The Very Light Car
Encyclopedia
The Very Light Car is a prototype design for 2- and 4-passenger automobile
s powered by small (250cc) one-cylinder E85-gasohol
-fueled internal combustion engines. It was developed by the Edison2 team in the Automotive X Prize
competition. Two such 4-passenger cars were the only qualifiers in the finals of the "mainstream" division of the competition, and one of them won the 2010 division prize of $5 million with a fuel economy of 100.3 MPGe (approximately 69 MPG) despite suffering a catastrophic engine failure before validation. Edison2 was allowed to provide independent third-party validation reports instead of undergoing the same validation testing as other finalist teams.
The design emphasizes mainstream rather than exotic materials, and extreme low weight (less than 450 kg (1000 lbs)) and very low aerodynamic drag (coefficient of drag <0.15) for achieving the prize's requirement of 100 MPGe
or higher fuel economy
. Significant design innovations included in-wheel suspension and safety design derived from endurance auto racing.
entrepreneur and auto enthusiast, and is headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia
. The VLC development involved over 100 of its own and other companies' employees.
In addition to its entries in the X Prize "mainstream" division, the team also entered one additional vehicle in each of the two "alternative" (2-passenger) divisions.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s powered by small (250cc) one-cylinder E85-gasohol
E85
E85 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...
-fueled internal combustion engines. It was developed by the Edison2 team in the Automotive X Prize
Automotive X Prize
The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE 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...
competition. Two such 4-passenger cars were the only qualifiers in the finals of the "mainstream" division of the competition, and one of them won the 2010 division prize of $5 million with a fuel economy of 100.3 MPGe (approximately 69 MPG) despite suffering a catastrophic engine failure before validation. Edison2 was allowed to provide independent third-party validation reports instead of undergoing the same validation testing as other finalist teams.
The design emphasizes mainstream rather than exotic materials, and extreme low weight (less than 450 kg (1000 lbs)) and very low aerodynamic drag (coefficient of drag <0.15) for achieving the prize's requirement of 100 MPGe
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent is a measure of the average distance traveled per unit of energy consumed. MPGe is used by the U.S...
or higher fuel economy
Fuel 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....
. Significant design innovations included in-wheel suspension and safety design derived from endurance auto racing.
Edison2 team
Edison2 was founded by Oliver Kuttner, a VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
entrepreneur and auto enthusiast, and is headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
. The VLC development involved over 100 of its own and other companies' employees.
In addition to its entries in the X Prize "mainstream" division, the team also entered one additional vehicle in each of the two "alternative" (2-passenger) divisions.
Recognition and awards
- Shared the 2010 Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE.
- Selected by Time Magazine as one the 50 Best Inventions of the Year 2010.
External links
- Eric Cahill. "The Competition Isn’t Over Yet: Why Validation Matters", Progressive Automotive XPrize Blog, August 26, 2010
- John O'Dell. "Auto X-Prize's 'Mainstream' Finalist Gets OK to Provide Own Validation Results" Edmunds.com Green Car Advisor, August 17, 2010.
- Bryan Gentry, "Lynchburg Man Hopes His Efficient Car Will Change the Auto Industry", The News and Advance, January 9, 2010
- Brian McNeill, "Car of Tomorrow: Kuttner's 100mpg Vehicle Still in X Prize Fight", The Daily ProgressThe Daily ProgressThe Daily Progress is the sole daily newspaper in the vicinity of Charlottesville, Virginia. It has been published continuously since 1892. According to the newspaper history published in the 75th anniversary edition in September, 1967, the paper was founded by James Lindsay...
, November 8, 2009 - Edison2 website
- Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize website
- "Light, Fuel-Driven Car Goes For 100 Mpg X Prize", NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
Morning Edition, July 22, 2010