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We really like our Prius. It comfortably carries five adults. I routinely load it up with livestock feed, and it has done very well driving on ice and snow.
I do like motorcycles, but obviously they do not work as well for hauling others or stuff.
We like our Volt too. Can't seat 5, but there are only 4 of us. And I don't have livestock, unless you count the kids. I do get their food from the grocery store in it.
It's not for me, but it seems to be what some people are looking for. Though the Elio is still a year or more away from having a vehicle to deliver, their website currently reports that 15, 840 people have put down cash deposits against future order positions and a certain amount of discount on the final purchase price.
It's not an unprecedented marketing proposition... a friend of mine bought a Smart Car that way in California years ago, and he was quite happy with how it all worked out. And Tesla has done well with a similar approach. But the road back to the future is littered with automotive flameouts, so I personally wouldn't be in a hurry to put money down on a vehicle that isn't even in production yet.
The problem with both of them is that I want a fully enclosed cab, radio, etc... creature comforts. I also want to be able to drive it in the rain/cold. This Elio car is similar to what I am designing, but mine is a little more fun/performance orientated. The one I want to build would not have the same gas mileage but would probably be able to do 50+ MPG.
These cars, a long with 4 wheeled city cars, are the future. I see people driving around GIANT SUV's just to commute, alone. As the economy worsens, more people will realize that it is ridiculous and expensive to have that kind of person and cargo capacity just to carry one person from location to location. Sure, have your SUV or large sedan, but save it for the long trips/shopping/etc... but people really should use the appropriate style of vehicle when commuting alone or with one other person.
That said, I would not buy the Elio. I would suggest other people do, but I have the skills to build something similar, and I am too picky to buy a production one. Overall, yes on the concept though!
(People who are afraid of cars like this need to ride a motorcycle or small roadster and realize it is NOT that scary... these things are engineered to withstand crashes, but crashes aren't necessarily going to be more likely. If somebody doesn't look and hits you merging, they would have hit you had you been driving a MAC truck.)
... The problem with both of them is that I want a fully enclosed cab, radio, etc... creature comforts. I also want to be able to drive it in the rain/cold. This Elio car is similar to what I am designing, but mine is a little more fun/performance orientated. The one I want to build would not have the same gas mileage but would probably be able to do 50+ MPG.
Already have all-weather vehicles that get 50+ mpg.
See, apparently you missed the part of my post that you quoted where I said I want to build a more performance/fun orientated vehicle. Your car cost over twice as much as what I would build, and is 3 times slower...
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