Elio Motors

[woolybug25]

Saw this and I find it intriguing. At $6,800, this car is practically free for me when you account the difference in gas savings. It is also supposedly going to have a 5 star crash rating. I know a lot of these companies flop, but this seems realistic to me. Certainly a viable product that has a "car of the people" feel to it. I commute almost 100 miles a day, so this would be a great "2nd car" for me (I'll never not have a truck, but its killing me with gas as a daily driver).

Thoughts?

Some time next year, a company called Elio Motors claims it will begin building a car in its Louisiana factory that will get 84 miles per gallon on the highway and that will sell for a base price of $6,800.
Yes, $6,800.

It won't be a tiny little deathtrap, either. It'll have a five-star crash safety rating. At least, that's what Elio is promising.

Elio Motors promises $6,800 car - Jun. 26, 2014

 

[GoIrish41]

Saw this and I find it intriguing. At $6,800, this car is practically free for me when you account the difference in gas savings. It is also supposedly going to have a 5 star crash rating. I know a lot of these companies flop, but this seems realistic to me. Certainly a viable product that has a "car of the people" feel to it. I commute almost 100 miles a day, so this would be a great "2nd car" for me (I'll never not have a truck, but its killing me with gas as a daily driver).

Thoughts?

Elio Motors promises $6,800 car - Jun. 26, 2014

I would definately be interested in a car like this. I commute about 75 miles per day. Would be great to do it on less than a gallon of gas. Thanks for posting this Wooly.

 

[ThePiombino]

I honestly think that I would pay $10/gallon before I ever drove anything like that. Then again, I'm a materialistic prick, so take that for what it's worth.

 

[woolybug25]

I honestly think that I would pay $10/gallon before I ever drove anything like that. Then again, I'm a materialistic prick, so take that for what it's worth.

So if you were me or GoIrish, you would pay $750-$100 a day for gas?

Cool... you must be really rich.

 

[GoIrish41]

I honestly think that I would pay $10/gallon before I ever drove anything like that. Then again, I'm a materialistic prick, so take that for what it's worth.

It probably won't be long before you ARE paying $10 a gallon. I'm married with four kids ... I'm not trying to impress anyone with my ride. lol

 

[IrishLax]

So if you were me or GoIrish, you would pay $750-$100 a day for gas?

Cool... you must be really rich.

You get a mile per gallon on your current ride? Or am I not understanding the distances/math presented?

$10/gal at a low fuel economy of 25 MPG would be $30/day for an arduous 75 mile commute.

Personally, I find the car quite intriguing. The current car I have right now (Mazda 3 with Skyactiv) I bought specifically because it's gas mileage was so good that it actually outpaced the Prius for highway driving and I drive a LOT to both my office and job sites. The car you listed seems like a perfect city car.

 

[ThePiombino]

So if you were me or GoIrish, you would pay $750-$100 a day for gas?

Cool... you must be really rich.

With my commute, I would pay $10. With your commute, I would move closer to work. And not rich, just materialistic like I said lol

It probably won't be long before you ARE paying $10 a gallon. I'm married with four kids ... I'm not trying to impress anyone with my ride. lol

This is clutch. As long as you're already committed to never seeing pussy again, this car is perfect.

 

[CraigKrenzel]

I'd definitely be into something like this - it'd make me nervous, from the looks of it, to drive it on the highway, 5-star crash rating or not. But I'm planning on selling my Mazda (costs too much to park and insure downtown for the amount I plan on using it, plus they have these Car2Gos in downtown Columbus I could use in a pinch it seems) - I'll keep on an eye on this next year.

 

[yankeeND]

You get a mile per gallon on your current ride? Or am I not understanding the distances/math presented?

$10/gal at a low fuel economy of 25 MPG would be $30/day for an arduous 75 mile commute.

Personally, I find the car quite intriguing. The current car I have right now (Mazda 3 with Skyactiv) I bought specifically because it's gas mileage was so good that it actually outpaced the Prius for highway driving and I drive a LOT to both my office and job sites. The car you listed seems like a perfect city car.

I live Mazda's! They are slick, affordable, and get you great gas mileage. Underrated amongst the public IMO, but the raters themselves.

This Elio car is very interesting. Am I looking at it right that it is a three wheeler? That's kind of cool honestly, but the 84 miles a gallon is what is truly the amazing part at the price of the car itself. In like 3 years it pays for itself.

 

[notredomer23]

I figure I spend about 10 dollars a day on gas getting to and from work(and that is with a car that is close to 40 mpg highway). This would make that about $3.30 a day. Quick math I think that would save me about $1600 a year in gas. That's a decent chunk of change.

 

[Emcee77]

Saw this and I find it intriguing. At $6,800, this car is practically free for me when you account the difference in gas savings. It is also supposedly going to have a 5 star crash rating. I know a lot of these companies flop, but this seems realistic to me. Certainly a viable product that has a "car of the people" feel to it. I commute almost 100 miles a day, so this would be a great "2nd car" for me (I'll never not have a truck, but its killing me with gas as a daily driver).

Thoughts?

Elio Motors promises $6,800 car - Jun. 26, 2014

Awesome!!! I seriously dream about a car like this. I love my Subaru (Subaru owners are a cult) but I would really love to downsize to a tiny car that gets astronomical gas mileage. I have a weird minimalist fetish. I also love tiny houses. Of course, we have a kid now, so my wife made me get a (relatively) big car and a single family home. Bleh.

You remind me of my brother in law, Wooly, with the "I'll never not have a truck" line. He started a new job that required him to commute over a 100 miles/day, and he had this customized Mustang that was totally his baby, and there was no effing way he was getting rid of that, so he got a little Honda that got better gas mileage strictly for commuting.* Why have just one car when you can have two for twice the price. Lol.

*He later got married and had a kid and his wife made him get rid of the Mustang. He was seriously near tears. I felt so bad for him.**

**The theme of this post is don't have kids. (lol)

 

[Irish#1]

I used to commute 160 miles a day. I stopped driving my CX7 and drove my wife's ION. Not a real big fan of driving the smaller cars on the highway. My biggest concern would be the three wheels. The more rubber on the ground the better.

Now my drive is 8 minutes and I fill up about once every three weeks. I would honestly look for something closer to home.

 

[wizards8507]

So if you were me or GoIrish, you would pay $750-$100 a day for gas?

Cool... you must be really rich.

You could, you know, move closer to your job. $100 per day is ridiculous. You could LITERALLY buy a $500,000 house for that kind of money.

52 weeks in a year
49 working weeks in a year, assuming three weeks of sick plus vacation time
245 working days in a year at five days per working week

$100 per day for gas
$24,500 per year for gas
$2,000 per month for gas

30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 4.25% = PV(.0425/12,30*12,-2000) = $406,553.73

Home purchase price based on 20% down and mortgage of $406,553.73 = $508,192.17

 

[Johannes]

Intriguing. How would something like this handle a Midwestern winter? Would it strictly be a three season vehicle?

 

[woolybug25]

Intriguing. How would something like this handle a Midwestern winter? Would it strictly be a three season vehicle?

I think it depends. I'm not so sure that it would handle much different than other small vehicles from a driving perspective, and it would certainly be easier to get unstuck.

 

[GoIrish41]

I think it depends. I'm not so sure that it would handle much different than other small vehicles from a driving perspective, and it would certainly be easier to get unstuck.

yeah, just pick it up and move it. lol

 

[Emcee77]

Guys, nobody's paying $10/gallon for gas or $100/day for gas. It was a joke.

 

[bkess8]

Sign me up... I drive over 150 miles a day to and from work!

 

[Cackalacky]

Sign me up... I drive over 150 miles a day to and from work!

I would definately be interested in a car like this. I commute about 75 miles per day. Would be great to do it on less than a gallon of gas. Thanks for posting this Wooly.

Saw this and I find it intriguing. At $6,800, this car is practically free for me when you account the difference in gas savings. It is also supposedly going to have a 5 star crash rating. I know a lot of these companies flop, but this seems realistic to me. Certainly a viable product that has a "car of the people" feel to it. I commute almost 100 miles a day, so this would be a great "2nd car" for me (I'll never not have a truck, but its killing me with gas as a daily driver).

My lord.... I dont know what I would do. I "Drive" maybe 15 miles per day at most. I have a hybrid and a tank of gas lasts me nearly three weeks.

I would most certainly drive something like this if it would extend my gas consumption by two months...lol

 

[Wild Bill]

I'd drive it, assuming it's safe. If I had room to store another car, I'd already have an 80's Mercedes diesel. You can pick one up for a couple grand, gets over 30 mpg, engines are bullet proof, easy to maintain and it'll run over half a million miles.

 

[Emcee77]

I'd drive it, assuming it's safe. If I had room to store another car, I'd already have an 80's Mercedes diesel. You can pick one up for a couple grand, gets over 30 mpg, engines are bullet proof, easy to maintain and it'll run over half a million miles.

I love how you just threw this in. This isn't usually a factor for me, but I do drive through some pretty rough neighborhoods on the way to work. I'll have to look into this.

 

[woolybug25]

My lord.... I dont know what I would do. I "Drive" maybe 15 miles per day at most. I have a hybrid and a tank of gas lasts me nearly three weeks.

I would most certainly drive something like this if it would extend my gas consumption by two months...lol

I spend over $150 a week on gas. So over a month time, looks like I spend over $500 a month more than you for gas. lol

fml.

 

[ACamp1900]

It's a one seater correct?? If so it's really just a Can Am with an enclosed cabin?

 

[koonja]

Stylish and efficient? You can have your cake and eat it too.

I get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog.

 

[Cackalacky]

I spend over $150 a week on gas. So over a month time, looks like I spend over $500 a month more than you for gas. lol

fml.

Running the numbers....$52/tank for me and average 450-500 miles per tank. Yeah so I get like 33 days on one tank. Its more like 28 days really. A moon cycle.

 

[Wild Bill]

I spend over $150 a week on gas. So over a month time, looks like I spend over $500 a month more than you for gas. lol

fml.

You use your truck as a daily driver?

 

[woolybug25]

It's a one seater correct?? If so it's really just a Can Am with an enclosed cabin?

Same wheel configuration, but a Can Am has handlebars instead of a steering wheel. A Can Am also costs between $17k-$30k depending on the options and gets less than 30 mpg.

So the comparisons really stop at the wheel configuration. Here's a pic of the interior of an Elio.

 

[ACamp1900]

I have a 20 minute commute to and from and fill up once every ten days or so...

 

[woolybug25]

Running the numbers....$52/tank for me and average 450-500 miles per tank. Yeah so I get like 33 days on one tank. Its more like 28 days really. A moon cycle.

You use your truck as a daily driver?

That's what I based it on too. Depressing me, dude.

Yeah. My truck is my daily driver and I not only commute to my office, but go on calls daily, which adds even more miles to my truck.

It's pretty cool.

 

[Irishokie]

Pay cash for a NEW vehicle that gets that kind of mpg?! This would be an easy decision for me when I drove 85 miles a day. If one ever starts to worry about other's opinions of having such a vehicle, just put a, "You should see my other ride" bumper sticker on the Elio!