We previously mentioned that the good folks at the X PRIZE foundation would be bringing X PRIZE entrants to Detroit, and now we've got a full list of all the cars that will be vying for the $10 million prize. For those not in the know, the X-PRIZE will be awarded to the company that can build and market a 100 MPG equivalent vehicle that meets market needs. Competitors include Aptera, Tesla, ZAP and others. We'll be tracking down these mileage seekers next week. Full press release and list below the jump.
Automotive X PRIZE to Showcase Innovation at 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit
WHAT/ The Automotive X PRIZE, an international, multi-million dollar competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles, has announced plans to participate in this year's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) during its Press Preview and Industry Days, January 13-18. The independent and technology-neutral Automotive X PRIZE competition is open to teams from around the world who can design, build and bring to market 100 MPG equivalent vehicles that people want to buy, and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance.
Once the competition officially launches - in early 2008 - a thorough qualification process will assess safety, cost, features and business plans to ensure that only production-capable, real cars compete. Those who qualify will race their vehicles in rigorous cross-country stage races that combine speed, distance, urban driving and overall performance. To date, more than 50 teams from seven countries have signed a Letter of Intent—including Tesla, Visionary Vehicles, Aptera, ZAP, Loremo and Cornell University— to compete for a share of the multi-million dollar prize purse and global publicity.
Several teams will join Automotive X PRIZE in their booth at this year's NAIAS. The Automotive X PRIZE stage races are expected to travel through multiple cities from coast to coast in 2009 and 2010. Winning vehicles will be those that finish in the fastest time while achieving at least 100 MPG equivalent fuel economy and strict emissions caps.
WHO: Don Foley, Automotive X PRIZE Executive Director Neal Anderson, Cristin Lindsay and John Shore, Automotive X PRIZE Senior Directors Gale Banks, President, Gale Banks Engineering and Automotive X PRIZE Advisor Letter of Intent Team Members, to be announced shortly. NOTE: A detailed listing of Letter of Intent team members and other show attendees will be released by AXP in the coming weeks.
ABOUT THE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE: The Automotive X PRIZE is a project of the X PRIZE Foundation, which creates and manages prizes that drive innovators to solve the world's greatest challenges. The X PRIZE Foundation first captured world headlines in 2004, when Mojave Aerospace Ventures, led by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan and Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world's first private vehicle to space twice in two weeks to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Automotive X PRIZE is being designed with the generous help of world-class experts, advisors and organizations who represent a broad and diverse group of interests and share the organization's concerns and goals. For more detail, see our advisors, supporters, and blog at http://auto.xprize.org.
CONTENDERS To date, more than 50 teams representing 7 countries have signed letters of intent to compete. The list includes established carmakers (Tesla, Visionary Vehicles), universities (Cornell University) Michigan-based contenders (Michigan Vision), entrepreneurs and established engineers. AirShip Technologies Group, Lake Oswego, OR ° Alpha-Core/Poulsen Hybrid, Bridgeport, CT* ° Aptera Motors, Carlsbad California ° Avion Car Company, Bellingham WA ° Brilliant Automotive, Fairfield, IA ° Commuter Cars Corp, Spokane, WA ° Cornell University, Ithaca, NY ° DEHyds, Tenino, WA ° Delta Motorsport, Northamptonshire, UK °
Desert Fuel, Phoenix,AZ ° Disruptech, Newhall, CA ° Team Dragonfly, Northampton, UK ° Electric Truck Inc, Greenwich, CT ° Energy Highway, Pleasanton, CA ° FuelVapor Technologies, Maple Ridge, BC ° GreenIt!, Portland, OR ° HerfDuo, Berlin, Germany ° HyKinesys, Rolling Hills Estate,CA ° ICEwave,
Terre Haute, IN ° Illuminati, Virden, IL ° Kinetic Vehicles, Creswell, OR ° Kuttner Doran Innovations, Charlottesville, VA* ° Loremo, Munich, Germany ° Lydell Industries, Frewsburg, NY ° Maine Automotive X, Camden, ME ° MDI, Inc. and Zero Pollution Motors, LLC, New Paltz, NY* ° Michigan Vision, Ann Arbor, MI * ° Motive Industries, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ° MotoTron Disrupt, Oshkosh, WI ° West Philly Hybrid X Team, Philadelphia PA ° Phoenix Motorcars, Ontario, CA* ° Physics Lab of Lake Havasu, Lake Havasu, AZ* ° Porteon Electric Vehicles, Inc., Portland, OR ° Prometheus Systems, Flagstaff, AZ ° Psycho-Active, Moore, SC* ° RaceAbout Association, Helsinki Finland ° Red Light Racing (RLR), Callaway, MA ° Kernel™-AXP, Beverly Hills CA ° Spirit One, Alberta CA ° T3 Motion, Costa Mesa CA ° Team Global-E, Mandeville, LA ° Tilting Vehicle Australia, Kilburn, Australia* ° TriTrack,Austin, TX ° Team Twike IV, Germany ° Tesla Motors, San Carlos, CA ° Valentin Technologies, Elm Grove, WI* ° Velozzi, Beverly Hills CA* ° Visionary Vehicle, NY, NY* ° X Tracer Team Switzerland, Winterthur, Switzerland ° ZAP, Santa Rosa, CA *teams marked with an asterisk will be available to the media during the Detroit Auto Show.
[Source: X-PRIZE]