next generation vehicle.

Ask yourself, "Would Honda put off building a Civcc for 5 years if it didn't meet a mileage goal?" The answer is simple, NO.

People would still buy an Elio if it got 75mpg and costs $7800. So why delay building it? Either the management is really bad, or the goals are messed up. Paul Elio's goal is to design a car that gets 84 mpg and costs $6800. "Cast in stone" is a common phrase from the sales pitch.

This attitude is like doctors saying..."we can cure cancer, but we won't because it's slightly over budget and we can only cure most cancers." When you are near to your goal sometimes you have to cut your losses and move on.

Elio Motors, get out of your own way already. Sometimes Good is Good Enough.

 

[Craig]

I really hope I am wrong, but there are many things with Elio Motors that seem "odd" to me.

I have been involved at major startup companies. Money is spent, people hired, offices wired, computers installed, and buildings are modified and constructed. There is enormous simultaneous activity at all levels. We never saw a "delay by lawyers ". We worked our butts off to get the company up and running on schedule. We had project plans and schedules. We met with vendors and contractors almost daily. There was noticeable professional activity.

I don't see that here.

Everything I see at Elio, even the mules, is unfinished. The vehicle design is not finished, the web site is unfinished (you can't actually buy a vehicle or get prices on options, etc...), there are no actual dealership locations (only a list of cities), there is no completed engine, there are no actual mileage numbers - only computer estimates, there are no crash test results - only computer simulations, there is no real marketing (no print ads, no New Car shows, etc...), there is an empty plant owned by the Parish (remember when Elio was going to buy it, but that didn't happen), There are machines in the plant - but no tooling, there are agreements with vendors like cooper tires, but no actual contracts to buy...

It all feels like a Giant Junior Achievement project...no wait, they actually get something done.

What I see is a sales pitch with a promise of a vehicle that gets 84 mpg, $6800. I see t-shirts being sold on that promise and I see a company that repeatedly delays the promised production start.

I also see a company that believes in itself, but does not appear to know how or when to get out of it's own way....

If this was GM or Ford or Toyota, they would work round the clock to finalize the design. They would put in place a real marketing strategy and greatly improve the web site (no cheap computer graphics). They would accept that the price could be higher and the mileage less. They would put it into production. They would then work to improve the next generation vehicle.

Ask yourself, "Would Honda put off building a Civcc for 5 years if it didn't meet a mileage goal?" The answer is simple, NO.

People would still buy an Elio if it got 75mpg and costs $7800. So why delay building it? Either the management is really bad, or the goals are messed up. Paul Elio's goal is to design a car that gets 84 mpg and costs $6800. "Cast in stone" is a common phrase from the sales pitch.

This attitude is like doctors saying..."we can cure cancer, but we won't because it's slightly over budget and we can only cure most cancers." When you are near to your goal sometimes you have to cut your losses and move on.

Moved to a thread.

Elio Motors, get out of your own way already. Sometimes Good is Good Enough.

What if EM is still only pushing a concept rather than a car at this time. Would things look different to you? I think you must agree, the more people you sell the concept to (three wheels vs four and the over all size) the easyer it will be to sell the actual car (or do you think they are one in the same?). It could be the best car in the world, but not if the concept does not catch on. Selling the car before the concept, is like putting the cart before the horse. JMO

 

[Brainmatter]

There is a lot of simultaneous activity going on. You do not get the rights to sign all they partners they have just because you want to. You do not get IAV to parrot your PR's on their website let alone mock-up an entire engine system. That's just one example.

 

[goofyone]

Something to keep in mind when comparing Elio to an established car company is that by the time they announce a vehicle a very large group of people and companies have already been working on it for several years. They also already have production lines in place to build it and a network of dealerships to sell to the end users. You do not really get to see any of the actual process it take to bring a vehicle from concept form to a real product available for sale.

Elio on the other hand has presented us with a concept car and we are getting to see some of what it takes to take that and make it into a real product. This process will include delays caused by numerous issues and even the possibility that funding runs out before they can bring it to market.

I am trying to be realistic about the situation and while I still feel good about my $1K investment I am fully prepared for delays and even the possibility of everything falling through and all I may have to show for all this is a very expensive T-shirt and bumper sticker.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[JP]

Something to keep in mind when comparing Elio to an established car company is that by the time they announce a vehicle a very large group of people and companies have already been working on it for several years. They also already have production lines in place to build it and a network of dealerships to sell to the end users. You do not really get to see any of the actual process it take to bring a vehicle from concept form to a real product available for sale.

Elio on the other hand has presented us with a concept car and we are getting to see some of what it takes to take that and make it into a real product. This process will include delays caused by numerous issues and even the possibility that funding runs out before they can bring it to market.

I am trying to be realistic about the situation and while I still feel good about my $1K investment I am fully prepared for delays and even the possibility of everything falling through and all may have to show for all this is a very expensive T-shirt and bumper sticker.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I'm excited for the car but there still lots of hurdles to clear if they want to keep their promise and bring the car to market.

 

[KScarguy]

If Elio was only introducing the concept to the public, and not taking deposits on the vehicle (yes, I call them deposits), I might have a different outlook. However, they take deposits and keep delaying, so I do have my doubts.

To put it into perspective; would you pay a home contractor for a remodeling job and then accept years of delays?

I all makes me wonder if maybe they are underfunded and can't afford to build the production capabilities to produce and distribute on such a massive scale, or if they are without talented management who can make it happen at a reasonable pace. Both make me worry. Companies with innovations don't delay, because if they do, they will lose precious market share.

This concept seems ripe for one of the major car companies to swoop in, design their own vehicle (bet they are already doing that), use their own plant and equipment and manufacturing expertise to build it, market it at a profit equal to their econo-boxes, and sell it in their already established dealerships.

Elio has put this concept out there for everyone to see, and they are doing all the legwork of getting helmet laws changed. It seems like they are just making it ripe to be copied by others. If that happens, then their business plan might fall apart and they might not be able to sell enough units to survive. Elio has proven there is a desire and a market for the vehicles.