Elio Motors

src: pbs.twimg.com

Elio Motors is an autocycle design company founded by Paul Elio in 2009. The three-wheeled Elio P4 aspires to attain a highway mileage rating of up to 84 mpg with regular automobile features such as power windows, a power door lock, cruise control, and air conditioning, all in an aerodynamic, enclosed vehicle body. The design also includes a safety system of multiple air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, steel unibody frame, and crumple zones. Elio has suggested that manufacturing could happen in Shreveport, Louisiana, but has yet to go into production.

Video Elio Motors

Specifications

Elio Motors designed a three-wheeled autocycle with two wheels in front, one in back. Advertisements starting in 2017 show an increased base price target of $7,450 ($7,300 for those with reservations). It is designed to achieve up to 84 mpg-US (2.8 l/100 km) on the highway and up to 49 in the city. As of June 2017, there are five prototypes and three validation vehicles (codenamed: E1-A, E1-C, and E1-D) to test for safety, aerodynamics, and durability. Even though the E1-C is not used for testing, it is the most up-to-date interior with a cosmetically-evolved engine. Elio claims the autocycle could be produced using 80% soft-tooling. Elio's marketing has suggested that 100 pre-production fleet vehicles could be built at its Shreveport, Louisiana manufacturing facility if additional funds are secured.

The vehicle's design includes standard automobile features such as AC/Heat (manufactured by RedDOT), AM/FM stereo, power windows/door lock, cruise control, three airbags, a reinforced steel roll cage, side intrusion beams, stability control, and disc brakes with ABS. Continental AG has designed a tire specifically for the Elio. Elio designs meet motorcycle standards because as a three-wheeled autocycle, it is within the U.S. government's motorcycle classification. The company has lobbied in most states, to alter regulations that would otherwise require drivers to wear a helmet and, in many states to remove the requirement for operators to have a motorcycle endorsement on their driver license.

The design targets a curb weight of 1,350 lb (610 kg); three-wheel anti-lock disc brakes; an inline 0.9 liter three cylinder (designed especially for Elio by IAV), 55 horsepower (41 kW) engine; and front-wheel drive, with a top speed of 107 mph (172 km/h) and an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in approximately 10.8 seconds. The vehicle design has an overall length of 160.5 inches (4.08m) and an overall height of 54.2 inches. The front track is designed to be 66.8 inches with a wheelbase of 110 inches. The trunk space is designed to be 27 × 14 × 10 inches, enough for one airline carry-on bag or golf bag with the rear seat folded down (47+ inches).

Maps Elio Motors

Production

Elio Motors is based in Phoenix, Arizona and has claimed that manufacturing would be capable in a facility in Shreveport, Louisiana, using a portion of the former General Motors 3.2 million-square-foot plant. It is estimated by the company that upwards of 1,500 people could be employed at the Shreveport facility plus an additional 1,500 at the supply base, if production were to occur. In addition, Elio Motors is claims that 90% of parts for its vehicle would originate in North American.

The idea of 100 pre-production fleet vehicles was teased in December 2016, however social media replies on Nov 1, 2017 from Elio Motors stated, "We are targeting the start of production in 2019". The potential service provider for Elio Motors is Pep Boys which has more than 800 service centers and 7,500 service bays in 35 states. The company started accepting customer reservations on its website in January of 2013 and stopped accepting reservations at 65,341 in 2017. On 2017 August 03, Elio filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to have an initial public offering (IPO) for its common stock in order to raise $100 million in capital. In the filing, it said that their vehicle would not be capable of production until 2019 at earliest.

Elio Motors, the Arizona startup planning to begin commercial ...

src: s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com

Criticism and controversies

Elio Motors has continuously delayed the release date, which was originally in 2012. Since then, the date has been pushed back each year. In December 2016, the date was announced to have moved to 2018. . and on Nov 1, 2017 in a Facebook reply, Elio Motors mentioned the start of production aimed for 2019. These dates have made automotive analysts question the company's ability to bring a product to market. Critics have drawn comparisons to the Lit Motors C-1 and Aptera Motors, which had similar production schemes requiring more funding than was attainable, while updating production timelines to give the impression that a product was deliverable. In an effort to secure a Department of Energy loan, Elio offered advance reservations where the buyer can reserve a spot in line to possibly purchase a vehicle for a base price of $7,450.

According to KTBS news, the car company had a $123 million accumulated deficit with $101,317 in the bank on Sept. 30, 2016.