Start-Up Automaker Elio Motors To Purchase Former GM Plant In Louisiana
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Not long after Motors Liquidation Corp. (“Old GM’s” unwanted assets) transitioned the Shreveport, Louisiana plant to RACER Trust, the facility has acquired an interested buyer.
According to a report from The Detroit Free Press, RACER has agreed to sell the shuttered facility to Elio Motors, a start-up carmaker that plans to hire 1,500 new workers for the plant. If other reports are on point, it’s to produce a small, high-efficiency car, with a “$6,800″ price tag by mid-2014. Elio Motors itself is actually based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Additionally, The State of Louisiana is giving a mild tax break to Elio, consisting a yearly payroll rebate of 13 percent for the first 10 years of plant operations. Estimates are that it could cost the state as much as $9 million annually if all 1,500 jobs, with salaries averaging $47,700 a year, are eligible for the rebate.
According to the Elio Motors website, the vehicle they plan to produce will resemble the green egg-shaped three-wheeler pictured above. It will be fittingly named “Elio”, and will be classified as a motorcycle by federal safety standards and could average as much as 60 miles per gallon. That’s a big jump from what used to be built in Shreveport, which were the Hummer H3, Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon.
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As far as three wheelers go, the Morgan takes top honors with the, almost as cool, Carver coming in second.
Mogan: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Y794xKO14k/TWZ_-8pe55I/AAAAAAAEB9o/zdV-Yr6lKWk/s800/Morgan-3-Wheeler-2.jpg
Carver: http://www.themotorreport.com.au/content/image/3/5/35854_carver_one_01-4b77aa899c6fa.jpg
The carver please…
Remember GM had the Lean Machine Concept in 1982…
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/22/the-original-lean-machine/
The Morgan is made of wood and Carver is gone.
The Campagna T-Rex however…
Its not terrible looking, if they build it with good quality materials i could see these things doing pretty good in the market. I would buy this before i would ever consider a hybrid or electric car.
If I had too much money I would find me one of those Morgans. That’s really cool.
As for this news, I think, first of all, that the state of Louisiana is on crack. No way can they possibly sell enough of these (if they look anything at all like what’s pictured) to justify 1500 workers–that’s insane. Secondly, they’ll be making a tough sell that much tougher if they insist on the low buck, mainstream car-like styling. My advice would be to make it stand out… go the futuristic car of tomorrow route, or the eco route, and try and make it look like it’s from this century. Finally, this takes tax “incentives” to a new low.
The concept of this vehicle is great in principle…BUT…it’s only really great IF you think of it as a glorified motorcycle, and not as a scaled down car. As a motorcycle owner/rider I am already used to the idea of two-up motoring with limited cargo capacity and zero protection from the elements and the elephants! So for me, it wouldn’t be a bad place to be if I wanted efficient motoring. In fact it would be a step up. And even at almost $7000 that’s still a great price. My dream bike, the Triumph Daytona 675 and the alternative Yamaha R6 are both almost twice that price. And both these bikes sell pretty well. I’d buy one…but I’m wondering what kind of engine it has and so on. [scratching chin]. If I could get one with a diesel…100+mpg here we come!
Richard pretty much said what I would say. I have two motorcycles in the garage and it would be an easy step up to the Elios. And likewise… A diesel would be tits.
I hope they make a go of it. Too bad it won’t be made in the Midwest.
There might be 1500 temporary jobs. This company will not make it.
Make it electric