Posted on 08/15/2014 12:57:38 AM PDT by Olog-hai
Your next commuter car could have two seats, three wheels and get 84 miles to the gallon.
Elio Motors wants to revolutionize U.S. roads with its tiny car, which is the same length as a Honda Fit but half the weight. With a starting price of $6,800, its also less than half the cost.
Phoenix-based Elio plans to start making the cars next fall at a former General Motors plant in Shreveport, Louisiana. [ ]
Because it has three wheelstwo in front and one in the rearthe Elio is actually classified as a motorcycle by the U.S. government. But Elio Motors founder Paul Elio says the vehicle has all the safety features of a car, like anti-lock brakes, front and side air bags and a steel cage that surrounds the occupants. Drivers wont be required to wear helmets or have motorcycle licenses.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
And it would tip over if you turned to quickly.
I’d probably trust it, as long as it is well made, as a motorcycle. Lots of people trust their bikes on the highway.
It will look good under a dump truck.
Put your F-250’s wheel square on the Elio’s centerline when you go over and YOU will flip .. it has a full perimeter tube frame (including the roof) very similar to a roll cage in a race car... Resolutes dump truck will crush it but your 7,000# F-series won’t.
This car is simply taking engineering to it’s extremes with normal materials.
1200# (hoped for) weight
55 hp 900cc 3cyl in a typical FWD type package
as a motorcycle it doesn’t have to meet car emission standards ,, and can be tuned for max mpg
with half the frontal area it has half the drag..
the mpg estimates are do-able.
the a/c and am/fm are all I need
my kids have given it a “thumbs up” as being cool...
This is a winner... nothing in this car is new or experimental... true environmentalists should support it (but probably won’t).. it will save me 60% on fuel .. I’M ALL IN...
Looks like the Oscar Meyer wiener mobile.
Btw, my man response is, “my F250 can run over anything” (I really have one).
We have not put in a reservation yet but we are seriously thinking about getting an Elio. Like I told Mr GG2 how bad can you get hurt for $6,800.00?
Btw, my man response is, my F250 can run over anything (I really have one).
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This car would be a 52” ramp for either the left or right side of your truck , the roof will NOT crush in like any other car that has simple stamped panels and A/B/C pillars with little interconnection.
Elio says they are going to get a 5 star crash rating. If so pretty impressive.
(Smart Car vs Dump Trucks)
I'll take my chances with my F-250, thanks
Well, there was a comparison with the Honda Fit, which is about 2,500 lbs curb weight; since this is half the weight, I cannot imagine it handling very well; you’d have to wait for the roads to be plowed and salted before even thinking of venturing outside with it.
People trust their lives to motorcycles on the highway. This being in essence a 1,200-lb bubble car (which were all based on motorcycles or scooters, but not all with safety cages as this one has), it’s pretty much the same situation.
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