(March 9, 2015) TROY, Mich. — Elio Motors has announced it has unveiled its new 0.9 liter, 3-cylinder engine prototype, completing one of the company’s most important stages of development.

With a goal of up to 84 MPG and a projected top speed of more than 100 mph, the enclosed, three-wheeled Elio requires an engine with a unique blend of power and efficiency that simply doesn’t exist on the market today.

Elio Motors, which plans to sell the vehicle for $6,800 when it launches in the first half of 2016,  turned to world-class engine developer IAV to create a new technology that would meet the company’s needs.

“We are literally trying to reinvent the auto industry, so why go the conventional route and rework someone else’s engine?” said Paul Elio, president and CEO of Elio Motors. “There really was nothing available that combined the speed and power that we want and our customers deserve. IAV came through with an outstanding execution of today’s best technology that will be a cornerstone to delivering a world-class vehicle.”

To provide its customers with high fuel efficiency and still provide the performance consistent with today’s passenger vehicles, the Elio Motors engine must operate efficiently at two different loads — lower loads representative of highway cruising, and more demanding loads associated with the fast starts of city driving.

Several engine components, including the cylinder block, cylinder heads, CAM cover, front cover, oil pan, crankshaft, camshaft, valve train, pistons, connecting rods, bearings and water pump were developed specifically for Elio Motors. The final parts were recently machined and assembled and the prototype was started and run through several tests on a dynamometer. 

“We are extremely pleased with our first run on the dynamometer,” Elio said. “Seeing this new technology come to fruition has been one of the most exciting stages in our history. This prototype puts us right were we need to be at this stage of development.”

Elio and its manufacturing partner Comau will build the vehicle at a world-class manufacturing facility in Shreveport where General Motors previously built the Hummer H3 and Chevy Colorado.

Currently on a nationwide tour, the vehicle prototype has developed an enthusiastic grass-roots following and more than 40,000 people have made reservations for a spot in line to buy one when they go to production. 

Elio says that when the car goes to market, it will create 1,500 jobs at the facility. In addition, the Elio will use 90 percent North American content, creating another 1,500 jobs at its supplier partner companies. These manufacturing jobs will in turn create approximately 18,000 indirect jobs across the country.