Legislation to clear the way in Idaho for Elio Motors’ new vehicle, which has three wheels, two seats one in front of the other, gets 84 mpg and sells for $6,800, passed the House Transportation Committee this afternoon with just one “no” vote. The bill, HB 17, would define “auto cycles” like the Elio three-wheeler, and let them be operated in Idaho with a driver’s license, rather than a motorcycle endorsement, and without motorcycle-specific requirements like helmets for those under 18.

“We’ve engineered this vehicle to the highest safety standards,” Joel Sheltrown, vice president for governmental affairs at Elio, told the lawmakers. “Obsolete bureaucratic definitions should not stifle innovation or create roadblocks for products like this.” The only dissenting vote came from Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian; the bill now moves to the full House.