Sleek 3-Wheeled Elio Makes Flashy Entrance At The North American Auto Show In Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) - It gets 84 miles a gallon -- is expected to cost under $7,000 and you don't have to peddle.

What is it? Elio. You'll see it at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Jerome Vassallo, vice president of sales for Elio Motors, spoke to WWJ's City Beat reporter Vickie Thomas from the corporate headquarters in Detroit.

"We have a top speed of 100 miles per hour," said Vassallo. "Zero to 60 is a little faster than your hybrids - slower than a Mustang."

Elio is a three-wheeler and carries about half the weight of a standard car and is about half the width. At 1,200 pounds it has the appearance of a sleek race car.

Front-to-back two-person seating is the secret to the company's high fuel efficiency along with being half the width of traditional passenger cars. Therefore, the Elio moves half as much air as a traditional passenger car, and wind drag is the single biggest factor impacting fuel economy during highway driving according to the auto makers website.

The target base price is $6,800 and Vassallo says they have about 50,000 reservations for the Elio right now.

Find out more about Elio Motors [here].