The American automotive world seems to be in a whirlpool fervor of going green and functional at the same time, all for a single cause. And, if the cause is $10 million cash prize, then why not. The run to produce the best economical, realistic and green cars is on with the bait from Automotive X PRIZE (AXP), a not-for-profit organization. The prize would go to the best 100-mpg car made by the year 2009.
Not only small time manufacturer or students’ projects but the biggest names in the automotive market are already in the game to show off their vehicles. Including a team of engineering students who are already funded by Popular Mechanics magazine along with Phoenix Motorcars, Visionary Vehicles, Tesla, ZAP, Aptera, Commuter Cars Corp, Loremo, all are in with two choices for making the car, either a mainstream car or an alternative, meaning two seaters with three wheels.
Be it Visionary Vehicles’ a plug-in hybrid luxury sedan, ZAP’s two forthcoming highway-ready electric cars, Aptera’s two-seat plug-in hybrid based on ultralight aircraft construction, Tesla’s Tesla Tesla Roaster, FuelVapor Technologiess Alé, or Loremo’s Turbodiesel Loremo, winning the completion will not only mean a prize, but making a marketing strategy of production capability added with public demand. No matter who wins the race, the hope of getting fuel efficient affordable cars is round the corner. Get more images and information on these cars here.
According to Don Foley, Senior Director of AXP, the organization aims to attest to their theory that ultra-efficient cars are not only dreams but are practical and reliable. The organization, which has awarded million dollar prizes to technological advances, does not wish to see glass cased-type designer masterpieces or outcomes of science experiments, made just for the completion without the vital functionalities considering safety and cost-effectiveness.
Source: Editorial Autos
