Automotive X Prize
Encyclopedia
The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE (PIAXP or AXP) was a set of competitions, programs and events, from the X Prize Foundation
to "inspire a new generation of super-efficient vehicles that help break America's addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change." Progressive Insurance
was the title sponsor of the prize, the centerpiece of which is the Competition Division, within which a $10 million dollar purse was divided between the winners of three competitions.
The essence of each competition is to design, build and race super-efficient vehicles that achieve 100 MPGe (2.35 liter/100 kilometer) efficiency, produce less than 200 grams/mile well-to-wheel CO2 equivalent emissions
, and could be manufactured for the mass market. Within the Competition Division, there are two vehicle classes: Mainstream and Alternative. The mainstream class has a prize of $5 million. The alternate class has two separate prizes of $2.5 million, one for side-by-side seating and one for tandem seating.
The PIAXP has an Educational Program, funded by a $3.5 million grant from the United States Department of Energy
, to engage students and the public in learning about advanced vehicle technologies, energy efficiency, climate change, alternative fuels, and the science, technology, engineering, and math behind efficient vehicle development.
The winners of the competition were announced on September 16, 2010.
A little more than year later, on April 12, 2007, the Foundation formally announced the creation of the prize at the 2007 New York Auto Show and set the purse at $10 million for a car that could get 100 miles per US gallon and be sold for a reasonable price. In the subsequent year, the X Prize Foundation solidified sponsorship for the prize and on March 20, 2008 announced that Progressive Insurance would be the Title Sponsor of the Prize and fund the $10 million purse. From that point onward, it was known as the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize (PIAXP).
At the April 12, 2007 announcement of the creation of the X Prize, the Foundation released draft Competition Guidelines, which were open for public comment from April 2 to May 31, 2007. The latest guidelines were published on January 10, 2009. The competition guidelines are the product of hundreds of volunteers of the AXP and world-class advisors.
On April 7, 2009, the X Prize Foundation
announced that 111 teams had registered by the February 2009 deadline. By October 20, 2009, the design judging had winnowed the number of teams down to 43, with some publicly, and others quietly, withdrawing. The formal vehicle competition events began on April 26, 2010, and consisted of the remaining four stages: Shakedown (April 26-May 7, 2010), Knockout (June 16-30, 2010), Finals (July 19-30, 2010) and Validation (August 2010).
and emissions
, but differing design constraints. The Alternative class is further divided into tandem and side-by-side classes. Vehicles in the Mainstream Class must meet specifications that are derived from typical small, five-passenger, economy mixed-use vehicles. The Alternative Class has fewer performance and design restrictions and provides an outlet for innovation. Both classes allow entries that are modifications of an existing popular vehicle, provided that all PIAXP requirements are met.
Vehicles in both classes must have a fuel economy of 100 MPGe (21 kWh or 2.35 liters of petrol/100 kilometer) and produce less than 200 grams/mile CO2 emissions (measured well-to-wheel). For electric vehicles, the CO2 emissions requirement is a more binding constraint. Because CO2 emissions will be calculated assuming a national average of electricity sources projected to 2014, an all-electric car will have to achieve 114 MPGe in order to produce less than 200 grams/mile CO2 emissions. Further, electricity consumption is measured at the "plug" side of the battery charging device, so it would have to achieve 114 MPGe, assuming 100% efficient battery charging. If the charger were 85% efficient, this requirement would grow to 134 MPGe. In the other words, efficiency of electric cars should be not 21 but 16 kWh/100 km.
Vehicles in both classes also must have features expected of a modern automobile including an enclosed cabin with windshield and windows, operating windshield wipers, washers, headlights, horn, indicators, brake lights, reflective devices, rear and side-view mirrors, and seat belts. They must have the usual automotive controls, including accelerator pedal, brake pedal, steering mechanism (not necessarily a wheel) and indicators. They must be "highway capable", which is defined as the ability to maintain 65 mi/h on a four percent uphill grade and to accelerate from 40 mi/h to 60 mi/h in less than 9 seconds. They must be able to brake from 60 to 0 mph in less than 170 feet (51.8 m), meet existing noise standards and use tires that meet automotive or motorcycle (alternative class only and only if the vehicle is otherwise eligible to be classified as a motorcycle) standards. Both must meet the same set of static and dynamic stability requirements.
The mainstream vehicle must seat at least four adults with at least two side-by-side front seats, have at least 10 cubic foot (0.28316847 m³) of useful cargo space in one contiguous location not counting the passenger seats, accelerate from 0 to 60 mi/h in 15 seconds or less, and be able to drive 200 miles (321.9 km) without refueling or recharging. The mainstream vehicle must have four or more wheels.
The alternate class vehicle must seat at least two people, accelerate from 0 to 60 mi/h in 18 seconds or less, and be able to drive 100 miles (160.9 km) without refueling or recharging. The alternative vehicle has no minimum number of wheels, but it must remain upright when stopped with no driver inputs.
While the main focus of PIAXP is fuel economy and carbon emissions, not safety, the vehicles must be "production capable". Therefore, the entries must either be fully compliant with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS) and other applicable National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) requirements or compliance has to be "designed in". For example, allowance for airbags in the designs is considered acceptable without actually installing the airbags. Teams are also required to submit a business plan
which clearly demonstrates an ability to produce 10,000 vehicles per year. Note that teams are not required to be under-taking this plan, but the plan has to exist and the car has to be designed such that this plan is feasible.
With the lack of mainstream entrants from established automobile companies, a Demonstration Division was created so that automakers could at least display and promote their highest efficiency vehicles alongside the main competition. However, there were too few entrants by the March 1 registration deadline, and this division was canceled. The only confirmed entrant was the Tesla Roadster
, which had dropped out of the main competition.
Vehicles in the Demonstration Division would have met the same requirements as Mainstream Class vehicles in the Competition Division, except for MPGe and CO2 emissions. There was no Alternative Class equivalent in the Demonstration Division. These vehicles would have been stock vehicles, i.e., vehicles identical to those for sale or pre-production prototypes of vehicles intended for sales.
Vehicles in the Demonstration Division would have been tested in the same way as Competition Division vehicles and would have participated in the PIAXP competition events under the same rules in order to demonstrate and showcase their capabilities and performance.
Those that pass this hurdle will be invited to bring their vehicles to the competition events. The design judging was closed in October 2009, with 43 teams remaining.
, from April 26 to May 7, 2010.
Those that pass the initial technical and safety inspections and tests will participate in the remaining competition events. These include stage races, additional active safety performance tests and a dynamometer test.
from June 20–29, 2010. After this stage, only 15 vehicles from 12 teams remained in the competition.
.
s under laboratory conditions at the EPA Labs in Ann Arbor, Michigan
and Argonne National Laboratory
in Chicago, Illinois. This stage is scheduled for August 2010. The validation results count toward 50% of the final efficiency figures, which together must exceed 100 MPGe.
Edison2 was an exception. The engines in both Very Light Cars failed before validation. Edison2 was allowed to provide independent third-party validation reports instead of undergoing the same validation testing as other finalist teams.
joined the PIAXP as a sponsor, funding an educational program targeted to young people. The first component of the Education Program is a web site created in partnership with Discovery Education, www.FuelOurFutureNow.com, featuring activities for K-12 students, as well as videos, virtual labs, and interactive resources intended for use in school and in the home.
by October 20, 2009, the number of teams had decreased to 43, sponsoring 53 vehicles between them. These remaining teams represented 10 countries (some entries listed two countries of origin) with 28 coming from the USA and 7 from the state of California. Of the 53 vehicles, 28 were in the Alternative Classes and 25 in the Mainstream Class. By April 15, only 30 teams remained. After the shakedown completed on May 13, 22 teams remained. A sample of the teams is shown below.
X Prize Foundation
The X PRIZE Foundation is a non-profit organization that designs and manages public competitions intended to encourage technological development that could benefit mankind....
to "inspire a new generation of super-efficient vehicles that help break America's addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change." Progressive Insurance
Progressive Corporation
The Progressive Corporation , known as the Progressive Casualty Insurance Company through its subsidiaries, provides personal automobile insurance, and other specialty property-casualty insurance and related services in the United States....
was the title sponsor of the prize, the centerpiece of which is the Competition Division, within which a $10 million dollar purse was divided between the winners of three competitions.
The essence of each competition is to design, build and race super-efficient vehicles that achieve 100 MPGe (2.35 liter/100 kilometer) efficiency, produce less than 200 grams/mile well-to-wheel CO2 equivalent emissions
Exhaust gas
Exhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline/petrol, diesel fuel, fuel oil or coal. According to the type of engine, it is discharged into the atmosphere through an exhaust pipe, flue gas stack or propelling nozzle.It often disperses...
, and could be manufactured for the mass market. Within the Competition Division, there are two vehicle classes: Mainstream and Alternative. The mainstream class has a prize of $5 million. The alternate class has two separate prizes of $2.5 million, one for side-by-side seating and one for tandem seating.
The PIAXP has an Educational Program, funded by a $3.5 million grant from the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
, to engage students and the public in learning about advanced vehicle technologies, energy efficiency, climate change, alternative fuels, and the science, technology, engineering, and math behind efficient vehicle development.
The winners of the competition were announced on September 16, 2010.
- Team Edison2 won the $5 million Mainstream competition with its four-passenger Very Light Car, obtaining 102.5 MPGe running on E85E85E85 is an abbreviation for an ethanol fuel blend of up to 85% denatured ethanol fuel and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. E85 is commonly used by flex-fuel vehicles in the US, Canada, and Europe. Some of the benefits of E85 over conventional gasoline powered vehicles include the potential...
fuel. - Team Li-Ion Motors won the $2.5 million Alternative Side-by-Side competition with their aerodynamic Wave-II electric vehicle achieving 187 MPGe.
- Team X-Tracer Switzerland won the $2.5 million Alternative Tandem competition with their 205.3 MPGe faired electric motorcycle.
History
The X Prize Foundation began work on the development of a competition to spur innovation in the automotive industry in 2005 and on March 6, 2006 announced that Mark Goodstein would join the Foundation as an Executive Director of the new prize.A little more than year later, on April 12, 2007, the Foundation formally announced the creation of the prize at the 2007 New York Auto Show and set the purse at $10 million for a car that could get 100 miles per US gallon and be sold for a reasonable price. In the subsequent year, the X Prize Foundation solidified sponsorship for the prize and on March 20, 2008 announced that Progressive Insurance would be the Title Sponsor of the Prize and fund the $10 million purse. From that point onward, it was known as the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize (PIAXP).
At the April 12, 2007 announcement of the creation of the X Prize, the Foundation released draft Competition Guidelines, which were open for public comment from April 2 to May 31, 2007. The latest guidelines were published on January 10, 2009. The competition guidelines are the product of hundreds of volunteers of the AXP and world-class advisors.
On April 7, 2009, the X Prize Foundation
X Prize Foundation
The X PRIZE Foundation is a non-profit organization that designs and manages public competitions intended to encourage technological development that could benefit mankind....
announced that 111 teams had registered by the February 2009 deadline. By October 20, 2009, the design judging had winnowed the number of teams down to 43, with some publicly, and others quietly, withdrawing. The formal vehicle competition events began on April 26, 2010, and consisted of the remaining four stages: Shakedown (April 26-May 7, 2010), Knockout (June 16-30, 2010), Finals (July 19-30, 2010) and Validation (August 2010).
Vehicle requirements
Within the Competition Division, there are two vehicle classes—Mainstream and Alternative—both of which have the same requirements for fuel economyFuel economy in automobiles
Fuel usage in automobiles refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed....
and emissions
Exhaust gas
Exhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline/petrol, diesel fuel, fuel oil or coal. According to the type of engine, it is discharged into the atmosphere through an exhaust pipe, flue gas stack or propelling nozzle.It often disperses...
, but differing design constraints. The Alternative class is further divided into tandem and side-by-side classes. Vehicles in the Mainstream Class must meet specifications that are derived from typical small, five-passenger, economy mixed-use vehicles. The Alternative Class has fewer performance and design restrictions and provides an outlet for innovation. Both classes allow entries that are modifications of an existing popular vehicle, provided that all PIAXP requirements are met.
Vehicles in both classes must have a fuel economy of 100 MPGe (21 kWh or 2.35 liters of petrol/100 kilometer) and produce less than 200 grams/mile CO2 emissions (measured well-to-wheel). For electric vehicles, the CO2 emissions requirement is a more binding constraint. Because CO2 emissions will be calculated assuming a national average of electricity sources projected to 2014, an all-electric car will have to achieve 114 MPGe in order to produce less than 200 grams/mile CO2 emissions. Further, electricity consumption is measured at the "plug" side of the battery charging device, so it would have to achieve 114 MPGe, assuming 100% efficient battery charging. If the charger were 85% efficient, this requirement would grow to 134 MPGe. In the other words, efficiency of electric cars should be not 21 but 16 kWh/100 km.
Vehicles in both classes also must have features expected of a modern automobile including an enclosed cabin with windshield and windows, operating windshield wipers, washers, headlights, horn, indicators, brake lights, reflective devices, rear and side-view mirrors, and seat belts. They must have the usual automotive controls, including accelerator pedal, brake pedal, steering mechanism (not necessarily a wheel) and indicators. They must be "highway capable", which is defined as the ability to maintain 65 mi/h on a four percent uphill grade and to accelerate from 40 mi/h to 60 mi/h in less than 9 seconds. They must be able to brake from 60 to 0 mph in less than 170 feet (51.8 m), meet existing noise standards and use tires that meet automotive or motorcycle (alternative class only and only if the vehicle is otherwise eligible to be classified as a motorcycle) standards. Both must meet the same set of static and dynamic stability requirements.
The mainstream vehicle must seat at least four adults with at least two side-by-side front seats, have at least 10 cubic foot (0.28316847 m³) of useful cargo space in one contiguous location not counting the passenger seats, accelerate from 0 to 60 mi/h in 15 seconds or less, and be able to drive 200 miles (321.9 km) without refueling or recharging. The mainstream vehicle must have four or more wheels.
The alternate class vehicle must seat at least two people, accelerate from 0 to 60 mi/h in 18 seconds or less, and be able to drive 100 miles (160.9 km) without refueling or recharging. The alternative vehicle has no minimum number of wheels, but it must remain upright when stopped with no driver inputs.
While the main focus of PIAXP is fuel economy and carbon emissions, not safety, the vehicles must be "production capable". Therefore, the entries must either be fully compliant with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 regulates all automotive lighting, signalling and reflective devices in the United States. Like all other Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, FMVSS 108 is administered by the United States Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety...
(FMVSS) and other applicable National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
(NHTSA) requirements or compliance has to be "designed in". For example, allowance for airbags in the designs is considered acceptable without actually installing the airbags. Teams are also required to submit a business plan
Business plan
A business plan is a formal statement of a set of business goals, the reasons why they are believed attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals....
which clearly demonstrates an ability to produce 10,000 vehicles per year. Note that teams are not required to be under-taking this plan, but the plan has to exist and the car has to be designed such that this plan is feasible.
With the lack of mainstream entrants from established automobile companies, a Demonstration Division was created so that automakers could at least display and promote their highest efficiency vehicles alongside the main competition. However, there were too few entrants by the March 1 registration deadline, and this division was canceled. The only confirmed entrant was the Tesla Roadster
Tesla Roadster
The Tesla Roadster is a battery electric vehicle sports car produced by the electric car firm Tesla Motors in California. The Roadster was the first highway-capable all-electric vehicle in serial production available in the United States. Since 2008 Tesla has sold 2,024 Roadsters in 30 countries...
, which had dropped out of the main competition.
Vehicles in the Demonstration Division would have met the same requirements as Mainstream Class vehicles in the Competition Division, except for MPGe and CO2 emissions. There was no Alternative Class equivalent in the Demonstration Division. These vehicles would have been stock vehicles, i.e., vehicles identical to those for sale or pre-production prototypes of vehicles intended for sales.
Vehicles in the Demonstration Division would have been tested in the same way as Competition Division vehicles and would have participated in the PIAXP competition events under the same rules in order to demonstrate and showcase their capabilities and performance.
Design judging
Accepted teams must provide evidence that their vehicles are production capable, by providing a detailed Data Submissions covering four areas:- Safety and Emissions: Vehicles must be designed so that, in production, they meet U. S. safety standards (FMVSS) and U.S. emission standards.
- Manufacturability and Cost: Vehicles must be capable of being manufactured in quantities of 10,000 per year with production costs within levels consistent with that production volume.
- Features: Vehicles must have the features expected by consumers for vehicles within the projected prices range.
- Business Plan: There must be a credible plan to manufacture, sell and support 10,000 vehicles (or conversions) per year by 2014. The plan must address required fuel infrastructure if it does not already exist.
Those that pass this hurdle will be invited to bring their vehicles to the competition events. The design judging was closed in October 2009, with 43 teams remaining.
Shakedown stages
The first three stages will be a “shake-down” period and performance in these stages will not count to final scores. The first step of the competition will be the review of technical reports, technical inspection of the vehicles and performance testing of safety elements to eliminate unsafe vehicles. The two-week shakedown took place at the Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
, from April 26 to May 7, 2010.
Those that pass the initial technical and safety inspections and tests will participate in the remaining competition events. These include stage races, additional active safety performance tests and a dynamometer test.
Knockout stage
The next stage will be a “knockout” qualifying event. To advance, vehicles must pass active safety performance tests, meet acceptable emission levels and demonstrate at least 67 MPGe on a test track. These were held at the Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
from June 20–29, 2010. After this stage, only 15 vehicles from 12 teams remained in the competition.
Finals stage
The final stages will determine the winning teams. To complete the race successfully, vehicles must maintain a minimum average speed (maximum allowable time) while meeting PIAXP requirements for fuel economy (90 MPGe) and emissions. The finals also include a tie breaking race; the vehicle with the best overall time while still meeting requirements will take the purse. The final stages are scheduled for July 19–30, 2010 at the Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
.
Validation stage
The few remaining teams were validated on dynamometerDynamometer
A dynamometer or "dyno" for short, is a device for measuring force, moment of force , or power. For example, the power produced by an engine, motor or other rotating prime mover can be calculated by simultaneously measuring torque and rotational speed .A dynamometer can also be used to determine...
s under laboratory conditions at the EPA Labs in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
and Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory is the first science and engineering research national laboratory in the United States, receiving this designation on July 1, 1946. It is the largest national laboratory by size and scope in the Midwest...
in Chicago, Illinois. This stage is scheduled for August 2010. The validation results count toward 50% of the final efficiency figures, which together must exceed 100 MPGe.
Edison2 was an exception. The engines in both Very Light Cars failed before validation. Edison2 was allowed to provide independent third-party validation reports instead of undergoing the same validation testing as other finalist teams.
Educational program
The United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
joined the PIAXP as a sponsor, funding an educational program targeted to young people. The first component of the Education Program is a web site created in partnership with Discovery Education, www.FuelOurFutureNow.com, featuring activities for K-12 students, as well as videos, virtual labs, and interactive resources intended for use in school and in the home.
Competing teams
Although 111 teams registered for the PAIXP and paid the registration fee,by October 20, 2009, the number of teams had decreased to 43, sponsoring 53 vehicles between them. These remaining teams represented 10 countries (some entries listed two countries of origin) with 28 coming from the USA and 7 from the state of California. Of the 53 vehicles, 28 were in the Alternative Classes and 25 in the Mainstream Class. By April 15, only 30 teams remained. After the shakedown completed on May 13, 22 teams remained. A sample of the teams is shown below.
Mainstream
- American HyPower - The "Zams" is a modified 2009 Toyota Prius. The all volunteer team based in Centennial, CO is composed of aerospace, electrical, and chemical engineers as well as entrepreneurs. It focuses on improving fuel efficiency through the introduction of hydrogen and a proprietary fuel augmentation device. In addition, aerodynamic modifications were made to the stock vehicle which alone, significantly improve fuel efficiency.
- BITW Technologies- Demonstrated the use of Bio-Diesel as a renewable resource and curb our use of petroleum from other countries.
- Edison2 - Developers of the Very Light CarThe Very Light Carthumb|right|The Very Light Car prototypeThe Very Light Car is a prototype design for 2- and 4-passenger automobiles powered by small one-cylinder E85-gasohol-fueled internal combustion engines. It was developed by the Edison2 team in the Automotive X Prize competition...
, this Lynchburg, Va team of experts from auto endurance racing emphasize low weight and low aerodynamic drag as the key to automotive efficiency, and are entered in both alternative classes and the mainstream class. - Engineer - Entered the "Hybrid Steam Vehicle"
- Global E - Entered two vehicles: the "Pulse" is a four seat hatchback electric vehicle and the "G1" is a hybrid electric vehicle entered into the "alternate:side-by-side" category.
- Illuminati Motor Works - The SevenIlluminati Motor Works SevenIlluminati Motor Works SevenSeven is a prototype of a 4 passenger battery electric vehicle. It was handcrafted by Illuminati Motor Works , and placed second in the mainstream class of the Progressive Automotive XPRIZE with a rating of 119.8 MPGe...
is an electric vehicle with a custom designed aerodynamic body, designed by a group of volunteers from Illinois. - Liberty Motors Group - "The Liberator" is a modified 2008 Hyundai Sonata.
- Team FourSight - The "FourSight" is a modified Honda Insight converted to a diesel hybrid.
- West Philly Hybrid X - The "EVX Focus" is a modified Ford Focus
Alternative (Side by Side)
- amp - amp'd Sky, an electric conversion of a Saturn SkySaturn SkyThe Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT...
- Aptera Motors - This company was founded by Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony. They've developed a three-wheeled vehicle, the Aptera 2 SeriesAptera 2 SeriesThe Aptera 2 Series is an upcoming high-efficiency passenger three-wheeled automobile produced by Aptera Motors. The California-based company opened a pre-ordering process for residents of California, but stopped taking deposits in July 2011, and on August 12, 2011, Aptera announced it will return...
. The initial model will be all electric, but it will eventually be sold alongside a plug-in hybrid version. The shape of the car is credited to Jason Hill, a designer who worked on the body of the Porsche Carrera GTPorsche Carrera GTThe Porsche Carrera GT is a mid-engined sports car that was manufactured by Porsche in Leipzig, Germany.- History :The development of the Carrera GT can be traced back to the 911 GT1 and LMP1-98 racing cars. Due in part to the FIA and ACO rule changes in 1998, both designs had ended. Porsche at...
, and to Aptera's own aerodynamicist, Miles Wheeler. The design has been inspired by modern composite aircraft and is legally classified as a motorcycle. - Li-ion MotorsLi-ion MotorsLi-ion Motors Corp., winners of the Progressive Automotive X-Prize, is a company based in Las Vegas, Nevada engaged in developing and marketing electrics cars, motorbikes and other vehicles and products based on lithium-ion battery technology...
- The Wave II is a battery electric vehicle with a custom battery management system and an aerodynamic composite fairing. - Optamotive - E-Rex, an electric conversion of the Campagna T-Rex
- Raceabout - A custom designed electric sports car from Helsinki PolytechnicHelsinki Metropolia University of Applied SciencesHelsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest and the most international University of Applied Sciences in Finland. The Metropolia has four fields of study: technology, health care and social services, economics and business administration, and culture, all of which will...
in HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland. - SABA Motors - The company was founded by Simon Saba, and is headquartered in San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. The SABA Carbon Zero Roadster is a four-wheeled, all-electric, two-passenger automobile, which weighs 1,900 lbs. The vehicle's battery pack contains 112 cells, and utilizes Lithium iron phosphateLithium iron phosphateLithium iron phosphate , also known as LFP, is a compound used in lithium iron phosphate batteries . It is targeted for use in power tools and electric vehicles...
chemistry. The company claims performance of 0-60 in under five seconds, a top speed of 105 mph, and a range of up to 140 miles. - Tata MotorsTata MotorsTata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Mumbai, India. Part of the Tata Group, it was formerly known as TELCO...
- Tata IndicaTata IndicaThe Tata Indica is a hatchback automobile range manufactured by Tata Motors of India. It is the first passenger car from Tata Motors and is also considered India's first indigenously developed passenger car. , more than 910,000 Indicas were produced. The annual sales of Indica has been as high as ...
Vista EV X. Tata plans to sell this model in India in 2011. - Team EVX - an electric conversion of the Smart CarSmart carSmart car may refer to:*Intelligent car, a car with artificial intelligence*Smart , the automobile brand...
- TW4XP - a human-electric hybrid derived from the TwikeTWIKEThe TWIKE is a human-electric hybrid vehicle /light electric vehicle designed to carry two passengers and cargo. It can be driven in electric-only mode or electric + pedal power mode .Constructed of lightweight materials such as aluminium and plastic, this...
- West Philadelphia High School - The only high school entrant is fielding two hybrid vehicle conversions: a Ford Focus BEVFord Focus BEVThe third generation of Ford Focus debuted at the 2010 North American International Auto Show as the 2011 year model. The car shown was a 5-door hatchback, also debuting a new 2.0L direct injection I4 engine...
(gas PHEV) and a Ford GT40Ford GT40The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
(biodiesel HEV). - Western Washington UniversityWestern Washington UniversityWestern Washington University is one of six state-funded, four-year universities of higher education in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in Bellingham and offers bachelor's and master's degrees.-History:...
- Of more than five dozen entrants in the competition this is only one of three university-based teams. They are based at WWU's Bellingham, WashingtonBellingham, WashingtonBellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
campus. Their group of students at Western's Vehicle Research Institute have what's been described by Automobile Magazine as having "very possibly the best school in the country for total car design." - ZAPZAP (motor company)ZAP is an electric vehicle company that designs, produces and markets vehicles including automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, personal watercraft, hovercraft, ATVs, neighborhood electric vehicles and commercial vehicles. The name stands for Zero Air Pollution...
- The American/Chinese company have developed a three-wheeled vehicle, the ZAP AliasZAP AliasThe ZAP Alias Roadster is a plug-in electric three-wheeled sports car, from the American electric car maker ZAP in Santa Rosa - California, project initiated in 2007 through a collaboration between ZAP and Lotus Engineering, the UK-based automotive engineering company, who is assisting with the...
, a 100% plug-in electric roadster, announced by the company to be produced in China by Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. Aerodynamic contours shape, wide stance with double-wishbone suspension, an AC24LS, air-cooled, AC induction motor running at 216 volts.
Alternative (Tandem)
- Commuter CarsCommuter CarsCommuter Cars is a Spokane, Washington based company founded by Rick Woodbury and his son Bryan. They are beginning production of the first of their line of ultra-narrow electric sports cars, the Tango T600...
- A production vehicle from this company has been sold to actor George ClooneyGeorge ClooneyGeorge Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
. The car, a Commuter Cars TangoCommuter Cars TangoThe Tango is an ultra-narrow electric sports car initially designed and built by Commuter Cars, an American company based in Spokane, Washington, that sells this car worldwide for $108,000....
, is known for its ultra-narrow profile. The Tango's narrow track is offset by its low center of gravity. The battery pack that supplies power for this all electric vehicle weighs in at 1100 lb (499 kg) and is placed low in the vehicle. The car is high performance. It accelerates to 60 miles per hour in four seconds and will reach a top speed of 150 mi/h. - Future Vehicle Technologies - This Canadian company has developed the eVaro, a two-person in-line three-wheeled series-hybrid vehicle which was recently certified to have a mileage of 275 MPGe in city driving and 165 MPGe in freeway driving.
- Spira4uSpira (car)The Spira is a lightweight, fuel-efficient, three-wheeled, two-passenger car designed for the roads of Southeast Asia. 90% of its bodywork is made from a lightweight, reinforced foam. The car weighs only , and has a fuel efficiency of more than 100 mpg...
- This lightweight two-seater has a soft foam fairing designed primarily for safety and efficiency. - X-Tracer Team Switzerland - An aerodynamically faired electric feet forwards motorcycleFeet forwards motorcycleA Feet First Motorcycle is a class of motorcycle design that seeks to look at the two-wheeled concept afresh, and create a new form of practical personal transport...
with outrigger wheels which deploy when stopped and retract at speed.
See also
- Ansari X PrizeAnsari X PrizeThe Ansari X Prize was a space competition in which the X Prize Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks...
- Electric vehicleElectric vehicleAn electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
- Fuel efficiencyFuel efficiencyFuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the efficiency of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier fuel into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, which in turn may vary per application, and this spectrum of variance is...
- PACE AwardPACE AwardThe PACE Award is an annual award from Automotive News to celebrate breakthrough technology features produced by automotive suppliers. Beginning in 1995, the award is given annually.-2005:...
- Plug-in hybrid
External links
- Progressive Automotive PRIZE homepage
- "Building the 100+ MPG Car: Electric co-op member works to shape the future of the automobile industry." Illinois Country Living magazine, March 2008 issue focuses on Illuminati Motor Works and the AXP.
- EdmundsEdmunds.comEdmunds.com is a provider of automotive information via Web sites, books, and other media. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and maintains an office outside of Detroit, Michigan...
: Multimillion-Dollar Automotive X Prize Aims for Vehicles That Make 100-Plus MPG April 2007