The Elio reminds me of the three wheeled vehicles that were especially popular in Great Britain and elsewhere for decades after WWII. But it is probably more like a Goldwing Trike which is more comfortable and gets you out of the elements. By almost any measure it has more value than the electric trike that I posted. It is just that it is built with different goals and purposes. We are talking different animals with some crossover appeal. One is a high powered motorcycle/trike and the other is a bicycle/trike with supplemental electric power.
The Elio weighs 1200 pounds while a European faired trike such as the Dutch built Alleweder KV4 weighs less than 70 pounds, add 20 lbs for an electric motor and batteries, Then add 10 pounds of solar panels and you have a vehicle that weighs around 100 pounds that will take you 30 miles in an hour and then recharge itself while it is sitting in sunshine, or you can plug it in to recharge the batteries for a few pennies.
Is a small faired electric trike a good value? Probably not. Is it safe? About the same as a bicycle. Is it practical? Maybe in some situations. Is it fun? Depends on what you consider is fun. Is it marketable? How many global warmist Eco-Freaks are willing to pay good money for extreme bragging rights?