Eco Motor Company

[dkjones96]

http://www.ecomotorcompany.com/

I have photos of their Commuter(the car on the main page) and sat in it. It's a REALLY roomy car for a small ECO machine. The engine is an SFI updated Suzuki 1.0L that they said is able to hit 90 in the prototype.

Starts at 13.9k according to the guys I was having a few drinks with and will have airbags, roll bars on the convertibles, and normal car crumple zones. They figure they'd make it meet car safety requirements even though they didn't need to because it doesn't have 4 wheels.

They expect the first production cars to be available by December. I was hanging around them while they were getting the booth ready at SEMA and a lot of people stopped to look and were shocked to find out it was nowhere near a 40k price tag, not even close to 20k.

I have pictures but they are on my camera that seems to have gotten misplaced between Vegas and work. Pretty sure it's at home tho.

[BEEF]

I'd like to see actual pictures of this thing. that may be a viable option other than the smart. with a 10 gallon tank and 60 mpg, that's a 600 mile range.

I wonder if that is the same (or similar) motor as the geo metros. I loved my first car. 3cyl 1993 metro.

**edit** I found pictures, does it come in a hard top and did you see the trunk space? is there a trunk? I really like this thing.

[dkjones96]

Cockpit:


Behind seat storage(that's two rims and tires):


Rear with trunk open:


Side with trunk open:


Side with trunk closed:


Front of car:


Honestly, the trunk is pathetic, you won't get much in there as their cleaning supplies and a big floor jack all but filled the trunk but the behind the seat storage is impressive. No idea where the spare goes, didn't think to ask.

And the engine is mechanically the same 1.0L 3 cylinder you had in the metro, just has better engine management now.

[BEEF]

any talks of a hard top version?

also, is it rear or front wheel drive?

I know, a lot of questions but I have been looking for something like this for a while and I will be in the market for another car at the beginning of next year so it may work out good.

[dkjones96]

Front wheel drive and initially it will be only ragtop, didn't ask how long after for a hard top.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by dkjones96

No idea where the spare goes, didn't think to ask.

I imagine there is none, like plenty of other 2008 and newer models.

[JoeBob]

According to the website, there is a compact spare.

I noticed that there were regular press releases up to April of this year. Then none. Why? No dealers listed. Why? How does one purchase one?

Edit: I see that they're going to be at a show in Vegas this week...so I guess there is some activity. Good Luck to them (but why share a booth with Pulstar?)

I like the three wheel idea...if I were good at fabrication (what I know about fabrication can be written on the head of a pin with room for about 20 dancing angels) I'd convert a Geo (or any front drive car, for that matter) to a three-wheeler

[jmf]

60 mpg for a two seater, I was hoping for better. I've been spoiled by my VX.

It is a good start.

[JanGeo]

Ya know my old Geo Metro 4 door hatch back got 53 average over and over again without coasting in neutral or any fuel additives and normal tire pressure.

[VetteOwner]

front ends not too bad, back end looks like a miata got hit from both sides...

i dunno maybe if they made the cars look cool and not something a 4 year old would have in the yard more people would like em... like make single seat versions of cars we have now or somehting...

[JoeBob]

Is that a taillight on one side and a backup light on the other?

[bobski]

Originally Posted by JoeBob

Is that a taillight on one side and a backup light on the other?

Probably a reverse light and a rear fog light.

Interesting concept, but fugly IMO. ^_^

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by bobski

Probably a reverse light and a rear fog light.

Interesting concept, but fugly IMO. ^_^

agreed lol, interior is pretty bland and 1993 ish lol better than some new ones tho...

[dkjones96]

They may spruce it up for the production model. This one was a prototype since they couldn't get a production model on the floor. At least I hope they spruce it up.

[VetteOwner]

yea they gotta do somehting or it wont sell that good, unless its really cheap or somehitng then it may not matter. i dont know why but the interior just screams tempo to me...but yea since it is a prototype they prolly just got a bunch of random car parts and made them work ya know?

[Jay2TheRescue]

The photos of the vehicle on their website show a much nicer interior...

[bobski]

... With no leg room.

[JoeBob]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

The photos of the vehicle on their website show a much nicer interior...

I hope they took those pictures with the seats in their full forward position. Otherwise, only the anorexic could get their legs under the dash!

The prototype looks almost like they took a Geo Metro instrument panel and stuck it in there. The picture from the website looks far more finished.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Well there were alternate images that seem to show more legroom, such as this:



I think the thing that would bother me the most, is that the instrument panel is in the middle of the dash. That would take some getting used to.

[JoeBob]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Well there were alternate images that seem to show more legroom, such as this:


I think the thing that would bother me the most, is that the instrument panel is in the middle of the dash. That would take some getting used to.

Once upon a time, it was common to find the instrument cluster in the middle of the dash--next time you come across a Model A Ford, look inside, you'll see what I mean.

My favorite, however, is a 1919 Studebaker on eBay right now...http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Stude...item1c0d88f6aa

Look at the dashboard...in front of the driver you have the ignition and light switch. A little way over is the ammeter. To the right of center is the oil pressure gauge. Then, waaaaaaaay over in front of the passenger, is the speedometer. (No, officer, I had no idea how fast I was going...speedometer's not in my line of vision...)

[Jay2TheRescue]

My thoughts on the car are this:

1. It has a/c. That is a big plus in my book

2. It comes with a 5 speed manual transmission. I think this car would be fun to drive, kinda like a go-cart. If you ordered it with the optional automatic, it'd probably be boring.

3. I'd like to see a hard-top version. Ragtops are nice, but I feel that day to day driving would probably be too noisy in this car. Plus, invariably all convertible tops eventually leak unless garage kept, and even then it just extends the life, but it will still leak eventually. On a car as cheap as this, by the time the car is 3 or 4 years old, and the top leaks it'd be cheaper to buy another car than to replace the ragtop.