99PI GOES ON A SINCLAIR C5 DEEP DIVE

Forgive my rampant fanboyism, but Roman Mars’ 99 Percent Invisible is the reason Podcasts were invented. The show is famous for exploring the hundreds of hours of thought that go into the everyday world around us. From Thomassons to a surprisingly moving piece on a light bulb that never goes out, 99PI gives you a look at that 99% of the world that happens behind the scene- but the show rarely delves into the automotive universe that I tend to occupy. That’s why this 99PI episode about the Sinclair C5 is so exciting!

Funded by electronics giant Sir Clive Sinclair and built in the UK, the Sinclair C5 was a three-wheeled, battery-assisted, recumbent tricycle that Sinclair hoped would drastically reduce congestion and pollution in major cities by cutting back on the need for cars. It was a sort of proto-Twike, if you will, and the company actually built enough of the to warrant a TV commercial.

Sinclair C5 TV Commercial

It was a cool little vehicle, and seems very much in tune with the direction that personal transportation is going. Heck, 99PI even tries to make a case for Elio Motors’ trike being sort of a spiritual successor to the Sinclair C5.

I mean, both Twike and Sinclair actually delivered a number of cars to customers, but they all have three wheels, and 99 Percent Invisible isn’t really a car show. You know what I’m saying?

You can listen to the full 99 Percent Invisible mini-episode about the Sinclair C5 by clicking here. The podcast is at the bottom of their page, and the link has a bunch of great videos and pictures of Sinclair’s little velo for you to peruse while you listen. Check it out, and let us know what you think of 99PI and the Sinclair in the comments. Enjoy!

Source | Images: 99 Percent Invisible, the Telegraph.

Elio to sell $100 million in stock; 3-wheeler price raised, production delayed

Elio Motors prototype at New York Auto Show press conference, Apr 2015

Entrepreneur Paul Elio's concept for a simple three-wheeled car that would cost only $6,800 has now been with us for eight years. During that time, he has shown the car hundreds of times to diverse groups of people, taken tens of thousands of reservations, sold stock in the company, and suggested an EPA fuel-economy rating of 84 mpg highway. Elio Motors still doesn't have the money to put the car into production, however.

The company said in April 2014 that it had taken deposits for more than 15,000 Elios. In July 2015, it said it had raised $22 million through "crowdfunded" small-investor stock sales. But as The Drive reported on Friday, Elio still needs more than $100 million to launch production of the fuel-efficient three-wheeler. So the company has filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a secondary public offering of Elio Motors common stock that would raise that amount.

Elio Motors founder Paul Elio at New York Auto Show press conference, Apr 2015

Elio says its current reservation total has risen to 65,000. The price of the car has risen, too: it's now $7,450, still little more than half the price of a modestly equipped subcompact sedan or hatchback. Production, originally intended for 2014 or thereabouts, is now to start in 2019 at the earliest, according to the offering documents.

If production of the Elio three-wheeler does launch two years hence, it will be at a former GM plant the company bought in Shreveport, Louisiana. Formerly the site of Hummer assembly, the plant has been vacant for most of a decade, and some local residents have pinned their hopes for new jobs on Elio's success. Local media have remained somewhat skeptical about the company's prospects and finances over that time.

Elio E1A test vehicle under construction, June 2016

Elio had suggested two years ago that the company's need for capital could be supplied by loans from the Department of Energy's advanced technology vehicle manufacturing fund.

That program loaned roughly $8 billion to Fisker, Ford, Nissan, and Tesla in 2009; it lost more than $100 million when Fisker declared bankruptcy.

Tesla paid back its ATVM loan in full ahead of time, while Ford and Nissan continue to make payments on their loans, which make up the bulk of the $8 billion loaned out. The ATVM has been a source of political controversy since its Fisker loss, however, and D.C. insiders have suggested it is highly unlikely to make any further loans to startup automakers.

Sick of Waiting: Elio Motors Trike “Owners” Start Filing Lawsuits

With bad financial news coming out of Elio Motors’ official SEC filings and even more announced delays in production of the Elio three-wheeler, many reservation-holders are getting sick of waiting. They’re so sick of waiting, in fact, that at least one Elio “owner” has decided to take the company to court in a bid to get his money back.

Reddit user jimmybob479 announced on the popular message board that he had filed a lawsuit against Elio Motors in his home state. His original post read, “I looked up their registered agent in my state, filed a small claims lawsuite with my local justice of the peace and paid to have a constable serve the papers to their registered agent. Anyone else done this yet?”

That last question opened up the floor to other commenters, who said things like, “They (Elio Motors) deserve all the hellfire that will soon be directed against them. They still don’t appear to have an actual prototype on the roads now seven years after the debut of P2 in February 2010, which is when they began making these fantastic claims,” and “They might not even have enough money in the bank to pay you back your deposit.”

As of this writing, there was no word posted to the /eliomotors subreddit regarding the results of the lawsuit (which, in all likelihood, won’t get its day in court for some time), but I’ll keep checking in on it to
if when other Elio “owners” get the message and start to clamor for their money back, as well. Good luck with that, Jimmy!

Source: Reddit.

SEC Filing: Elio Motors Millions in Debt With No Way Out?

Over the past few years, Elio Motors has burned through more than one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) and produced five three-wheeled prototypes. As of September 30th, the company reported a working capital deficit of more than $25 million and expressed doubts about its ability to continue operating as a going concern. In their own words:

We have experienced recurring net losses from operations, which losses have caused an accumulated deficit of $123,212,432 as of September 30, 2016. In addition, we have a working capital deficit of $25,769,911 as of September 30, 2016. We had a net loss of $34,787,800 and $13,873,656 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. If we are unable to continue to obtain financing to meet our working capital requirements, we may have to curtail our business sharply or cease operations altogether. Our continuation as a going concern is dependent upon our ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet our obligations on a timely basis to retain our current financing, to obtain additional financing, and, ultimately, to attain profitability. Should any of these events not occur, we will be adversely affected and we may have to cease operations.

It should be obvious to anyone that a company with a $25 million annual burn rate and zero revenue can’t last forever. And that’s especially true for a company like Elio Motors, which seems to have huge logistical issues it has yet to overcome– to say nothing of substantial R&D issues, staffing issues, tooling issues, etc.- before it can even begin to sell its
innovativefamiliar three-wheeler. Still, selling Elios isn’t the only potential source of revenue for the company.

As Paul Elio himself told me once a few years ago, the trikes themselves aren’t going to be huge money-makers for the company. They’re intended to be profitable, sure- but the real profits will come from selling CAFE credits to the Big 3. I see two problems here. The first is wholly understood by the company, and is outlined in their September SEC filing:

According to the estimated fuel economy of the Elio, it is expected that we could be well positioned to earn a substantial number of credits, from which we could generate extensive future revenues through the sale and transfer of these credits to other auto industry manufacturers. We have received indications from auto industry manufacturers that they would purchase our credits upon confirmation that we can participate in the CAFE program. Currently, we do not qualify for participation in the CAFE program, since the Elio is not an automobile. We have been working with members of Congress and with the former acting head of the NHTSA to permit participation in the program by autocycles.

The other big problem potentially facing Elio is going to come from a source that (if my take on the political leanings of the Elio subreddit is accurate) might come as a bit of a surprise to many of Elio Motors’ biggest fans: President Donald J. Trump.

Why would Trump’s election pose an existential threat to Elio Motors? Because Trump’s appointment of Scott Pruitt as the head of the EPA will very likely try to do away with many of today’s CAFE requirements. And, with the dismantling of those CAFE requirements will come a resulting drop in the value of credits. As in, they will be worthless.

Without credits to sell, Elio’s projections start to fall apart. So, then, might Elio Motors- but, for real. That’s potentially bad news for the tens of thousands of people who put down hard-earned money for one. Worse yet for the thousands more hoping that the company will bring much-needed jobs to Louisiana.

Source: United States Securities and Exchange Commission; backed up on Gas 2.

Elio Motors Reveals E1c Prototype at LA Auto Show - VIDEO

You really do have to hand it to Paul Elio. Even if the whole thing is a long con and not a single Elio trike ever rolls out of the old GM plant down in Shreveport, the man has delivered a convincing concept car to the LA Auto Show. Called the Elio Motors E1c, it may be an accomplishment that’s a few years behind schedule, but it shouldn’t be one that passes without comments. And, as you might have already guessed by now, I love to comment on Elio.

Elio Motors E1c | Looks Good

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  Painting it black was a ballsy move …

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A few things are evident from Roberto Baldwin’s excellent AOL/Engadget photo gallery. I’ll let you discover how good-looking the Elio E1c is (or isn’t, I guess) on your own. I did, however, want to point out a few things in the three photos I picked, above.

First, the interior on the Elio Motors E1c shown at the LA Auto Show over the weekend is vastly, hugely improved. The E1c is worlds ahead of the kit-carish jumble I saw in Las Vegas. This is what a pre-production unit should look like, and the upgraded interior alone will go a long way towards convincing even the most determined un-believers that Elio has- finally!- hired some people that know how to build a car.

Second, it’s worth pointing out that the E1c seems to be running Elio’s own engine, instead of a junkyard Geo Metro mill. That may not seem like a big deal, but delivering a running, driving vehicle powered by your own, original engine design is a feat that long eluded bigger, more famous names like Lotus and AMG.

Finally, they painted the car black. At the LA Auto Show. Elio isn’t be breaking any new technological ground with the Elio Motors E1c, but painting a make-or-break prototype at one of the world’s biggest car shows black takes serious balls. If they were nervous about the quality of their body panels’ reflection lines, they might have gone for a matte white or bright orange finish. But, no. Black. Black to show every wave and every wiggle.

A brave move.

Now, don’t get me wrong- I don’t think Elio is ever, ever, ever going to meet his goal of selling 250,000 of these three-wheeled things in a single, 12-month period. Ever. In the interest of objectivity, though, the E1c’s debut in LA is going in Paul’s win column.

Check out the Elio Motors E1c official press release and teaser/launch video, below, then let us know what you think of this latest plot development in Paul Elio’s story in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!

Elio Motors E1c | Official Word

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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Elio Motors (OTCQX: ELIO), the start-up vehicle manufacturer planning to launch a three-wheel vehicle that will get up to 84 mpg with a set $7,300* base price, today introduced its E1c engineering vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The E1c engineering vehicle is a significant step forward as Elio Motors progresses from the prototype to production phase. While the exterior is similar to previous Elio prototypes, the E1c engineering vehicle features foundational and structural improvements to the frame, suspension, and safety systems that will ultimately create a more satisfying driving experience.

The E1c is part of Elio Motors’ E-Series vehicles, which are being built for testing and validation purposes. More than 80 percent of the E1c was assembled using soft tooling — short-term, low-cost production tools — to prove manufacturability and repeatability of individual parts prior to full production.

“The E1c represents our continued progress along our long-term plan to bring low-cost, highly fuel efficient transportation to the market,” said Elio Motors’ founder and CEO Paul Elio. “We have assembled an amazing team of engineers and supplier partners who have jumped into every aspect of this vehicle to make sure it meets or exceeds all of our targets. Their passion for creating a game-changing vehicle is one of our company’s greatest strengths.”

While the company has made hundreds of refinements during the vehicle engineering phase, some of the more impactful changes include the frame, suspension and safety systems with improved comfort and functionality.

The E1c features a unibody frame, which allows for better absorption of energy and greater safety tuning of the vehicle. The unibody frame was developed specifically for Elio Motors by the Elio Motors engineering team, Schwab Industries and Roush Engineering. In addition to the safety benefits, the unibody frame also will improve the production vehicle’s fit and finish and will manufacturability.

The modified suspension will sharpen handling and improve aerodynamics, improve long-term vehicle durability and reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

The E1c is the first Elio Motors vehicle to feature airbags, a key component in Elio Motors’ Safety Management System, with two roof-rail side-curtain airbags and a driver airbag in the steering wheel.

“The soft tooling phase is crucial to our long-term success, as we progress from hand-built prototypes to more refined vehicles built with production tooling,” said Jeff Johnston, Elio Motors’ Vice President of Engineering. “The E1c features 80% production level components and systems and represents a monumental leap forward.”

Source | Images: Elio Motors; Roberto Baldwin, for AOL and Engadget.

Sondors Electric Car Is Everything The Elio Is Not - VIDEO

My distinguished colleague, Jo Borras, has been a fierce critic of Elio Motors for years and he has every right to be. Elio has promised much but delivered little in the 7 years since it began. Now along comes Storm Sonders who says he is going to build a three wheel electric car that will be sleek, stylish and affordable.

Don’t know who Storm Sonders is? He is the mad genius who brought us the Sondors eBike, a $499 creation that has everything all those other e-bikes have except the price. The Indiegogo funding campaign for the Sondors eBike achieved the second highest funding total in history — $5.2 million.

Now Sondors is on to his next new thing — the Sondors electric car. Like the Elio, it has two wheels in front and one in the rear. But that’s where the similarity ends. According to the company website, “Our mission is to build the most attractive, affordable, and practical electric car ever with a base price starting at $10,000.” Wait, isn’t this precisely what the world has been asking for? An electric car that real people can afford that isn’t orange? The crowd funding campaign has already exceeded its goal by 150%.

“We are creating an electric car that makes sense to the average person. As we did with our electric bike, we’re taking something elitist, over-engineered, and overpriced and turning it into something real, simple to use, and practical. SONDORS is working to be the first real option for an affordable electric car,” says the Sondors website.

The funds raised will be used to build a prototype of the three seat “Model SONDORS.” Once completed, the company intends to offer the car in markets around the world. Here’s the tag line from the website, “The world is filled with useless stuff. Let’s create something useful together.”

The Model SONDORS will be built from aluminum and is intended to be sexy and fast. The company plans to offer customers a choice of three lithium ion batteries giving the car either 50, 100, 200 miles of range. With Sondors, people will only have to pay for the range they need.

There is no doubt the Model SONDORS concept is a good looking car. The front end has hints of the C7 Corvette. From the side it looks a bit like the Corbin Swallow that has now morphed into Electra Meccanica SOLO updated to modern standards. The SOLO retails for just under $16,000 with 100 miles of range. We don’t know if the Model SONDORS with the same range will cost less than that, but it certainly is more pleasing to the eye.

There is a caveat here. Sondors and others were sued in 2015 by the public relations firm that promoted the Sondors eBike. The company claimed it was defrauded by Sondors and the other defendants out of $40,000. That suit has apparently been resolved. Sondors raised over $10 million dollars and has delivered 15,000 of its electric bikes. (Note: The price does not include shipping from Asia where the bikes are manufactured. Final cost including delivery is about $700, which is still cheap for an electric bicycle.)

Check out Storm Sondors’ rather enigmatic video, then decide for yourself whether you want to participate in this latest crowd funding opportunity.

Elio Motors, Linamar Sign Letter of Intent to Manufacture and Market the Elio Engine Across the Globe

PRESS RELEASE

May 17, 2016

Linamar to work with Elio engineers to prepare engine for mass production, identify additional global sales opportunities

PHOENIX, May 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Elio Motors, Inc. (OTCQX: ELIO), the startup vehicle manufacturer planning to launch a three-wheeled vehicle that will get up to 84 mpg with a targeted base price of $6,800, today announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent with Linamar Corp, one of the auto industry’s leading powertrain development and production companies.

Under the agreement, Linamar will partner with Elio for the manufacturing of the Elio motors for Elio, as well as for engines for global use in the automotive, marine and industrial sectors outside of the US. The powerful, highly fuel-efficient 0.9-liter, 3-cylinder engine, which Elio Motors developed with partner IAV, could have applications far beyond the company’s initial vehicle. The engine is expected to achieve up to 84 mpg, yet still reach speeds of more than 100 mph.

“Elio Motors has developed an engine with a rare blend of power and fuel efficiency that could have significant market potential beyond powering the Elio,” said Elio Motors founder and CEO Paul Elio.  “Linamar will use its global presence and access to international manufacturers in automotive, marine and industrial markets to identify other uses for our engine and open up potential additional revenue for our company.”

Linamar also will be a component and sub-system supplier for Elio Motors’ other driveline and chassis systems in North America. They will collaborate with Elio Motors to create engine manufacturing capabilities at the Elio Motors’ assembly plant inLouisiana to support the high-volume production of the Elio engine.

“We are excited about partnering with Elio on this important engine project, ” said Linda Hasenfratz, CEO of Linamar.  “Not only does this give us great penetration into ultra-high mileage vehicles, it also gives us a chance to sell this highly efficient engine to a variety of markets and customers.”

“Elio Motors is the first startup vehicle manufacturer to develop its own internal combustion engine in the automotive industry in more than 60 years,” said Gino Raffin, Vice President of Manufacturing of Elio Motors. “We’re looking forward to working with  Linamar to  manufacture the engine  in ourShreveport facility as we move it toward commercial production.”

About Elio Motors

Founded by car enthusiast Paul Elio in 2009, Elio Motors Inc. represents a revolutionary approach to manufacturing an ultra-high-mileage vehicle. The three-wheeled Elio is engineered to attain a highway mileage rating of up to 84 mpg, while providing the comfort of amenities such as power windows, power door lock and air conditioning, accompanied by the safety of multiple air bags and an aerodynamic, enclosed vehicle body. Elio’s first manufacturing site will be in Shreveport, Louisiana.

About Linamar Corporation

Linamar Corporation (TSX: LNR) is a diversified global manufacturing company of highly engineered products powering vehicles, motion, work and lives. The Company is made up of 2 operating segments – the Powertrain/Driveline segment and the Industrial segment, which are further divided into 4 operating groups – Machining & Assembly, Light Metal Casting, Forging and Skyjack, all world leaders in the design, development and production of highly engineered products. The Company’s Machining and Assembly, Casting and Forging operating groups focus on precision metallic components, modules and systems for engine, transmission, driveline and body systems designed for global vehicle and industrial markets. The Company’s Skyjack operating group is noted for its innovative, high quality mobile industrial equipment, notably its class-leading aerial work platforms and telehandlers. With more than 24,000 employees in 57 manufacturing locations, 6 R&D centers and 21 sales offices in 17 countries in North and South America,Europe and Asia, Linamar generated sales of $5.2 billion in 2015. For more information about Linamar Corporation and its industry leading products and services, visit www.linamar.com or follow us on Twitter at @LinamarCorp.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements.”  These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information.  Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from planned operations include, without limitation, delays in receipt of adequate financing, delays in commencement of production, decreased consumer interest in the Company’s products, downturn in general economic conditions, increased production costs and availability of raw materials, competition, and unfavorable market and regulatory conditions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Company’s control.  Readers are referred to the Company’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.  The information contained in this press release is a statement of the Company’s present intentions, beliefs or expectations and is based upon, among other things, the existing business environment, industry conditions, market conditions and prices, the economy in general and the Company’s assumptions.  The Company may change its intentions, beliefs or expectations at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in its assumptions or otherwise, and it undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.  The cautionary statements contained or referred to in this press release should be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that the Company or persons acting on its behalf may issue.

News Release – Elio Motors Plans to Sell 100 Pre-Production Vehicles Built at its Shreveport Manufacturing Facility. Vehicles are Key Step To Refining Final Consumer Production Projected to Begin in 2017.

March 11, 2016

PHOENIX, March 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Elio Motors, Inc. (OTCQX: ELIO), the startup vehicle manufacturer planning to launch a three-wheeled vehicle that will get up to 84 MPG with a targeted base price of $6,800, today announced it plans to sell 100 pre-production vehicles built at its Shreveport, Louisiana, production facility fourth quarter of 2016.

“Elio Motors is ecstatic to announce that we are taking a major step forward in our development of the Elio,” said Elio Motors founder and CEO Paul Elio. “We now intend to sell the first 100 pre-production vehicles built to one or more fleet customers, rather than use them for internal purposes as previously disclosed in our offering statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This will help us generate additional revenue, it will allow us to evaluate vehicles under real-world driving conditions and it will allow our supplier team to refine our design.”

This limited run of pre-production vehicles will be a major step forward for Elio Motors as it works toward mass production. The pre-production vehicles will allow Roush, which was named lead engineering partner earlier this week, to provide a quieter, smoother vehicle with refined driving characteristics. Ultimately, this will raise customer satisfaction with the final production vehicle.

“We are chomping at the bit to get started on these 100 vehicles, as it’s an important step in our evolution,”said Gino Raffin, vice president of manufacturing for Elio Motors. “The work we do on these vehicles will provide important insight that will make for a smooth transition when we begin hiring production workers for the consumer vehicle launch. We’re getting closer every day and we are moving forward with relentless passion to get this done.”

Although the fleet vehicle build is a step in the right direction for the end consumer driving experience, the bulk of the consumer launch will have to be moved into 2017 at a date to be determined, as the company continues to seek additional funding.

“As we have stated in the past, building an ultra-low cost, high efficient vehicle for the masses is not an easy task. It takes solid engineering and supplier partnerships, which we have, and substantial funding, on which we continue to make progress,” Elio said. “We recently had a successful stock offering, which showed there is investment interest and enthusiasm for this project. We raised significant funds, moving us even closer. Our team will keep fighting to get this done. The key is to not quit, and to continue to move forward toward our goal. We have a number of other financial strategies that we are pursuing relentlessly to help get us to our consumer production launch.”

In addition to bringing Roush on board and announcing the pre-production-vehicle build, Elio Motors has been aggressive in pushing toward production of its Elio vehicle in other areas:

• In November 2015, the company introduced the P5, its fifth generation prototype, featuring a 0.9 liter, 3-cylinder engine designed by IAV specifically for Elio Motors.
• On Jan. 12, Elio Motors announced it will begin building its E-Series of prototype vehicles for testing and engineering purposes.
• On Feb. 12, Elio Motors reached 50,000 reservations for a place in line to buy the vehicle.
• On Feb. 19, Elio Motors became the first organization to raise capital using Regulation A+ and then have its shares publicly traded on the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX:ELIO).

Elio Motors is using nearly 1 million square feet of a nearly 4 million square-foot former General Motors production facility. When Elio Motors reaches full production, it estimates that the Shreveport facility will have nearly 1,500 workers.

About Elio MotorsFounded by car enthusiast Paul Elio in 2009, Elio Motors Inc. represents a revolutionary approach to manufacturing an ultra-high-mileage vehicle. The three-wheeled Eliois engineered to attain a highway mileage rating of up to 84 mpg, while providing the comfort of amenities such as power windows, power door lock and air conditioning accompanied by the safety of multiple air bags and an aerodynamic, enclosed vehicle body. Elio’s first manufacturing site will be in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements.”  These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information.  Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from planned operations include, without limitation, delays in receipt of adequate financing, delays in commencement of production, decreased consumer interest in the Company’s products, downturn in general economic conditions, increased production costs and availability of raw materials, competition, and unfavorable market and regulatory conditions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Company’s control.  Readers are referred to the Company’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.  The information contained in this press release is a statement of the Company’s present intentions, beliefs or expectations and is based upon, among other things, the existing business environment, industry conditions, market conditions and prices, the economy in general and the Company’s assumptions.  The Company may change its intentions, beliefs or expectations at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in its assumptions or otherwise, and it undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.  The cautionary statements contained or referred to in this press release should be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that the Company or persons acting on its behalf may issue.