I think it is advisable to put marker lights on both front fenders. Pedestrians and other vehicles will mistakenly assume the safe distance is measured by the body of the vehicle and not the fenders.
It should have a door on right side if it going to have only 1 door (safer for you and passenger) because you have access to both seats from right side as well (you don have to be out in the traffic to go in the car make it safer).
It sounds great but the thing that bothers me is the price jumping from $6700 to now it's $7300 for the base model. So like always the price should be over $10,000 by the time it's actually available. I would pay $6700 but no more.
It would be hilarious to see the small offset front crash test with an Elio... one tire gets ripped off but doesn't even hit the passenger compartment. 5 stars in that one for sure lol.
thats Not a P5, is a P4... Elio President told everyone that the P5 will include the Actual Production Engine and Transmission, so if that Prototype as a Geo Engine is the P4 Version, i know this because im Following Elio since P1
+Isaac Santiago I was wondering about that. They mislabeled the video. The P5 was on display for the first time in November at the LA Auto Expo. Weird they would have gotten such a major detail wrong.
+Chris Blake That's true but Eliot sounds more lake the scam from the late 70's and nothing like the Wright Brothers. As long as you have good dreams you will wake up happy so keep on dreaming :)
Benjamin Hunting Yeah seeing as how all the people who are giving Elio money will never 'get a hold of one' .. must've been quite a task to find this mythical borderline-fake device.
This will make for a great commuter car because I see huge trucks, SUV's, mini vans, cars and even smaller cars with one person in them driving to work. This is what most people need for getting to work or running errands.
This is great, good price, and a 2 seat-er, but I would suggest making the trunk big enough for 2 full sized suitcases (Even if you have to stack the suitcases).
PLEASE HURRY UP and actully PRODUCE these Elio vehicles!!!!!!! I love the product and Elio needs to get production going! They've been promising since 2015 and it's nearly 2020!!!!!
Just a heads up, the title of this video should say P4; the P5 is being debuted on November 19 at the L.A. Auto Show. This orange prototype is the P4; the P5 is red. Go Elio!
Elio has done a kick starter TYPE... of fund raising project that has met 150% plus percent of its goal. The motor that will go in the P5 was derived from the old G10 Metro/Swift 3 cylinder engines. The transmission is from Aisin. If you check out the blog at Elio's website you can view the progress of the building of the P5 with the motor/transmission and also body panels. They are building the first full P5 and simultaneously working on the frames for the E1-25 which will focus on various types of tests.
GREATNESS It's not: "I will buy one." It's: "I will make at least a $100 refundable reservation for one right now to make this a reality." People like you can make it happen. We can't rely on others to do it. Mine will be production #3,702 off the line. So excited! :)
GREATNESS For my 16th birthday I will have one. I'm sick and tired of people here in the US that are so obsessed with their gigantic SUVs and trucks like when a single man who lives in a suburban apartment buys a F-150 Dodge Ram or Toyota Tundra... whats the point, only they know. I love small cars because they are more fun to drive, don't take up 1.5 lanes on a freeway and especially saving the enviro. I hope America, especially Texas, will realize it's time to downsize!
Donovan Walker I really can't stand trucks either. My daily beater is a miata so this car resonates with me! I will definitely look into getting one of these for daily driving!
+Donovan Walker You will not have one for your 90th birthday. Elio has been running this scam now for 4 or 5 years with 2 or 3 prototype (non-production) cars. DO NOT SEND them money. All kinds of money is being thrown into a black hole by gullible people. If this car is actually built, it will be in very limited numbers. If they are sold for $6800 it will only be to fulfill some legal obligation to keep the company president out of jail, but when the lost investments are figured in the actually cost could be $250k each. The investors lose their money. A handful of people get a trike from a bankrupt company (no warranty, no parts) . Many of the cars will end up not running in backyards with tarps on them. The company president will take a few million and move to the next "investment" ($7800 personal helicopters). The die-hard kool-aid drinkers will blame the ungullible for not providing enough resources for the "dream".
7:07 Wow, that's kind of devastating. I hope for the Elio to succeed, but I can see how the naysayers have a point (evidence-free conspiracy theories notwithstanding). Those are crazy sales figures required for financial viability.
I'll be getting one of these for sure. With all of the driving I do, I will eat up the 36000 mi warranty in about 7 months. Then I will remove the gas engine and put in a diesel. I will be looking forward to even better fuel mileage!!!!
I have a Lexus RX 350 but I've put down the $1k commitment to buy an Elio. I think the Lexus will last a long, long time because I'll be driving the Elio around town and especially on road trips. 100 MPH? with low center of gravity and stability built in... 5 speed manual transmission... this thing is going to be fun to drive. Someday when driverless cars are the norm, I'll likely get one of those so I can travel and do other things. I think the Elio is going to give me the opportunity to get my mid-life car crisis out of my system before that happens though.
I would be interested to know how well it does in highway driving as well as when it comes across high cross winds. I've watched several vids of folks test driving the vehicle. But yet haven't seen any real highway or high traffic scenarios.
One suggestion I would make for more storage room is to have some kind of Motorcycle hard case baggage that can connect to the back left & right side of the rear tire of the vehicle.
ingineous, if you go for an engine swap on that one you should remember the sizing of the engines. The P4 prototype has the same Suzuki-built 55hp NA 1.0L I3 that powered Geo Metros and Suzuki Forsa city cars. The P5 prototype and "production" car would have a NA 0.9L I3 of roughly same 55hp, so figure a motorcycle engine or a very small (doubt it'd fit anything bigger than 1.0L, more so if it has a turbo on it) automotive engine for the swap. For comparison, the engine on the new '16 Smart ForTwo is a Nissan-designed T-0.9L I3 (slanted behind the seats) and the one in the US-spec Toyota (Scion) iQ is a NA 1.3L I4, so neither would probably fit... Maybe if FCA federalized their T-0.9L 2-pot they're already selling in Polish-made EU-spec Fiat 500's (that would be close...).
syxepop lol so are you saying front wheel drive cars don't need down force on the rear? Hahahahaha ...seriously? Wings aren't primarily for aid of the propulsion process. ...it's main use is stability and braking... adding traction to the rear wheels for acceleration is a distant third on the list.
ingineous, read again... I DIDN'T STATED THAT! It was +Axiarus on the post after mine (check it out...) At the speeds 99+% of the cars on the road drive 99+% of the time ANY spoiler on ANY car with ANY wheel-propulsion system won't do almost anything positive for performance. It would only + deadweight and + fuel compsumption. Also won't do anything for downforce. Downforce starts to be a consideration at speeds > 70mph (~ 110kph). At normal speeds torque increases are more useful (ask anyone who've "tried to pass a "Sea-Land" (18-wheeler) safely on the "autopista" (freeway, motorway...)". What I was asking about this prototype (BTW, Autobytel seems to be the LARGEST media outlet covering this, so the larger ones still "won't touch this even with a very long stick") is that if someone ever attempts to swap an engine on this "trike" to increase performance that would be wise to keep the small hood dimensions in mind, with either a similarly-sized engine from another source or get a more powerful motorcycle engine (someone here or in another page suggested a "legendary" Hayabusa as the donor engine). IOW, keep the weight down and try to balance more the weight somehow (55hp for like 500kg. (1100 lbs.) might be plenty, but could use a few more horses if someone wanted to).
benny gar, this is barely A SMART FORTWO-sized trike (don't even think about this as a "real car". You CAN'T PUT A 454 (7.4L) ON EVERYTHING! (unless you want to hit the pavement head-first the 1st time you try to accelerate...). Just ask anyone who had a Chevy C1500 454 SS 1/2 ton pickup, with an earlier version of said engine. GM axed the version after 3-4 years after complaints that it was TOO NOSE HEAVY without cargo in the rear (see the '60 MY anti-Econoline van/pickup promo Chevy made and have a laugh [and see my point]).
I run a 1.6ltr Turbo diesel, 5 seater, 2500lb car as a taxi in the UK. Over a 12 hour shift town driving, sitting at traffic lights, waiting for passengers to come out of houses etc, I average 49mpg. And believe me I don't hang about between fares! On a run, if I stick to the 70mph speed limit it gives me around 70mpg. Admittedly it cost a lot more that $7k but I normally change cars at around 250K miles, only becasue the interior gets a bit tired. I wonder how the Elio will run for?
I want one for some reason, I usually doesn't like small car like the smart car. I like the unique design of this car. It look cool haha. I will buy one.
To me the problem is that one does not face the passenger while commuting and also how enclosed the rear passenger is back there.. It would absolutely be a horrible/traumatic feeling for the rear passenger to be enclosed in the rear seat if hit in a side crash and the car just having one side accessible door..its basically a rolling tomb.
Why is it so difficult for companies to produce an enclosed cabin three wheeled vehicle? The only ones I see hit production lines are open cabin ones which require Helmet.
@@bahabeefgordita Elio already made the joke, painted it bright orange and loaned it to him. The major benefit of fore-and-aft seating for a driver is having the option to exit curbside instead of streetside, but they left that out.
Hopefully Pep Boys will see the need to have a store close to the planned retail centers. Pep Boys ran from Cleveland, which disappointed me, since I was used to them from North Carolina.
JediMindTricks183 They did it with the ForTwo SmartCar. Only difference is that it's front wheel drive so with a high-performance engine it would still handle differently.
+JediMindTricks183 The IAV engineers who designed the 900CC Elio engine have (through their own enthusiasm & choice), included an access provision on the engine block (and oil pan) for a turbo charger add-on.
mr bad example You may need to hold on to your smart car a few more years. I have been waiting for the production since 2013. Every year Elio puts up a few youtube videos like this, then at the same time push forward the production time. First it said 2014 production, then 2015, and now 2016. The Louisiana production just never came. I will hold on to my 10 year old corolla a few more years. Who knows, maybe 2019 will be it. If you search around, some people did the calculation, and estimated the cost to be over 13,000 or something like that. Not much cheaper than the other compact cars. Remember the 6800 figure is just a marketing figure.
John C G i will actually run my smart into the ground. at 62K miles, had the oil analyzed and there was 1/3 the metals in it than a smart that had 3 oil changes and 15K miles on it. so my smart will last forever, and besides it has all the smart car rally stickers on it since '09, i just hate it in the winter, will buy either better regular tires or dedicated snows on the stock wheels for the next winter.
mr bad example You are a tight package of contradictions. You choose a car stereotypical of a democrat-voting commie, then cover it in GOP/faux-republican bumperstickers. You've got your false dichotomy all screwed up, pal.
***** i like small cars, when i was 16-21 i drove "boats", LTDs, Catalinas, Polaras with big V-8s, at 22 (33 years ago) i got an escort, then a subaru justy, geo metro and now my smart. small cars are a personal taste. i get that now and then that "eco-freaks" only drive smarts and are commies. if i won the lottery, i'd keep the smart and get a MB coupe and an Elio. if i won BIG add a Maybach :)
That's not the P5; it's the P4The P5 just rolled out last November and it's Red; looks different than the one in the video.They are in the process of building the 25 E-Series which will be used for testing; 100 Fleet Elio's in December that will be built at the plant, and full production after that. I'm wondering what these naysayers will do then? Go find a Tesla to pick on?
Wish it was like my 2000 Honda Insight and had Electronic Power Steering, but it's interesting they went the route of DeLorean and have no power steering, but I'd still love to take one of the manual transmission ones for a spin, I might actually want one in a few years. It's funny to think that my Insight would be my grocery shopping car if I had a passenger. Hope the engine on the Elio lasts as long as my Insight since I'm currently over 200,000 miles. Been binge watching Elio videos all night as I love the car, just hope it doesn't get the 2 seater stigma my Insight originally got, where people passed up the car (When they actually found one at a dealership) because they felt 2 seats isn't practical. When in reality, I see most people in "clunkers" as the video called it, driving around with one occupant only and that's how I used to drive in my '06 Mustang GT and the same in my 2 seater Insight. Hope the Elio handles better in snow than the Insight and it would be cool if the car had the benefit of Auto Stop to save fuel at stops.
+Voivrenetwork My CRX came factory without power steering as well. I like the way it feels. And this thing is much lighter so I doubt it needs it either.
+Voivrenetwork Heck, I'm old enough to have owned big cars and trucks with manual steering like the '71 Dodge Charger we used to have, lol, so I'm not even slightly worried that it will have manual steering.
+Voivrenetwork Well it's a kind of shielded motorcycle, and i have not seen a motorcycle with power steering yet. Doesn't seem necessary. Sub 800kg cars have usually had power steering as a rare option at most, when such cars were still around. I mean the most recent one i can think of personally is Peugeot 106 or Citroën Saxo, and those have been gone for like almost 2 decades.
As far as styling goes, it needs a smile. As I look at it,the radiator opening it appears to give it a frown. If they could give it cuiter headlights that would help too.
It's not a matter of if they sell over 100K cars, but once production is going, can they actually make 100K a year? That's a lot of cars to be building and a huge amount of parts coming and going, will they have the capacity to do that? I can easily see producing 40 to 50K a year, but over 100K..yeah, they'll have to have their ducks very well lined up to do that!
Why haven't actual mileage figures been released yet? All of the publications discuss the proposed mileage. Surely, by now with 5 prototypes they should have a pretty good idea of the actual mileage!
The Pep Boys service center idea doesn't work for me. The closest one is approx. 3 hours away. Not exact close. I would really like one of these for my daily commute. Motorcycles are great, but go in the garage in the winter. So this would be a great option for where I live. However, I have a lot of reservations at this point. It sounds like the production numbers and several other goals are too unrealistic. I am looking forward to seeing the crash test ratings as well. Which I understood to be happening now? If they can make it work I would definitely buy one.
Release date has been moved to 2019. EV cars are getting better range. PHEVs are also good choices. They certainly are not as cheap as this claims it will be though. The price doesn't make a lot of sense. Even the cheapest cruiser motorcycle is going to run around $12k.
The Elio sounds great, but, they have told us that it will be for sale in 2014 first. Then they said it will be for sale in the spring of 2015, then at the end of 2015. Then in the spring of 2016 and now not until the end of 2016. How much longer is it going to be before they are ready to sell to the public?
+Walter Hunden Classic scam tactic. Push back delivery date, but keep people believing it will happen. Keep them on the hook. When no one else will put in any more money there will be a press release about some "insurmountable" problems and that the vehicle will not be produced. When the customers complain, it will be pointed out that the fine print promised nothing in return for the $1000 investment and that like any investment it is not guaranteed.
+Joseph Nichols Yeah, they keep pushing the release date back. I think they're just using it for government incentives and preorder money... seems sort of scamish, but who knows. I hope it comes out.
How about a 5-10kW starter generator on the engine, and then a 3-5kW traction/regenerative braking motor direct drive in the rear wheel assembly, throw in a 0.5-1kWh battery pack and a section of flexible solar panel extending from the windowshied to the tail lights. You now have a car that can cruise around short distances on electric only, could be start/stop capable, should get around 15-25% better city mileage even without charging it up first, and the solar panel will trickle charge the battery while you're at work and give a small boost to highway/city mileage, but more importantly could allow you to limp to the nearest service station if you forget to fill up the tank or something breaks down, i've got a much larger but similar system planned for my 7600lbs limousine, puting a starter generator on the drive shaft of the existing LT1, and two drive motors driving the wheels that were normally not driven, though i should see a much better improvment in MPG because i can get 1.7-0.8kW/h worth of solar panels on my vehicle, where as the elio will probably only fit 0.1-0.3kW/h
+denvera1g1 I suggest the engine starter generator be bigger than the rear drive/generator because you can still use the starter generator for regenerative braking and electric power assist, technically you dont need the rear drive assembly but most people arent going to downshift to take advantage of the regenerative braking capabilities of the starter generator, and note that a 5kW BLDC motor and controller can come in at under $1000 together, and i made a monitored 120Wh LiFePO4 battery pack for about $100, the cells i used are flexible, and can be laid in any orientation, they could even be put inside the seat as all 4 together were about the thickness and length of a normal laptop battery, but about 2x as wide, they made ones that were about as wide as a small laptop/netbook that would fit in the seat snugly, and that would be about 400Wh, though i would not recommend putting them in a heat insulating material
The last few comments were revealing. "Elio will have to sell 150-250,000 cars to be viable. Mazda only sold about 140,000 cars last year. Plus, Americans have pretty conservative car buying tastes so Elio will have an uphill battle." Achilles Heel right there.
JAYTC Yeah he said that and honestly I dont think he even knows what it means... 84mpg conservative... no need for conventional loan to purchase so your moronic kid can buy the car without asking for money... conservative... a car just to commute so my crewcab f150 can do what its supposed to camp, home depo, tow my boat, plow the driveway... not get 14mpg on my way to work.... everyone needs one, they just dont know it yet...
This thing looks rather promising, actually...just came from ChrisFix's opinion on this P4 prototype (the video title has a typo) and I think that this would be a good choice for someone who only occasionally hauls a passenger and lives on their own. It's like a Morgan 3-wheeler Miata, only with a smaller engine, front wheel drive and the passenger sits behind you instead. Lmao
I tried one at a futurist convention in Washington D.C. It is awesome, very much like an airplane, and roomy. I'm 6'2" and I felt quite comfortable in it. I have been waiting for this car for years now and wish they'd start putting them together--come on, it can't be that complicated--It's a simple design. Send me the parts and I'll put it together myself.
We have been waiting for several years, I will be retired by the time this actually gets on the road.
I think it is advisable to put marker lights on both front fenders. Pedestrians and other vehicles will mistakenly assume the safe distance is measured by the body of the vehicle and not the fenders.
It would have to have that in the UK.
Great observation.
I would just do the mod myself if they don't do it.
Don't worry u will never see it .
Wish these were in production already. Been following for quite some time now. Am interested in vehicle, would be a great commuter vehicle.
did you hear the dumbass , they're going to start building them in 2016 and it's 2021 already what does that tell you...SCAM
Aaron is the best, one of the most entertaining car journalists out there. We want more videos with him.
Thanks for actually driving it on a road, rather than a parking lot.
It should have a door on right side if it going to have only 1 door (safer for you and passenger)
because you have access to both seats from right side as well (you don have to be out in the traffic to go in the car make it safer).
It sounds great but the thing that bothers me is the price jumping from $6700 to now it's $7300 for the base model.
So like always the price should be over $10,000 by the time it's actually available.
I would pay $6700 but no more.
It would be hilarious to see the small offset front crash test with an Elio... one tire gets ripped off but doesn't even hit the passenger compartment. 5 stars in that one for sure lol.
thats Not a P5, is a P4... Elio President told everyone that the P5 will include the Actual Production Engine and Transmission, so if that Prototype as a Geo Engine is the P4 Version, i know this because im Following Elio since P1
+Isaac Santiago I was wondering about that. They mislabeled the video. The P5 was on display for the first time in November at the LA Auto Expo. Weird they would have gotten such a major detail wrong.
+Shrigis Typos are no surprise in a place where nonmany thang spel teh inkurrict
(That last part was a joke, but hopefully you get what I said.)
***** I got what you said and it was actually pretty funny. Well done.
Einstein, the video says it is a prototype of a P5. Read and listen next time.
@@donmoore7785 It's been in prototype mode for years while they stick their' hand out for more money.
Nice to see you back Aaron! I always enjoy your reviews!
I'm in line to get mine! Can't wait...
I'm "all in", and I can't wait!
+Chris Blake And you will wait plenty as I have followed them since 2009 and no real progress has been done other than pictures and empty promises.
Zoran Sorgic I know it looks bad, but heavier than air flight took a while as well. Look where we are now. It is a positive dream.
+Chris Blake That's true but Eliot sounds more lake the scam from the late 70's and nothing like the Wright Brothers. As long as you have good dreams you will wake up happy so keep on dreaming :)
Zoran Sorgic I'm only in for $100. It was a cheap price for a positive dream. BUT! If it does happen, I've got one reserved.
+Chris Blake I am also, but it's money I would take when I go to Vegas, and can afford to lose it
Nice job getting a hold of an Elio, Aaron.
Benjamin Hunting Yeah seeing as how all the people who are giving Elio money will never 'get a hold of one' .. must've been quite a task to find this mythical borderline-fake device.
+david esktorp Elio must be a time share. Everybody takes turns driving the one.
This will make for a great commuter car because I see huge trucks, SUV's, mini vans, cars and even smaller cars with one person in them driving to work. This is what most people need for getting to work or running errands.
This is great, good price, and a 2 seat-er, but I would suggest making the trunk big enough for 2 full sized suitcases (Even if you have to stack the suitcases).
"'Cause we won, baby!" I love it! You are the man! And this car RULES, so I'm buying one.
A rear view camera would be nice with a screen places where the rear view mirror would be.
this was super informative i applaud your execution of the video and you even took that baby on the road!!
PLEASE HURRY UP and actully PRODUCE these Elio vehicles!!!!!!! I love the product and Elio needs to get production going! They've been promising since 2015 and it's nearly 2020!!!!!
Just a heads up, the title of this video should say P4; the P5 is being debuted on November 19 at the L.A. Auto Show. This orange prototype is the P4; the P5 is red. Go Elio!
I dig the creeper in the back seat during the test drive.... Sittin there... Enjoying his life.
I can't wait to get mine!!!!
Elio has done a kick starter TYPE... of fund raising project that has met 150% plus percent of its goal.
The motor that will go in the P5 was derived from the old G10 Metro/Swift 3 cylinder engines.
The transmission is from Aisin.
If you check out the blog at Elio's website you can view the progress of the building of the P5 with the motor/transmission and also body panels.
They are building the first full P5 and simultaneously working on the frames for the E1-25 which will focus on various types of tests.
So every test drive I have seen does not have the engine they are planing on putting in this car. So the test drives mean not a dam thing.
I will buy one
GREATNESS No you won't.
GREATNESS It's not: "I will buy one." It's: "I will make at least a $100 refundable reservation for one right now to make this a reality." People like you can make it happen. We can't rely on others to do it. Mine will be production #3,702 off the line. So excited! :)
GREATNESS For my 16th birthday I will have one. I'm sick and tired of people here in the US that are so obsessed with their gigantic SUVs and trucks like when a single man who lives in a suburban apartment buys a F-150 Dodge Ram or Toyota Tundra... whats the point, only they know. I love small cars because they are more fun to drive, don't take up 1.5 lanes on a freeway and especially saving the enviro. I hope America, especially Texas, will realize it's time to downsize!
Donovan Walker I really can't stand trucks either. My daily beater is a miata so this car resonates with me! I will definitely look into getting one of these for daily driving!
+Donovan Walker You will not have one for your 90th birthday. Elio has been running this scam now for 4 or 5 years with 2 or 3 prototype (non-production) cars. DO NOT SEND them money. All kinds of money is being thrown into a black hole by gullible people. If this car is actually built, it will be in very limited numbers. If they are sold for $6800 it will only be to fulfill some legal obligation to keep the company president out of jail, but when the lost investments are figured in the actually cost could be $250k each. The investors lose their money. A handful of people get a trike from a bankrupt company (no warranty, no parts) . Many of the cars will end up not running in backyards with tarps on them. The company president will take a few million and move to the next "investment" ($7800 personal helicopters). The die-hard kool-aid drinkers will blame the ungullible for not providing enough resources for the "dream".
Great video and information shown here about the great Elio. I am just curious, why the crappy background view (dumpsters, beaten up building) ??
Insta-buy if it comes to Australia.
Would love a side mounted bike rack.
I'm number 76 on the list! Looking forward to getting mine!
I like that. It would be a nice addition to my 75mpg Honda Forza.
FRONT wheel drive. That's a huge plus and difference over other 3-wheelers.
7:07 Wow, that's kind of devastating. I hope for the Elio to succeed, but I can see how the naysayers have a point (evidence-free conspiracy theories notwithstanding). Those are crazy sales figures required for financial viability.
if they dont have a working engine a year away is this a pipe dream
once the car comes out, I will order it
I'll be getting one of these for sure. With all of the driving I do, I will eat up the 36000 mi warranty in about 7 months. Then I will remove the gas engine and put in a diesel. I will be looking forward to even better fuel mileage!!!!
Great video Aaron!
I have a Lexus RX 350 but I've put down the $1k commitment to buy an Elio.
I think the Lexus will last a long, long time because I'll be driving the Elio around town and especially on road trips. 100 MPH? with low center of gravity and stability built in... 5 speed manual transmission... this thing is going to be fun to drive.
Someday when driverless cars are the norm, I'll likely get one of those so I can travel and do other things.
I think the Elio is going to give me the opportunity to get my mid-life car crisis out of my system before that happens though.
I would be interested to know how well it does in highway driving as well as when it comes across high cross winds. I've watched several vids of folks test driving the vehicle. But yet haven't seen any real highway or high traffic scenarios.
One suggestion I would make for more storage room is to have some kind of Motorcycle hard case baggage that can connect to the back left & right side of the rear tire of the vehicle.
I like it.... it even looks like it could be tuned with an engine swap...and a tasteful wing on the back. I like it.....
ingineous, if you go for an engine swap on that one you should remember the sizing of the engines.
The P4 prototype has the same Suzuki-built 55hp NA 1.0L I3 that powered Geo Metros and Suzuki Forsa city cars. The P5 prototype and "production" car would have a NA 0.9L I3 of roughly same 55hp, so figure a motorcycle engine or a very small (doubt it'd fit anything bigger than 1.0L, more so if it has a turbo on it) automotive engine for the swap.
For comparison, the engine on the new '16 Smart ForTwo is a Nissan-designed T-0.9L I3 (slanted behind the seats) and the one in the US-spec Toyota (Scion) iQ is a NA 1.3L I4, so neither would probably fit... Maybe if FCA federalized their T-0.9L 2-pot they're already selling in Polish-made EU-spec Fiat 500's (that would be close...).
syxepop lol so are you saying front wheel drive cars don't need down force on the rear? Hahahahaha ...seriously? Wings aren't primarily for aid of the propulsion process. ...it's main use is stability and braking... adding traction to the rear wheels for acceleration is a distant third on the list.
ingineous, read again... I DIDN'T STATED THAT!
It was +Axiarus on the post after mine (check it out...)
At the speeds 99+% of the cars on the road drive 99+% of the time ANY spoiler on ANY car with ANY wheel-propulsion system won't do almost anything positive for performance.
It would only + deadweight and + fuel compsumption. Also won't do anything for downforce. Downforce starts to be a consideration at speeds > 70mph (~ 110kph).
At normal speeds torque increases are more useful (ask anyone who've "tried to pass a "Sea-Land" (18-wheeler) safely on the "autopista" (freeway, motorway...)".
What I was asking about this prototype (BTW, Autobytel seems to be the LARGEST media outlet covering this, so the larger ones still "won't touch this even with a very long stick") is that if someone ever attempts to swap an engine on this "trike" to increase performance that would be wise to keep the small hood dimensions in mind, with either a similarly-sized engine from another source or get a more powerful motorcycle engine (someone here or in another page suggested a "legendary" Hayabusa as the donor engine).
IOW, keep the weight down and try to balance more the weight somehow (55hp for like 500kg. (1100 lbs.) might be plenty, but could use a few more horses if someone wanted to).
It needs an chevy lsx swap
benny gar, this is barely A SMART FORTWO-sized trike (don't even think about this as a "real car".
You CAN'T PUT A 454 (7.4L) ON EVERYTHING! (unless you want to hit the pavement head-first the 1st time you try to accelerate...).
Just ask anyone who had a Chevy C1500 454 SS 1/2 ton pickup, with an earlier version of said engine. GM axed the version after 3-4 years after complaints that it was TOO NOSE HEAVY without cargo in the rear (see the '60 MY anti-Econoline van/pickup promo Chevy made and have a laugh [and see my point]).
If it releases around me I will buy one!
I run a 1.6ltr Turbo diesel, 5 seater, 2500lb car as a taxi in the UK. Over a 12 hour shift town driving, sitting at traffic lights, waiting for passengers to come out of houses etc, I average 49mpg. And believe me I don't hang about between fares!
On a run, if I stick to the 70mph speed limit it gives me around 70mpg.
Admittedly it cost a lot more that $7k but I normally change cars at around 250K miles, only becasue the interior gets a bit tired. I wonder how the Elio will run for?
Thank you for bringing Mr Gold back.
I want one for some reason, I usually doesn't like small car like the smart car. I like the unique design of this car. It look cool haha. I will buy one.
I am on the list and wondering when will I receive my car?
Just so makes sense for commuting today, and not bad for highway either for 1 person.
and here we are 4 years later and still no production vehicle or anything even close....
Get it on the market already!!!
I will wait for the second generation.
I’ve been waiting FOREVER!!! I gave up and bought a mini.
Good work Aaron
Can't wait to see what kind of performance mods people will do with this one. Could be fun.
For those of us who despise cages, this will be my winter/bad weather motorcycle.
To me the problem is that one does not face the passenger while commuting and also how enclosed the rear passenger is back there.. It would absolutely be a horrible/traumatic feeling for the rear passenger to be enclosed in the rear seat if hit in a side crash and the car just having one side accessible door..its basically a rolling tomb.
Freddy you must have never road a plane or motorcycle its like everything you have to be safe
Why is it so difficult for companies to produce an enclosed cabin three wheeled vehicle? The only ones I see hit production lines are open cabin ones which require Helmet.
I placed my reservation and hot my spot in line months ago. Cant wait.
feb 2019? so, where is it?
Next year. Always.
Can't wait for mine! Mine will be #3,702 off the production line! Whooo! Now the question is... Did you reserve one to help make it happen? :)
What's up with that ending? Was that intentional?
I think not cause most 1 seaters have 2 ways to get in.
+1Stunna2323 Maybe but so was his making a joke out of it. Nicely done.
@@bahabeefgordita Elio already made the joke, painted it bright orange and loaned it to him. The major benefit of fore-and-aft seating for a driver is having the option to exit curbside instead of streetside, but they left that out.
@@kd5nrh That sounds like a feature that people coming from side-by-side seating cars (most of their target) will not notice, let alone miss.
Scott Kilmer showed the engine :)
Hopefully Pep Boys will see the need to have a store close to the planned retail centers. Pep Boys ran from Cleveland, which disappointed me, since I was used to them from North Carolina.
Drop a supercharged Hayabusa engine in it
JediMindTricks183 someone will do it
JediMindTricks183 They did it with the ForTwo SmartCar. Only difference is that it's front wheel drive so with a high-performance engine it would still handle differently.
+JediMindTricks183 then put a hybrid power train in the rear so that you can get some crazy 0-60 launches.
+JediMindTricks183 drop a Ninja h2 engine in there. it's got a closer displacement lol
+JediMindTricks183
The IAV engineers who designed the 900CC Elio engine have (through their own enthusiasm & choice), included an access provision on the engine block (and oil pan) for a turbo charger add-on.
a great replacement for my 8 year old smart car! or i can keep both, they'll fit in one parking space!
LOL
mr bad example You may need to hold on to your smart car a few more years. I have been waiting for the production since 2013. Every year Elio puts up a few youtube videos like this, then at the same time push forward the production time. First it said 2014 production, then 2015, and now 2016. The Louisiana production just never came. I will hold on to my 10 year old corolla a few more years. Who knows, maybe 2019 will be it.
If you search around, some people did the calculation, and estimated the cost to be over 13,000 or something like that. Not much cheaper than the other compact cars. Remember the 6800 figure is just a marketing figure.
John C G i will actually run my smart into the ground. at 62K miles, had the oil analyzed and there was 1/3 the metals in it than a smart that had 3 oil changes and 15K miles on it. so my smart will last forever, and besides it has all the smart car rally stickers on it since '09, i just hate it in the winter, will buy either better regular tires or dedicated snows on the stock wheels for the next winter.
mr bad example You are a tight package of contradictions. You choose a car stereotypical of a democrat-voting commie, then cover it in GOP/faux-republican bumperstickers. You've got your false dichotomy all screwed up, pal.
***** i like small cars, when i was 16-21 i drove "boats", LTDs, Catalinas, Polaras with big V-8s, at 22 (33 years ago) i got an escort, then a subaru justy, geo metro and now my smart. small cars are a personal taste. i get that now and then that "eco-freaks" only drive smarts and are commies.
if i won the lottery, i'd keep the smart and get a MB coupe and an Elio. if i won BIG add a Maybach :)
That's not the P5; it's the P4The P5 just rolled out last November and it's Red; looks different than the one in the video.They are in the process of building the 25 E-Series which will be used for testing; 100 Fleet Elio's in December that will be built at the plant, and full production after that. I'm wondering what these naysayers will do then? Go find a Tesla to pick on?
Wish it was like my 2000 Honda Insight and had Electronic Power Steering, but it's interesting they went the route of DeLorean and have no power steering, but I'd still love to take one of the manual transmission ones for a spin, I might actually want one in a few years. It's funny to think that my Insight would be my grocery shopping car if I had a passenger. Hope the engine on the Elio lasts as long as my Insight since I'm currently over 200,000 miles.
Been binge watching Elio videos all night as I love the car, just hope it doesn't get the 2 seater stigma my Insight originally got, where people passed up the car (When they actually found one at a dealership) because they felt 2 seats isn't practical. When in reality, I see most people in "clunkers" as the video called it, driving around with one occupant only and that's how I used to drive in my '06 Mustang GT and the same in my 2 seater Insight. Hope the Elio handles better in snow than the Insight and it would be cool if the car had the benefit of Auto Stop to save fuel at stops.
+Voivrenetwork My CRX came factory without power steering as well. I like the way it feels. And this thing is much lighter so I doubt it needs it either.
Black91crx True, mine has EPS and it's only 1800lbs, bu if EPS failed, I doubt I'd even notice.
+Voivrenetwork Heck, I'm old enough to have owned big cars and trucks with manual steering like the '71 Dodge Charger we used to have, lol, so I'm not even slightly worried that it will have manual steering.
+Voivrenetwork power steering would add complexity and cost. and seems unnecessary.
+Voivrenetwork Well it's a kind of shielded motorcycle, and i have not seen a motorcycle with power steering yet. Doesn't seem necessary. Sub 800kg cars have usually had power steering as a rare option at most, when such cars were still around. I mean the most recent one i can think of personally is Peugeot 106 or Citroën Saxo, and those have been gone for like almost 2 decades.
Compact 3 cylinder diesel engine would be great in this
i'd me more willing to buy one. love the concept, and puting america back on its feet once again.
as a second car, for shopping and small commutes, maybe, in a place with good year round weather, so, not many will be sold in Canada.
79274333 we don't care about Canada
The production engine is starting to sound like Sasquatch in each video...
Thanks! This is a really informative video. Thanks. ;>
Great video
Would you buy this car as a kit car and just build it yourself at home?
Um the P5 kinda reminds me of the plymouth prowler i don't know if that's good or bad at lease the price tag is amazing
I'm thinking tall skinny Morgan style wire wheels, no wheel pods, and a matte clear coat. Might actually buy one of these.
As far as styling goes, it needs a smile. As I look at it,the radiator opening it appears to give it a frown. If they could give it cuiter headlights that would help too.
I already want one when i get back to California they should be in production by than.
yawning chasm I guess you were wrong
It's not a matter of if they sell over 100K cars, but once production is going, can they actually make 100K a year? That's a lot of cars to be building and a huge amount of parts coming and going, will they have the capacity to do that? I can easily see producing 40 to 50K a year, but over 100K..yeah, they'll have to have their ducks very well lined up to do that!
Why haven't actual mileage figures been released yet? All of the publications discuss the proposed mileage. Surely, by now with 5 prototypes they should have a pretty good idea of the actual mileage!
The Pep Boys service center idea doesn't work for me. The closest one is approx. 3 hours away. Not exact close. I would really like one of these for my daily commute. Motorcycles are great, but go in the garage in the winter. So this would be a great option for where I live. However, I have a lot of reservations at this point. It sounds like the production numbers and several other goals are too unrealistic. I am looking forward to seeing the crash test ratings as well. Which I understood to be happening now? If they can make it work I would definitely buy one.
I'm buying one.
Release date has been moved to 2019. EV cars are getting better range. PHEVs are also good choices. They certainly are not as cheap as this claims it will be though. The price doesn't make a lot of sense. Even the cheapest cruiser motorcycle is going to run around $12k.
Awesome little machine..want one
The Elio sounds great, but, they have told us that it will be for sale in 2014 first. Then they said it will be for sale in the spring of 2015, then at the end of 2015. Then in the spring of 2016 and now not until the end of 2016. How much longer is it going to be before they are ready to sell to the public?
+Walter Hunden Classic scam tactic. Push back delivery date, but keep people believing it will happen. Keep them on the hook. When no one else will put in any more money there will be a press release about some "insurmountable" problems and that the vehicle will not be produced. When the customers complain, it will be pointed out that the fine print promised nothing in return for the $1000 investment and that like any investment it is not guaranteed.
This company will probably not sell enough (it will fail) but I like it. I'd consider buying one if I had the storage for it.
the title lied to us, its not the p5, its the p4
where are they....been waiting 4 years....think it is a scam...
+xsnut1 He said multiple times late 2016.
+Joey Hall Before that it was multiple times 2015. Before that it was....do I really need to continue?
+Joseph Nichols Yeah, they keep pushing the release date back. I think they're just using it for government incentives and preorder money... seems sort of scamish, but who knows. I hope it comes out.
+HEROrr That is a belief that I held at one time. Somewhere in this deal is some government (taxpayer) grant.
xsnut1 it's a repeat of The Dale... look it up
Wow I want one. I just want it in blue
I want one for commuting to work. My old chevy gets 12mpg, this would save me a lot of money.
Car sales can be done if we export as well as produce for the United States. This car would do good in Japan, China, Korea, and Europe in general.
How about a 5-10kW starter generator on the engine, and then a 3-5kW traction/regenerative braking motor direct drive in the rear wheel assembly, throw in a 0.5-1kWh battery pack and a section of flexible solar panel extending from the windowshied to the tail lights. You now have a car that can cruise around short distances on electric only, could be start/stop capable, should get around 15-25% better city mileage even without charging it up first, and the solar panel will trickle charge the battery while you're at work and give a small boost to highway/city mileage, but more importantly could allow you to limp to the nearest service station if you forget to fill up the tank or something breaks down, i've got a much larger but similar system planned for my 7600lbs limousine, puting a starter generator on the drive shaft of the existing LT1, and two drive motors driving the wheels that were normally not driven, though i should see a much better improvment in MPG because i can get 1.7-0.8kW/h worth of solar panels on my vehicle, where as the elio will probably only fit 0.1-0.3kW/h
+denvera1g1 I suggest the engine starter generator be bigger than the rear drive/generator because you can still use the starter generator for regenerative braking and electric power assist, technically you dont need the rear drive assembly but most people arent going to downshift to take advantage of the regenerative braking capabilities of the starter generator, and note that a 5kW BLDC motor and controller can come in at under $1000 together, and i made a monitored 120Wh LiFePO4 battery pack for about $100, the cells i used are flexible, and can be laid in any orientation, they could even be put inside the seat as all 4 together were about the thickness and length of a normal laptop battery, but about 2x as wide, they made ones that were about as wide as a small laptop/netbook that would fit in the seat snugly, and that would be about 400Wh, though i would not recommend putting them in a heat insulating material
It is safe to drive this P5 on freeway?
Is the body plastic or metal?
The last few comments were revealing. "Elio will have to sell 150-250,000 cars to be viable. Mazda only sold about 140,000 cars last year. Plus, Americans have pretty conservative car buying tastes so Elio will have an uphill battle." Achilles Heel right there.
JAYTC Yeah he said that and honestly I dont think he even knows what it means... 84mpg conservative... no need for conventional loan to purchase so your moronic kid can buy the car without asking for money... conservative... a car just to commute so my crewcab f150 can do what its supposed to camp, home depo, tow my boat, plow the driveway... not get 14mpg on my way to work.... everyone needs one, they just dont know it yet...
This thing looks rather promising, actually...just came from ChrisFix's opinion on this P4 prototype (the video title has a typo) and I think that this would be a good choice for someone who only occasionally hauls a passenger and lives on their own. It's like a Morgan 3-wheeler Miata, only with a smaller engine, front wheel drive and the passenger sits behind you instead. Lmao
how was suspension, bumps etc??
I tried one at a futurist convention in Washington D.C. It is awesome, very much like an airplane, and roomy. I'm 6'2" and I felt quite comfortable in it. I have been waiting for this car for years now and wish they'd start putting them together--come on, it can't be that complicated--It's a simple design. Send me the parts and I'll put it together myself.
Yeah you would think the greenies would be all about getting this out there, but i don't think they actually want green vehicles.
what ,indeed a licence and registration do you need and what kinda insurance this looks cool 😎
Got my deposit in!
How'd that work out?
the nearest pepboys to me is 2.5 hrs away
An enclosed trike (the trike is to get classified as a motorcycle to beat crash requirements).
Based on the way this guy drove, I would assume that turn signals are optional??