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Factory 5's are $16k kits plus the cost of a donor 87 - 04 Mustang.
Need to make your car a "kit" somehow if you are going to "sell" - otherwise, yes, you have to do the government paperwork. At least from what I have seen.... I am not sure if leaving an ignition out for the new owner to install is consider enough of a kit, but I am sure there is a line somewhere.
On Edit: You can spend upwards of $50k on a Factory 5 kit - but you don't have to.
It's interesting, and if it fit my daily commute needs I'd consider it, but there's not enough information about it yet. It seems as though it would be safer than a motorcycle. If it competed with the top-subcompacts for safety, I'd consider something like this.
It's interesting, and if it fit my daily commute needs I'd consider it, but there's not enough information about it yet. It seems as though it would be safer than a motorcycle. If it competed with the top-subcompacts for safety, I'd consider something like this.
The website says it is "Engineered for a projected 5 star crash rating." Apparently, they haven't done a lot of crash tests with the production model, but their engineers expect 5 stars.. which is better than a lot of cars.
A full body vehicle that gets (a claimed) 84mpg and sells for $6800. Just send $100 to reserve yours.
OK, so maybe you could build such a vehicle. And maybe you could even get 84mpg. Make it small enough and put in a tiny motor, it just might be possible, especially with a diesel. Maybe a bunch of carbon fiber to keep the weight very low. And since it's a motorcycle in the eyes of the government (note the 3 wheels, like a Can-Am Spyder) no safety standards, crash test and air bags are required, which will allow a lot of weight and cost to be eliminated.
But...for those without an engineering or production background, look at it this way. The vast majority of MOTORCYCLES cost more than $6800, often 3x or more that amount. And they are going to offer a full-body vehicle for that price?
If you buy into that one, I need some help moving money out of Nigeria. Send me $100 and I'll tell you how to get in on it.
Honestly though, there is some potential. Plenty of people would go for an "open air" vehicle but don't want a (2 wheeled) motorcycle. The only mass produced 3-wheeled vehicle, with 2 front wheels and one rear (drive) wheel, is the Can-Am Spyder. It's geared for an entirely different market, only gets about 35mpg and cost upwards of $30k, depending on version.
A "stripper" 3 wheeler, engineered for low cost and high fuel economy, could be a very interesting vehicle. Plenty of bikes will cruise happily at 65 mph, return 60+mpg and still have a lot of performance left over, with top speeds over 100. If you could achieve that with a 3 wheeler that might appeal to a broader market, it would be a very interesting little vehicle.
Some of us don't like open air vehicles though... So let Can Am take that market, let Elio try and get a different market. I've owned motorcycles - but it isn't for me anymore. I won't let my kids be on one either. To me, they are just too dangerous.
I still don't know if I would get an Elio as a secondary or commuter car yet. Lot of questions to be answered about how it drives, looks in person, etc... Also, To be honest, I like the idea, but I don't like going to start-up companies for something like a vehicle. Obviously we know the bigger car companies are not going anywhere, because they are too big to fail like Government Motors. (and I own a GM vehicle). So until someone like that gets behind it or the company really takes off on its own (like Tesla - I now trust them) I will be waiting on the sidelines. Although at $6800 and the company financing the vehicle, you don't have a lot to lose. I don't want to have something in my yard I can't use, fix, or get fixed.
Some of us don't like open air vehicles though... So let Can Am take that market, let Elio try and get a different market. I've owned motorcycles - but it isn't for me anymore. I won't let my kids be on one either. To me, they are just too dangerous.
I still don't know if I would get an Elio as a secondary or commuter car yet. Lot of questions to be answered about how it drives, looks in person, etc... Also, To be honest, I like the idea, but I don't like going to start-up companies for something like a vehicle. Obviously we know the bigger car companies are not going anywhere, because they are too big to fail like Government Motors. (and I own a GM vehicle). So until someone like that gets behind it or the company really takes off on its own (like Tesla - I now trust them) I will be waiting on the sidelines. Although at $6800 and the company financing the vehicle, you don't have a lot to lose. I don't want to have something in my yard I can't use, fix, or get fixed.
Not sure I'd want to be on the freeway on/in one... next to a big rig. Other hand, I think there is a market for this.
Think of all the 'golf carts' the retirees use in Arizona - this could be great for tooling around a small town. Wonder if they'd let it in the gold cart lanes? Are golf carts cheaper?
Hope some groceries will fit in the 'trunk'.
I want to let it get out and going a bit before I'd consider - but I would consider!
Not sure I'd want to be on the freeway on/in one... next to a big rig. Other hand, I think there is a market for this.
Think of all the 'golf carts' the retirees use in Arizona - this could be great for tooling around a small town. Wonder if they'd let it in the gold cart lanes? Are golf carts cheaper?
Hope some groceries will fit in the 'trunk'.
I want to let it get out and going a bit before I'd consider - but I would consider!
The obvious issue is costs, but I think we need light-duty freeways and heavy-duty ones. The light duty ones could be based on the "Rails to Trails" concept of converting abandoned railways. I would almost want to go further and have one lane in each direction on the light duty roads limited to 45-50 mph. That way people with city-cars, velomobiles, bicycles, e-bikes, mopeds, etc... can travel safely.
Truth is, there are places that people need to go that big-rigs don't need to go. In a downtown core, it would be really cool to have light-duty trails specifically for these cars based on the ideas of efficiency. Efficiency also means lower weights, so roads are cheaper to engineer for them. Heck, they could be raised in appropriate areas.
Again, I know that cost basically makes this idea impractical, but one can dream. At this point, I would just stick to lesser used two lane hard surface roads, I like getting off the beaten path and exploring. Example, instead of a road like I-70 to cross Kansas, I would use highway 36 with maybe some detours. I would be fine with going 55-60 in one of those Elio things.
Last edited by Xander_Crews; 05-31-2014 at 04:17 PM..
Xander - we can't even make safety zones for regular sized 2-wheeled bicycles to get around everywhere here. Yes it would be nice to do it- but this is probably something that should have been thought of prior to the building cities.
One of the things that Miami-Dade is starting to do is build heavy truck only expressways to get the big trucks off the regular highways and surface streets. We have a port tunnel that should be open soon and a secondary elevated/separated expressway from the port and airport to the "warehouse" districts that they go to. It isn't perfect and it isn't all ecompassing, it is a start though. A big part of this is safety. A have a F350 CrewCab Longbed pickup. I drive those streets to and from work, I feel like a fly on their windshield. It isn't uncommon to be completely surrounded by "big rigs".
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I wonder how many will fall for this?
