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It might be a tricycle; but it’s no toy. The sillily named Elio trike is coming to CES

Peter Braun
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Finally, a tricycle that any adult would be proud to own the Elio Motors Elio.

Okay so it needs a better name, but this three-wheeler is no gimmick. It can manage 84 mpg, seat two, and it’s preparing for its full debut at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Despite having not yet sold a car, Elio has been a rare success story as an automotive startup. Going from what amounted to just another crackpot idea to purchasing an old GM factory in Shreveport earlier this year, Elio has proved downright impressive. In fact, Elio claims that it has already received more than 6,000 deposits from people interested in purchasing the car.

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The car/trike/motorcycle thingy may not actually be going into production until the beginning of 2015, but its appearance at the ShowStoppers section of CES may do a lot to attract more customers. After all, CES is the mecca for people who have too much money and not enough toys. You know, like us.

That being said, the Elio may be more than just a toy. Elio reports that it hopes to sell the car for just $6,800 and further believes that its vehicle will attain a five-star safety rating. It has only two seats, and the back seat looks pretty diminutive. So it may not be an ideal family vehicle. However, it should be fun to drive.

The Elio is powered by a three-cylinder 55-hp motor, which is good enough to get the trike to 60 mph in just under ten seconds and on to a top speed of more than 100 mph. That may not be exactly fast, but in a little vehicle – with the three wheel drive setup – it should be exciting.

Despite the CES appearance, though, it looks like exciting in-car technology is going to have to wait. The best that Elio could come up with in its press release was a smartphone docking station. Not bad for a $6,800 vehicle, but also nothing to text home about.

I am looking forward to learning more about this car. But I am urging Elio: Seriously, guys, change the name. It’s bad enough that it’s a boring name. When it’s also the name of your company, though, it makes trying to write about it feel like a performance of “Who’s On First”.

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Peter Braun
Peter Braun
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Peter is a freelance contributor to Digital Trends and almost a lawyer. He has loved thinking, writing and talking about cars…
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