The three-wheeled, two-seater Elio Motors commuter car, which gets 84 miles to the gallon, is expected to go into production in fall 2015, and nearly 27,000 people have already reserved one of the vehicles.
The lightweight car, which is expected to hit the market with a starting price of $6,800, will be sold through a network of 60 retail centers across the country.
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The company will produce the
three-wheeled Elios at a former General Motors plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, The Associated Press said.
The car, which is classified as a motorcycle because of the three-wheel configuration, includes safety features such as three airbags, a reinforced roll-cage frame, and anti-lock brakes. Drivers will not be required to wear helmets or get a motorcycle license.
The car carries two people, but the second seat is behind the driver, not side by side. It reaches a top speed of 100 miles per hour and comes in either a five-speed manual transmission or automatic.
Other manufacturers, including Germany’s Daimler, have introduced small cars expected to create consumer savings, but the market didn’t take off.
Daimler’s Smart car costs just over $13,000 and gets 38 mpg on the highway, and Kelley Blue Book analyst Karl Brauer said the Elio could be more popular if it gets the promised gas savings.
“If it really gets 84 mpg and doesn’t drive terribly, it would justify the compromises you’re making in size and comfort,” he told the AP.
On its website, Elio Motors said they’ve partnered with Pep Boys to service the cars.
As production plans ramp up, Elio is getting a lot of online attention, including speculation as to whether the company will actually hit the 84 mpg and 100 mph estimates.
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