Concept car easy on the eyes … and wallet ($6,800 and gets 87 mpg)

The Phildelphia Business Journal ^ | August 13, 2013 | Jared Shelly

[2ndDivisionVet]

The folks from Elio Motors dropped by the Philadelphia Business Journal offices in Old City on Monday to show off their new concept car (see attached photo gallery). Small in stature and containing three wheels (two in the front, one in the back), the car costs just $6,800 and gets 87 mpg highway (49 mpg city).

Although still in the concept and fundraising stages, Elio’s top brass has been showing off the vehicle across the country – from its headquarters in Shreveport, La. to New York to Detroit. For the first time, they revealed a prototype of the car’s engine, which has not yet been seen by any other news organization (see photos.)

The company plans to eventually have showrooms and dealerships across Philadelphia and all of the top 60 markets in the United States.

But starting a car company from scratch is no easy grind....

[arthurus]

And they are funny looking. They look like they are designed for the old guy who can’t hold up a motorcycle at a stop any more.

[Tainan]

There’s a surprise under the hood on that one....;)

[Vermont Lt]

Looks like one of those Can-Am tricycles. With a cover.

Just as an aside, I walked into my cycle shop last week, and as a matter of course asked the manager how business was. He laughed and said he’d sold 25 bikes this month (which for him was a very good month—small shop, mid sized town.) He said, over the years as gas reaches new highs, his sales pop.

There is going to be a need for high mileage smaller commuter cars that have room for American Sized folks. The major companies are not going to take that chance. It cars like this that will fill that gap.

[Vermont Lt]

I guess if you are living in the mid west and need to “haul” stuff up and down those highways this is not the car for you.

However, here in the DC-Boston Corridor, the commutes are pretty short and the speeds are pretty tame. There are a lot of trucks and SUVs driving around that have no business on the streets.

A small commuter car—whether it be electric or a small thing like this—is just whats needed.

No, you are not going to use it on weekends to go to the country or go camping. You are not going to load four kids into this either.

But, if I am driving in from the Boston suburbs, I am not hitting more than 40 MPH anyway. If I am driving in from 495, it might be scary on the highway—but no scarier than a motorcycle.

I have a big Silverado that I use for work. I also have a motorcycle. As long as it isn’t raining, I would do short haul/commute trips with the MC. Really, for about 90% of us, I would think the need for storage/cargo space is pretty limited. A couple of bags of groceries and a brief case are about it for most of my trips that do not require the truck.

But, I have a 650cc motorcycle and the best I’ve been able to get is about 52 MPG. And no, I am not aerodynamic. But does that account for 25 extra MPG?

With a roll cage, environmental contained space (heat and AC) this thing looks fine. The Smart Car looked OK, but it just did not look comfortable for a big guy like me (6’, 240)

I also would wonder how this thing would do in cross wind conditions.

[Domestic Church]

By looks, the Messerschmitt would sell today, it is more adorable than the Mini cooper and fits urban areas. If you could add some fold down wings and a propeller, you’d really have a gold mine.