Elio Motors have been moving forward quite strongly with the development of their three-wheeled vehicle. Recent reports indicate that the company is finally ready to move towards HVAC testing, and they have submitted the latest version of their prototype to RedDOT for this purpose.
The car is going to go through some rigorous quality assurance checks now, after which it should hopefully be ready to move on to the next stage of its production. HVAC testing is an important part of the process, and if the car manages to pass this certification step, this should be a great sign for its followers.
It’s quite important for them to get these positive results right now, as the company has been relying to a large extent on their public image. An image which, for the most part, is quite good at the moment, with many people eagerly awaiting the release of the car on the public market.
According to reports, the company is currently planning to construct over 20 models specifically for testing purposes, which should hopefully allow them to iron out any kinks in the design as early as possible.
Considering the original and innovative design of the car itself, it’s quite important that the company gets it properly certified and checked out in all aspects of its safety. The unusual form factor makes it more likely that there will be unusual flaws. This will play a major role in the reception towards the car as well, and as we pointed out above, Elio have actually been relying on this factor to a significant extent.
The company has had to go through lots of difficulties in the development of their three-wheeler, but things seem to be coming along nicely for them right now. The car is starting to look more and more attractive, and in a market where originality tends to matter a lot more than other factors, they have made a very good, lasting impression on their potential buyers.
They even managed to overcome certain legal hurdles that were in their way, as the way the law works made it very difficult to get the car released in some states. The problem comes from its three-wheel design, which legally classified it as a motorcycle in those jurisdictions, subsequently requiring drivers to wear a helmet at all times.
This is obviously a huge inconvenience for a vehicle which encloses the driver completely, not to mention the redundancy of the whole thing. Thankfully, the company’s efforts to change legislation have reportedly been making good progress.
There doesn’t seem to be any major obstacle in Elio’s way right now, and they just have to maintain their production efforts at their current level. The company has ticked off various important milestones in the development of this car, and little by little they’re getting close to the final result.
Whether or not it will see the huge success some of its fans are hoping for remains to be seen. This is a market where many things can play a role in the success of a model, and we’ve seen some cars with a lot of potential being swept under the rug due to certain seemingly minor flaws.
PR is an important aspect of the development process too, as the company has to keep people excited about their project all the way up until the release. This is not the kind of car that can be successfully advertised a week or two before it’s out on the market, and thankfully Elio seem to have realized that quite well.