[R_burke]

On the face of it I think it's a great idea, but....

Under $7,000
84 MPG
Airbags
Air conditioning
AM/FM radio

Whats not to like?

http://www.eliomotors.com/

[bummrush]

Thats what im trying to figure out

[srb]

I've been watching them for awhile.  It's cost is equal to or less than most midrange motorcycles.  My only reservation would be the ease of getting parts or service, depending on your location.

Not that all 14,623 reservations would actually be converted into sales, but it's still mighty impressive, representing about $100 million dollars in potential sales.

Steve

[coke]

I'd prefer to sacrifice some gas mileage for more performance, if it could be done without increasing cost.   It would add some fun and possibly add to the safety by making it easier to move in traffic.

[jackman]

It only seats one person?  I wish they made it a little wider and sat two across.  It's an interesting idea, three wheels, front wheel drive, able to drive all year, etc.  Didn't BMW have a concept like this a few years ago?   Someone did but I thought it was a two seater.  I'd like to see a two seat, convertible version with a fast motorcycle engine!  That would be a fun little ride. 

I hope these guys make it!  It is a cool looking vehicle.

[R_burke]

It only seats one person?  I wish they made it a little wider and sat two across.  It's an interesting idea, three wheels, front wheel drive, able to drive all year, etc.  Didn't BMW have a concept like this a few years ago?   Someone did but I thought it was a two seater.  I'd like to see a two seat, convertible version with a fast motorcycle engine!  That would be a fun little ride. 

I hope these guys make it!  It is a cool looking vehicle.

Specs say it has a rear seat, not very roomy but a rear seat

Interior Shoulder Width: 26.8 in
Front seat Legroom: 42.7 in
Rear seat Legroom: 33.1 in

[srb]

  
         Elio Rear Seat

From Before It's News :

"Once inside, it’s fairly comfortable. You do feel like you are sitting in the cockpit of a small plane, but it’s not claustrophobic, at least in the front seat. Elio has photos and video of a wide variety of body types fitting in the car – they say it’s designed around the 95th percentile of adult men. The back seat is a different story. Getting back there was surprisingly not too difficult. I deliberately left the front seat in the rearmost position to make access to the back harder. I’m not a particularly large person at 5’6″, but I’m not exactly skinny either. I didn’t really have to contort myself to get into the back seat. Once there, though, even with the small side back windows, unlike the front seat it feels rather claustrophobic. I was told that there will be ventilation for the rear passenger. Still, I wouldn’t want to have to sit back there for a long ride. "

Steve

[Russell Dawkins]

It only seats one person?  I wish they made it a little wider and sat two across.  It's an interesting idea, three wheels, front wheel drive, able to drive all year, etc.  Didn't BMW have a concept like this a few years ago?   Someone did but I thought it was a two seater.  I'd like to see a two seat, convertible version with a fast motorcycle engine!  That would be a fun little ride. 

I think you might be talking about a Morgan 3 Wheeler:







http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/morgan/3-wheeler

[mgalusha]

I sat in the prototype they took around the country on tour. I'm 6'2 and about 250 lbs and it was fine for me. The controls needed to be arranged a little better, I found the shifter too far forward but it was very much a prototype, very likely the production models would be different. If they reach production it's fairly likely I'd buy, I liked it enough but I have a fondness for small vehicles.

[Russell Dawkins]

I wonder what it would look like if they were to extend the roof line with a much shallower arc, like a hatchback, towards the rear with a small hinging rear window allowing access to storage plus some rearward visibility beyond mirrors only. The coefficient of drag would not be overly spoiled and the feeling of claustrophobia in the back would be diminished and, as well, the sideways view from the rear seat would also be improved. I know they're trying to keep manufacturing costs way down by, among other things, reducing complexity - and the rear hatch would be another component - but I think this might be worthwhile.

Otherwise I think this is a logical vehicle for some and my main concern is that they have left too little profit in the formula to thrive - or even survive past the earliest stages.

The configuration (3 wheels, two in the front, forward weight bias, front wheel drive) is known to be good from the performance perspective, but it's not the most space efficient in terms of cubic payload capacity per unit road area occupied. A side-by-side version is probably feasible and would be more space-efficient, but I think it would require a door on the right hand side, and there go manufacturing costs again.

As to effectiveness, in around 1970 some enterprising racers in England were chopping Mini Coopers across behind the front seats, tacking a swing arm rear suspension and some rudimentary bodywork on and entering in motorcycle sidecar races for which, as 3 wheelers, they were eligible. They called them Mini Mogs (Mog is short for Morgan, see post above). They were so much faster than the field they were banned. They then entered 4 wheel sports car races (I don't know what class) and were banned from them for the same reason.

I'd like one.

[JohnR]

FWIW I get 60 mpg (realistically measured, in US gallons) with my Mini Diesel on a run out to the country and back (around 500km round trip). And it's a full-function car... It did cost more than $7k though.