Eco-friendly cars come in many different shapes and sizes nowadays, and the new Elio Motors P4 is at the ultralight, but conventional end of the spectrum, even with the tandem two-seater arrangement. Set for a 2015 launch, the model now has over 8,000 reservations displayed on the manufacturer’s home page.
Its appeal is not solely reliant on its ultra-efficient running base idea, but also its low acquisition price – it will start at $6,800.
Its makers claim it will be able to top 84 mpg US on the highway, which equates to 100.9 mpg UK or 2.8 l/100km; city driving will bring that down to 49 mpg US or 58.9 mpg UK/4.8 l/100 km. The engine that powers it is a straight-three of naught point nine (0.9) liters capacity with 55 hp and the gearbox has five speeds and can either shift itself or with human input.
The problem of safety was a key concern throughout the development process and the Elio is expected to achieve a maximum rating when it goes through testing. If it does go through the whole battery of tests, one imagines it will do really well in the small overlap crash situation, which will just shave off its left tire and completely avoid the fuselage-like body.
As its name suggests, the P4 is the fourth prototype and by far the most modern and best looking to date. It even has something akin to a proper interior, though those early 1990s Honda gauges have really got to go before this hits production and be replaced by liquid crystals or diodes.
Check it out in the gallery and videos posted below.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
VIDEO