OMG I might have to buy one of these after all!! I got in at $100 "just to see", then I read Jo Borras's really nasty (but accurate) summary, and figured this probably isn't going anywhere. Oh well if it happens, I'll pay up. I'll have a gen-1.

Its a great Idea, I'm guessing they can be produced relatively inexpensively due to not meeting all the government regulations for cars since they qualify as a motorcycle with 3 tires. Now if they could just put a small (but powerful) turbo diesel engine in it.

I like it.

Twice the economy of my two cylinder motorcyle? crazy claim

Ozuzi....it's not crazy....an exposed motorcycle rider is much higher and has a much high drag coefficient. Simple physics.
In fact the VW Polo gets almost 70 mpg on the highway with four seats and a normal car cross section. You just can't buy one in the United States thanks to the DOT.
The much thinner Elio should be able to achieve those numbers. Like DLK811, I too wish they would have opted for a smaller turbo diesel. It probably would have spiked over 100mpg on the highway easily.

I wager Elio will make a slightly more expensive model with a turbo-diesel, but one step at a time - they have to make and succeed with the original Elio first!

Great idea as a commuter vehicle that would be a blessing on fuel consumption. When competing with SUVs and CUVs they wouldn't have the carrying capacity but to travel between point A and B convenience would be paramount. Wishing them well in this venture.

I don't think a 1+1 seating position will sell well. GM did studies in the 50's regarding this and they weren't favorable. I would normally say this company is doomed to failure but the Board includes David Schembri (from Mercedes) and Kenneth Way (from Lear) so I'd say they're not aiming to scale up slowly (not your typical start-up). The unnecessarily large building no doubt is due to their other board member Stuart Lichter. It sounds like Lichter pushed for a lease, on one of the largest commercial real estate properties in his portfolio, with this start-up (which he also happens to serves as a board member). Dumping a large building on this start-up probably wasn't a good idea for scaling up but they were probably able to get a good tax incentive from the city/county/state to fill it. They'll also be in the location to get some of the cheapest skilled labor in the country to build it. Good Luck Elio

3 wheel Casket.

Hopeful that there are enough Americans who are the opposite of the huge SUV buying neanderthals. The main stumbling block in America is one of perception. Difficult to believe but true, there are many millions of people who actually look at some stupid machine like the escalade, and view it as an aspirational vehicle. Oh look at me I am so wealthy I can waste resources just to drive myself around!
People with healthy egos drive whatever suits them. Some even more able people want something like this vehicle. A sporty looking vehicle which also gives you fantastic fuel mileage.
Best of luck Elio!