NGC Elio Motors 3 wheeler - merged threadfest

[steveford]

I'm all in!!!  ;-T ;-T ;-T ;D ;D ;D ;-T ;-T ;-T

[rodekyll]

You don't have to put a deposit down to be a future Elio buyer.  If it ever becomes real I'm going to road test 1 and if I like it I'm going to buy it for the Mrs.  Then she can join me w/our 2 small dogs to rallies.  :)

If it becomes real with the claims and the price I'll road test it too.  But it will need all three -- making it real, making the claims, and making the price point.

I saw a really 'cute' 3-wheeler last month while in line for the ferry.  It looked like something the cat in the hat would have ridden, made by Isetta for Big Wheels.  It was a covered tandem setup with a plastic-looking body that hugged the wheels and then abruptly swooped upward to accommodate the passengers.  A plastic flower coming out the top would have made it perfect. I wish I could have gotten a pic of it. I'd buy one of those..

[Mark West]

They've been pushing this thing for 3 years or more. As your Momma probably told you, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" Fast, great handling, safe, great mileage, low cost. About all it won't do is wash itself and babysit your kids.

If they ever bring a product to market and it meets half their claims, I'll be damned surprised. At best, the principals had delusions of grandeur. At worst they are flat out crooks. Either way, some trusting people are going to lose $$$$$

[LaMojo]

Same old delays.  Last sentence says it all.

http://www.ktbs.com/story/25697775/elio-motors-delays-production-almost-lost-shreveports-gm-plant

[rocker59]

"Paul Elio, Eilo Motors CEO, has stated his start-up has reserved 18,000 vehicles and outsold Mitsubishi."

LOL!  Now that's some delusional shite right there!!!   :D

[Lannis]

Same old delays.  Last sentence says it all.

http://www.ktbs.com/story/25697775/elio-motors-delays-production-almost-lost-shreveports-gm-plant

Elio Motors also plans to apply for a $200 million through the government's Advanced Transportation Vehicle Manufacturing Program.

This right here is the goal.   

Lannis

[oldmxdog61u]

Anyone see the polaris trike? Similar, but much sportier,  and made by ... polaris.  Fast little beast too!   

[rocker59]

Elio Motors also plans to apply for a $200 million through the government's Advanced Transportation Vehicle Manufacturing Program.

This right here is the goal.   The principals pay themselves and it gradually fades out.   
Lannis

Yep.  The goal is to get all the grants they can, then quietly go out of business.

[oldmxdog61u]

I like the reverse trike concept. But i smell a scam too..    Polaris "slingshot".  Way cool, and the polaris name behind it. I got a spirited ride in a guzzi powered morgan replica,  and that sold me on the concept. A total blast.

[Wayne Orwig]

Yep.  The goal is to get all the grants they can, then quietly go out of business.

That is the only thing that makes sense.
It is three wheeled just so it can be called a motorcycle, and get around a lot of safety testing. So you need a motorcycle license to drive it. That narrows things down a lot. Most states are still going to require a helmet. Right up there with the Corbin Sparrow. We see those everywhere.

BTW: did you know that everyone is now commuting on a "Ginger". How many remember that?

 ::)

[Lannis]

That is the only thing that makes sense.
It is three wheeled just so it can be called a motorcycle, and get around a lot of safety testing. So you need a motorcycle license to drive it. That narrows things down a lot. Most states are still going to require a helmet. Right up there with the Corbin Sparrow. We see those everywhere.

BTW: did you know that everyone is now commuting on a "Ginger". How many remember that?

 ::)

Was going to absolutely revolutionize transportation, and make the automobile obsolete.   When they "unveiled" that thing and revealed it as the "Segway" to be, all I could think of was "These guys could have taken PT Barnum and made a sucker out of HIM!".

I'm sure there is a revolutionary chariot being sold on carvings on the walls of Pompeii ...

Lannis

[Orange Guzzi]

None of these Elio car claims have been claimed/substantiated by anybody but the sellers.  This '3 wheeled car'(really a bike) has not yet been tested by EPA or CARB.  Buyer beware.   :D  If you send $ to these guys at this point, good luck on getting what you think you are.  ~;  This is about as sound as sending $ to buy a Motus MC.   :+=copcar

I was recently working with a manufacturer of 3 wheeled vehicles.  Because of the small quantity produced, some of the state and federal guidelines don't come into play along with exemptions if you recycle VIN's.  

Sending your money for a vehicle is another thing.  The guy I was working for was broke.  He hired me to do some development and assembly work.  There was a lot of smoke and mirrors going on in the shop.  It was easy to get impressed with the products that had been produced and were in the process of development.  But when you step back and look at the fact that this guy had been in the custom bike business for 30 year, you could see that there where 30 year old project that had not panned out.  He ask me to come up with some sketches of a light weight 3 wheeler because a guy in Alabama has a fab shop needing work and he wanted to take a product to market.  He took my sketches to the guy in Alabama who took them, built a prototype and told the guy I was working for to get lost.   It was funny in a weird way.  Made me feel good that some one liked my idea's though.  He later ask me to come up with a business plan to build 3 wheel vehicles utilizing the manufacturing resources he had, bringing in new equipment and employees. The plans were review, the start up cost and lead time where quite extensive.  The return on investment of such a project is there, the cash to produce is scarce.  I wish these guy well for thinking outside the box.  

[keithl]

A few mechanics I know have also pre-ordered and are sure that it's for real.  It's said that All Pep Boys locations will serve as service centers and there will be a 3 year, 36,000mi. Bumper-to-bumper warranty.  Projected sales price is $6800.00.

The Pep Boys affiliation makes it a little less attractive.  Terribly clueless service has always been my experience with that place.

[rodekyll]

I remember back a few years ago when those Chinese scooters flooded the US market.  The things were sold with no service outlets in place at all, and parts were a crapshoot.  Last time I was at Bent Bike in WA, there were rows of them, probably totaling 50 or so, rusting out back, many with less than 2500 miles on them -- they were literally throw-away bikes.  I think the pep-boys hook is simply lip service to this problem.  I'd be seriously surprised if someone pulled into a pep boys that had either the parts or the tech on-site.

[LaMojo]

http://gas2.org/2014/05/23/elio-motors-predicts-delays-3-wheeler/

[rodekyll]

Now that's unexpected.   ::)  :beat_horse

[Mark West]

Noting that there are still some rich suckers out there to invest and a few regular folks that haven't learned not to give non-refundable deposits on impossible dreams, Paul Elio announced that production would be delayed yet again. I think there are a few more sheep to be fleeced, said Paul. Once we've taken all we can, then we'll let folks know it was a pipe dream all along.

[Lannis]

Now that's unexpected.   ::)  :beat_horse

Like really.

I mean, a guy says he's going to produce a fully equipped, air-bagged, EPA and DOT-compliant car for $6,000 and people push forward throwing money at it ($55M so far).

Suppose the guy said that in June 2015 he was going to start selling gasoline for $.89 cents a gallon, if you would just put down a deposit on your first few tankfuls so he can get his secret process going.

Or that he was going to start selling fully-equipped 150 hp 16' bass boats, with trailer, for $3000 each next year, if you'll just send him money and be patient?

I don't know, maybe people would fall for that too.  Or maybe not.

Lannis

[Guido Valvole]

Somewhere, PT Barnum is smiling…  ~;
cr

[Sasquatch Jim]

  He fibbed.

[twhitaker]

  He fibbed.

Not any bigger of a fib than the sign at the bar that says, "Free beer tomorrow."

[Motogogo]

The Elio trike is progressing, they have now dyno tested their prototype 55 hp engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlM5jWOnDO8

Paul Elio sounds sincere about producing his machine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJUXhK4pHx8

Sure it may never happen but I remain hopeful, I'd love to park one next to my Guzzi. (GC)

[Lannis]

Paul Elio sounds sincere about producing his machine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJUXhK4pHx8

The ones who are REALLY good at this sort of wheeze are the ones who SOUND most sincere.   If he sounded like a weasel, who would send him money?

Lannis

[LaMojo]

In talking with a friend that lives in Shreveport -  Any information about Eli Motors is hard to find. The abandoned GM factory that Eli Motors was suppose to build their cars in is still shuttered. 

[Mark West]

this kinda reminds me of the Smart Car. That started out real hopeful since it was already a real car but then they had to change the engine to get it into the states and turned it into the slowest thing since a chevette with 2 speed automatic and the gas mileage went from great to being slightly better than a honda civic. They got a lot of hype but once people drove them, the majority lost interest.

If Elio ever releases anything it will be a lot less than promised and/or cost a lot more than expected. I think its great to dream big and set high goals but when you start making unrealistic promises as a way to get investment, you cross the line and become a fraudster.

[Cool Runnings]

Base Price $6,800



https://www.eliomotors.com/

[Triple Jim]

http://www.autoblog.com/2016/03/11/elio-motors-delays-trike-deliveries-2017/

[rocker59]

Base Price $6,800

https://www.eliomotors.com/

What?  You didn't think we'd have a merged threadfest for this, with all the cheap bastards around here?  LOL!   

[bad Chad]

The price is too high for what you get, no A/C no power options, manual trans.  By the time its equipped to sell, its going to be 10 large.   I have seen New econo boxes advertised for 10K in the local paper!

[pyoungbl]

Take a look at the web site....AC, power steering, and power windows are all standard.  Auto trans is optional.