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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 AVDSmAUPDJE8e+h04gAscGNxilsHQhHiXP5L9OsgPTx1rnemIshOcsLADO+MUNAY
 iI2zLTkoDcwlpgEOQgwLlg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-014098.txt : 20030715
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-014098.hdr.sgml : 20030715
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030715163744
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-014098
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030711
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030715

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MARKKULA ARMAS CLIFFORD
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000918983

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-29748
		FILM NUMBER:		03787566

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O ACM INVESTMENTS
		STREET 2:		187 KINGS MOUNTAIN ROAD
		CITY:			WOODSIDE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94062
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6508514425

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ECHELON CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000031347
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT [3576]
		IRS NUMBER:				770203595
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4015 MIRANDA AVE
		CITY:			PALO ALTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94304
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6508557400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4015 MIRANDA AVE
		CITY:			PALO ALTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94304
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd13209.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-07-11</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000031347</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ECHELON CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>elon</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000918983</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARKKULA ARMAS CLIFFORD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>7500</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>7.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>1787038</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value>see footnote</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Director stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>7.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>7500</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>1999-07-27</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2003-07-27</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>7500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">1,635,110 shares are held by the Restated Arlin Trust dated 12/12/90, of which the Reporting Person and his spouse serve as co-trustees; and 151,928 shares re held by Markkula Family Limited Partnership (the &quot;Partnership&quot;).  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of all but 27,500 shares held by the Partnership.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">The Reporting Person exercised 7,500 of the 10,000 share option granted on July 27, 1998 under the Echelon Corporation 1998 Director Option Plan.  The option became exercisable at the rate of 1/4th of the shares on July 27, 1999 and each one-year anniversary thereafter.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Gibson Anderson</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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