Inventors, start your engines: There’s a $10 million award for the first person to build a commercially viable car that gets at least 100 mpg.
The prize is being offered by the X Prize Foundation, which offered a similar contest a few years ago for the first private group to send a human into space. The Automotive X Prize already has attracted 60 teams from 10 countries — although none of the major car companies has entered.
Among the entrants is Wichita’s own Johnathan Goodwin, who plans to enter a 1959 Lincoln Continental owned by rocker Neil Young that he’s retrofitting with an electric biodiesel hybrid engine. I wrote a profile of him awhile back.
It will be fascinating to see the finalists when they’re tested late next year. Here’s hoping Goodwin’s “Linc Volt†takes the prize.
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America needs to get back to being ingenious, the way it used to when we faced challenges. The price of gas doesn’t bother me a bit, because out of this crisis so much good and new technology will come. Just think what we could do if we took all the money we borrowed for the war and put it to projects like this.
Here’s hoping Goodwin’s “Linc Volt” takes the prize.
I suspect Goodwin is a hoodwinker — or the laws of physics have been suspended. Anyone in the market for a Tata air car?
Isn;t the focus supposed to be on “commercially viable”? Isn’t Goodwin’s car something like $250,000? That doesn’t seem to be very commercially viable. Buth then, by that standard, neither would several other cars, I guess. However, if you can;t get the price down the the “purchased by the masses” level, then the impact will be negligent.
lj - the $250,000 is not an unreasonable amount if it is a prototype. Of course, I would befinitely be looking at maybe a factor of 10 reduction by production time.
One thing I watch out for is “it all depends on what ‘is’ is” - i.e. when they claim 100 mpg is that a plug-in that also uses electricity that comes from another source? While I am a supporter of plug-in hybrids I would also say that to make a 100-mpg claim without that disclosure would be dishonest.
I agree, LJ. But you have to start somewhere. Not real sure, but I believe most of his cost comes from adapting somewhat non-compatible hardware with other existing hardware. Once tooling and production is in place, I’m sure production costs, then purchase costs will go down.
The first Model-T got 25mpg and ran on ethanol. My how we have progressed since then.
I saw that on TV the other day, too, doug. Didn’t know that either. Ya gotta consider the model T weighed, what? 500 pounds? But it had a great airconditioner.
*ducks*
“Henry Ford Sr. was a long-time supporter of Frank Buchman. He was also a long-time supporter of Adolf Hitler. Ford had quite a history of involvement with ultra-conservative and fascist causes himself.
During World War I, Ford wrote a series of viciously anti-Semitic articles for The Dearborn Independent, which he then published in book form as a hate-filled diatribe against Jews called “The International Jew: The World’s Foremost Problem”, which basically blamed Jews for all of the problems of the world. The International Jew is still reprinted and used and much admired by neo-Nazis and White Supremacists even today. ”
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-rroot540.html
This is the guy they are lookin for?
Sol, google bush, nazi.
Fish,
LOL. I don’t of hear anyone “looking for the next Bush.” —-
DAMN IT the GOP already found him. Meet John McCain.
I can’t find anything (credible) on McCain’s nazi connections. Maybe he’s just better at hiding it?
*ducks*
Really, I think the only one who’d be worth a tinker’s dam is Ron Paul, and that po’ boy ain’t gotta chance. And I don’t think there’s much he could do with what’s remaining, either. We’re looking at a 20-30 year stretch to get outta the hole we’re dug into.
“prototype. Of course, I would befinitely be looking at maybe a factor of 10 reduction by production time.”
Not a chance. That is way too large a reduction factor. A $250,000 proptotype is just another concept car, meaningless in the marketplace.
Nonethless, it is a pretty neat contest and perhaps some great new technology can come from it.
and that po’ boy ain’t gotta chance.
It isn’t just about the man, it is about the revolution. Keep your eyes and ears open. The grass roots campaign has been in overdrive.
Wait for the convention. If Ron Paul does not get the nod, keep your ears open for what the delegates bring to the platform.
Watch the congressional races (www.paulcongress.com). We’re going to take the party back to its conservative roots from the inside
It will be interesting indeed.
I wish you and RP good luck, Sol.
They already have the Aptera diesel-electric hybrid car on sale now and they will begin shipping starting in Q4, 2008.
It is an environmentally-friendly car that is as clean and green as it is fantastically futuristic. It is a three-wheeled hybrid, seating 2.5 with plenty of room for luggage, the Aptera can get up to 230 miles per gallon at 55 miles per hour, and has an (electronically limited) top speed of 95 mph.
The vehicle has two engine options are eco friendly- you can choose from an all-electric or plug-in hybrid version. The all-electric is powered exclusively with batteries, to last approximately 120 miles. At night you simply plug the Aptera into any standard 110 volt outlet and in just a few hours you will have a fully charged vehicle. The plug-in series hybrid is powered by an electric drive train, assisted by a fuel efficient gasoline powered generator, stretching the travel range significantly further. In typical driving you may achieve over 300 miles per gallon and you will have range far beyond any passenger vehicle available today.
The design of the Aptera includes all the standard features, including airbags, a rear view camera, GPS navigation, and a CD/MP3/DVD player. It also includes a RFID key fob to start the car, and a solar assisted climate control system. The approximate cost of the Aphera will be $26,900, and you can reserve your own for a fully refundable $500.
If you have not seen it, you can google the name and watch it on youtube.
It is a very nice car if you do not mind the Jetson look.
WEll, I guess the contest is over. Apparently, the Aptera fills the bill of one side of the contest. The other contest is for a 4 door, 4 seater.
seating 2.5
I hat to think of whom the 0.5 person is. Are they halfway out of the vehicle?
Just kidding of course.
hate*
Btw littlejohn, the Aptera is a 1 million dollar prototype.
The cost does justify the manufacturing and the marketing justify the reward.
I hate to think of whom the 0.5 person is. Are they halfway out of the vehicle?
Of course not - Vern Troyer is the 0.5 person.
It is a three-wheeled hybrid, seating 2.5
LOL, Solly, I was wondering if I needed to leave my right side, or my left, at home.
I’m curious as to how many Kw it takes to pump up the battery. Frequently the oil you save at the pump is spent on the grid. May still be cheaper, possibly elect. is subsidized differently than gasoline, I just don’t know.
Solar baby solar !!!!
I have a solar powered clothes dryer I’ll sell ya, Sol. Only $50.
(ok, it’s 10 feet of rope, but i have to make a profit for my shareholders)
Good one Fish,
Solar panels. I live and work in the sticks. I drive by barns to and from work. What I see is surface area. Unused surface area. Line those roofs with solar panels. Pump the power (though the meter box that would be running backwards) back into the grid. Pay the farmer for the power he collects. Free (almost) electricity.
This would reduce the emissions of the power plants and drive down the cost of producing electricity. It would drive down the cost to you and me as well.
Solar baby solar.
“Btw littlejohn, the Aptera is a 1 million dollar prototype.
The cost does justify the manufacturing and the marketing justify the reward.”
Well. Perhaps I stand corrected. Only time will tell.
I agree, Sol. Solar panels and wind. There’s a guy in Norway? Sweden? can’t really remember, that produces a small home unit wind turbine. Kinda looks like DNA molecule mounted horizontally. Isn’t effected by turbulence, and wind direction doesn’t matter–it opperates the same. It won’t run a standard house, but it’ll run most of it. Produces during everything from a light breeze to a tornado.
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