-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 VtinR6nnVeFfE9oqcwfU8AS7r4DHGdEtcnKQwuJVaopG8AHaaaSOwjXhh5lMHYmj
 p3/avTfbmmKGeg3sQVgMpQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-014990.txt : 20030723
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-014990.hdr.sgml : 20030723
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030722200717
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-014990
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030722
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030723

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MAXFIELD ROBERT R
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001227361

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-29748
		FILM NUMBER:		03797271

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O ECHELON CORP
		STREET 2:		550 MERIDIAN AVE
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95126
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4089385200

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>rrd13787.xml
<DESCRIPTION>BOARD OF DIRECTORS - FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-07-22</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000031347</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ECHELON CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>elon</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227361</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MAXFIELD ROBERT R</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>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>10000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>7.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>475037</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>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>10000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</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>10000</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">The shares are held by Robert R. Maxfield, Trustee UA DTD 12/14/87, as amended.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">The Reporting Person exercised in full the 10,000 share option granted on July 27, 1998 under 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, attorney in fact for Robert R. Maxfield</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-22</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----