While the launch of a vehicle similar to the Elio three-wheeler would not be something out of the ordinary in Europe, where you can find all manner of limited-series efficiency-oriented runabouts, in the US it will have a harder time fitting in.
The American preconception is that cars have to be big in order to be safe and spacious, but as some mainstream European and Japanese cars have shown, concessions can be made in either area without compromising the usability and appeal to buyers.
The Elio is a tandem two-seater three-wheeler powered by a three-pot 900cc petrol engine. Its party pieces will be its extreme frugality both in town and on the highway, its unusual (not unattractive) look and the fact that despite being efficiency-oriented, it’s not a hybrid and uses only (cheap) conventional tech. Another buyer attracting point will be its price, which is expected not to exceed the $7,000 mark.
The Translogic video posted below goes into more detail and even features a prototype test drive, along with a new interview with the three-wheeler’s creator, Paul Elio.
By Andrei Nedelea
VIDEO