Las Vegas (AFP) - The sleek three-wheeled car looks futuristic, but, as its creator acknowledges, it uses no new technology.
What makes the Elio Motors vehicle unique is its ultra-high fuel economy and an ultra-low price tag: $6,800.
The
vehicle, which was on display at the Showstoppers startup showcase on
the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, promises to
deliver as much as 84 miles (134 kilometers) per gallon (3.8 liters) of
gasoline for highway driving.
It
accelerates as quickly as many cars on the road -- to 100 miles per
hour in 9.6 seconds, according to the company. Urban fuel economy is
estimated at 49 miles per gallon.
Company
founder Paul Elio said he came up with the idea because "I got mad
about seeing all this wealth leave the country" for imported petroleum.
An
engineer by training, Elio began the firm in 2008 and recently took
over an abandoned General Motors plant in Louisiana -- one which had
been producing the gas-guzzling Hummer.
In
order to deliver the best fuel economy, the car has a cockpit wide
enough only for the driver, with a passenger seat in the rear. It has
two wheels in front and tapers in the rear to a single wheel.
"Front-to-back seating, that's the key to mileage," Elio told AFP.
This
makes it principally a one-person car, but Elio said the vehicle is a
good solution for the millions who drive along to work or leisure
events.
Elio readily admits
there is no special technology in the car -- it has a three-cylinder
internal combustion gasoline engine, power windows, air conditioning and
anti-lock brakes. While it does not have some of the on-board
electronic gadgety found in other vehicles, drivers can connect their
smartphones for navigation, apps and more.
"This was a design completely based on existing engineering," says company spokesman Jim Andrews.
The
car has a top crash-impact rating from the National Highway
Transportation Safety Board, and is expected to meet all US safety
standards.
Elio is targeting the US market but hopes to eventually ship internationally.
He
has more than 6,000 orders from customers who have paid a deposit, and
hopes to start delivering in the first quarter of 2015.
He also plans to speak with major automakers, including Chrysler, about possible partnerships.
It's
not clear how much of an impact the Elio vehicle will have, but it
comes after a sizzling debut for another startup carmaker, Tesla, which
sells a $70,000 electric car.
Other
three-wheelers may be in the words as well: a three-wheel concept car
from Toyota was on display at the huge electronics exhibition.
Elio said he is encouraged by the response to the car.
"We didn't design it to be cool," he said. "It was cool by accident."
No comments:
Post a Comment