Automotive X-Prize: teams dropping fast now, only four left in the mainstream class

Automotive X-Prize Knockout Stage – Click above for high-res image gallery

Twenty-one teams entered the Shakedown Stage of the Automotive X-Prize last week, a far cry from the 43 that were still in it eight months ago or the 111 from a year ago. With the We've now got the first casualties of last week's Knockout Stage, and the list is expected to grow as the Stage continues next week. As of right now, there are nine cars left in the alternative (side-by-side) class, six in the alternative (tandem) class and just four in the mainstream class. The four mainstream cars include two Very Light Cars from Edison2, the high school students converted Focus and the Illuminati Seven. Ready to place your bets yet?

According to the X-Prize's website as of this writing, the following teams have been eliminated in the Knockout Stage:

American Hypower - ZAMS
BITW Technologies - Vincitore 1000
Edison2 - Very Light Car (one of the team's four cars)
Enginer - Hybrid Steam Vehicle
Global-E - G1
Liberty Motors Group - The Liberator
Team EVX - Smart EVX
West Philly Hybrid X (EVX Team) - EVX GT

When we spoke with the X-Prize's senior director, Eric Cahill, last week, he said that it's likely teams will file protests to try and stay in the competition, so we're not sure if these results are absolutely final or just representative of where we are pending review. In the race for $10 million, there needs to be some losses. How brutal will the Final Stage be? Well, there can only be one winner in each of the three categories, so it's going to be tough.