Slideshow
Automotive X-Prize Competition
Sep 16, 2010
- Progressive X Prize Third-Round Competitors pose at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) during dynamic testing session. Only nine vehicles from seven teams made it through to the final laboratory economy measurement sessions that would determine the overall winners.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- Vehicles are prepped and organized for competition along side the MIS pit lane. The Li-ion Motors Wave II (left) made it to the finals, but the Tango T600 (center) and Spira (constructed with Styrofoam) couldn't hit the efficiency target of 90 mpg-e.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- Curiously powered by an internal combustion engine but from a company named after Thomas Edison, the ultra lightweight car entered the finals with performance to spare.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- Inside the Edison, controls are barely recognizable for the driver of a production Ford or Toyota. The Spartan interior does not have any comfort features.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- The two-seat Aptera 2e was aided by its excellent aerodynamics as it drove into the finals.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- The X-Tracer from Team Switzerland is an enclosed motorcycle-type vehicle with automatically deploying training wheels to keep it upright. This sleek design made the finals.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- Driven by Al Unser Jr., the Zap (foreground) made it into the finals, as did the impressive RaceAbout (center).
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- The Saturn Sky-based pure electric AMP almost made it into the finals and was one of the best performing vehicles (dynamically) in the competition.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- Could traffic look like this in the future?
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- Designed with a silly grin on its face, the Spira4u used one-wheel drive and a tiny motorcycle engine for power. Tandem seats accommodate two. If you can't find a parking space, the so-called car is light enough to drag up a flight of stairs and small enough to fit through a doorway.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- The Tango T600 proved to be the X Prize competition's hot rod. Even though it delivered great power and speed, the high-torque, brush-type DC motor wasnt efficient enough to meet the 90-mpg-e target because it lacked regenerative braking.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- Driven by Al Unser Jr., the Zap (foreground) made it into the finals, as did the impressive RaceAbout (center).
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- The TW4XP is a three-wheeled, two-seat pure-electric vehicle from Germany that made it into the finals.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- The Viking 45 looks at home at speed on the banking at MIS.
- Image Credit: Rex Roy
- X-Prize winners (from right to left) X-Tracer Team Switzerland (X-Tracer), Edison2 (Very Light Car) and Li-ion Motors (Wave II) are recognized at the awards ceremony.
Credit: progautoxp, Flickr. - Image Credit: progautoxp, Flickr
- The Edison2 team proudly shows off their winnings.
Credit: progautoxp, Flickr. - Image Credit: progautoxp, Flickr