Elio Production Inching Closer to Reality

Elio Motors 3-Wheel Prototype (2014) (Credit: © Elio Motors)

The Elio is perhaps one of the craziest cars inching its way toward actually being produced and driven on public roads in the United States. If you have yet to see an Elio, the thing looks like something out of an old science fiction movie, with two wheels up front and one in the rear. There have been delays in the car hitting the market, but the company has finally announced that 2015 will see the Elio tooling around on roads across the nation.

Any attempts to liken the Elio to the Tesla Model S are completely ridiculous. The Elio runs on an internal combustion engine and will cost a fraction of what Tesla wants for its luxury electric car. And of course there is the fact that the Model S looks like a modern sculpture of athletic fluidity, while the Elio looks downright funky. That funkiness is forgivable to many, considering that it has been announced the starting price of the car will be only $6,800, which undercuts vehicles like the Nissan Versa. The company estimates that the car achieves 84 miles per gallon, which is music to many people’s ears. In fact, the funky three-wheeler has already netted 17,000 reservations from eager consumers.

Don’t expect anything overly sexy with the production version of the Elio. The company is stating that it expects 0 to 60 acceleration to take about 9.5 seconds, which is a big improvement over some high-MPG vehicles on the market right now. Other details of the car are still being worked out, but look for more official information as the launch date nears next year.

Currently, Elio Motors is spread out across the United States with the headquarters based in Troy, Michigan and C-level executives based in Phoenix, Arizona. The automaker plans to fire up manufacturing in Shreveport, Louisiana.