Will Rental Fleets Buy Them?

[Brent Geery]

Even at $6800, I can't justify (or afford) the Elio. I'm wondering if we will see the major rental companies add the Elio to their rental fleets around the country? My main ride is a GEM neighborhood electric vehicle. Get all my city-wide daily trips taken care of. When I need to take a longer trip, it's only $10-35 to rent a car + the cost of gas. I'd sure rent the Elio every time, if they make them available.

 

[creekstone]

Even at $6800, I can't justify (or afford) the Elio. I'm wondering if we will see the major rental companies add the Elio to their rental fleets around the country? My main ride is a GEM neighborhood electric vehicle. Get all my city-wide daily trips taken care of. When I need to take a longer trip, it's only $10-35 to rent a car + the cost of gas. I'd sure rent the Elio every time, if they make them available.

Hi Brent! Welcome to the board.

Until the whole motorcycle/car/autocycle designation is worked out, there may be some push-back from the major rental car companies. But it will be sorted out. And once availability of the Elio is robust, I can see rental car companies adding autocycles to their fleet. (More than one person I know has rented a vehicle for an extended 'test drive' before buying.)

I think the real commercial opportunity is fleet sales to companies that put one person in a car all day with little purpose other than getting them around. An example... my utility company puts survey employees in the Toyota Yaris.

 

[Brent Geery]

Hi. Thanks.

In fact, I believe fleet sales are what will make this company viable (if they can get it produced.) Like the GEM I currently drive, it's fleet sales that really keep them in production. Business does not have the same emotional factors clouding the decision making process, like personal sales have. A business runs the numbers and gets the cheapest equipment that gets the job done. And it's going to be difficult to find a cheaper bottom-line solution!

The one thing that concerns me is the single door on the left side. For many (probably most) business uses, they will need/want the door to be on the right. Elio should consider how sticking with a left side door will effect fleet sales. That might mean making automatic transmission standard and going with the right hand door. I still think preserving potential fleet sales would more than justify the decision to do it.

I want to be able to afford the Elio, and a used fleet vehicle will probably be what I buy one day.

 

[creekstone]

The one thing that concerns me is the single door on the left side. For many (probably most) business uses, they will need/want the door to be on the right. Elio should consider how sticking with a left side door will effect fleet sales. That might mean making automatic transmission standard and going with the right hand door.

I can see how commercial uses might prefer a door on the right. And, there has been a bit of debate on the subject for personal use too.

As Elio Motors develops, I'm sure they can adapt to the design to specific commercial uses (and sizeable orders to back up the design change).

 

[outsydthebox]

Hi. Thanks.

In fact, I believe fleet sales are what will make this company viable (if they can get it produced.) Like the GEM I currently drive, it's fleet sales that really keep them in production. Business does not have the same emotional factors clouding the decision making process, like personal sales have. A business runs the numbers and gets the cheapest equipment that gets the job done. And it's going to be difficult to find a cheaper bottom-line solution!

The one thing that concerns me is the single door on the left side. For many (probably most) business uses, they will need/want the door to be on the right. Elio should consider how sticking with a left side door will effect fleet sales. That might mean making automatic transmission standard and going with the right hand door. I still think preserving potential fleet sales would more than justify the decision to do it.

I want to be able to afford the Elio, and a used fleet vehicle will probably be what I buy one day.

Hey Brent, again welcome. As I understand it having the door on the right presents a challenge: where do they put the "shift Lever"?
The question that I have is What fleet vehicles NOW have a door only on the right? UPS and Fed EX don't count, as the elio won't be carrying large amounts of cargo.

 

[ecdriver711]

Welcome Brent.

 

[Rickb]

Hi Brent! Welcome to the board.

Until the whole motorcycle/car/autocycle designation is worked out, there may be some push-back from the major rental car companies. But it will be sorted out. And once availability of the Elio is robust, I can see rental car companies adding autocycles to their fleet. (More than one person I know has rented a vehicle for an extended 'test drive' before buying.)

I think the real commercial opportunity is fleet sales to companies that put one person in a car all day with little purpose other than getting them around. An example... my utility company puts survey employees in the Toyota Yaris.

I could see Elio rentals as an opportunity for the Elio Stores...........demos/rentals. Undecided customers could lease an Elio for a week..........at try it you'll like it special rates.

Fleet sales should be a very successful. Elio's would pay for themselves in a short time.

 

[Edward]

Hey Brent, again welcome. As I understand it having the door on the right presents a challenge: where do they put the "shift Lever"?
The question that I have is What fleet vehicles NOW have a door only on the right? UPS and Fed EX don't count, as the elio won't be carrying large amounts of cargo.

I don't think the questions is so much what vehicles have a door only on the right, or if the Elio should only have a door on the right, but what vehicles have a door on both sides of the vehicle (i.e. all of them) so that the driver doesn't need to get out to let a passenger in. Of course, if that tandem seat is only accessible when the front seat is folded forward, like the the back seat in a coupe, it's a moot question anyway.

 

[zelio]

Hi. Thanks.

In fact, I believe fleet sales are what will make this company viable (if they can get it produced.) Like the GEM I currently drive, it's fleet sales that really keep them in production. Business does not have the same emotional factors clouding the decision making process, like personal sales have. A business runs the numbers and gets the cheapest equipment that gets the job done. And it's going to be difficult to find a cheaper bottom-line solution!

The one thing that concerns me is the single door on the left side. For many (probably most) business uses, they will need/want the door to be on the right. Elio should consider how sticking with a left side door will effect fleet sales. That might mean making automatic transmission standard and going with the right hand door. I still think preserving potential fleet sales would more than justify the decision to do it.

I want to be able to afford the Elio, and a used fleet vehicle will probably be what I buy one day.

I'm a little confused as to why the door should be on the right. I know there is no way I can get out of the passenger door of my car from the drivers seat. Therefore, I always exit on the left. I looked up GEM so I at least had an idea what you are talking about and noticed the door is also on the left. Even in an emergency it would be almost if not totally impossible for me to exit out of the passenger door. In fact even when I ride in the passenger seat I have trouble exiting that door because my body is used to the left exit. There are many things I can adjust to but I don't think that is one of them. Part of the issue is age and balance. I don't want to mess with what works.

By the way, hello and welcome from Oregon. I hope you enjoy the time you spend here as we journey towards Elio production and ownership. :-) Z