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| Science & Technology |
| Automotive X Prize |
| 2007-04-03 |
| The X Prize Foundation, which spurred innovation by offering $10 million US for the first privately built spacecraft, plans to offer millions for the first practical car that increases mileage five-fold. The California-based non-profit organization, whose mission is to encourage radical scientific and technological innovations that benefit humanity, released draft guidelines for the Automotive X Prize on Monday. The contest will require vehicles to meet tough emission requirements and get 100 miles per U.S. gallon (about 42 kilometres a litre). The current average fuel economy of U.S. vehicles is about 20 miles per gallon (nine km/l). The competition is intended "to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles that help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change," the foundation said on its website. "We invite the world's best and brightest minds to look at this independent, high-profile competition as a way to make a difference for generations to come," Mark Goodstein, the executive director of the Automotive X Prize, said in a news release. The foundation said it envisions a multi-year competition with a multimillion-dollar cash purse. likely $10,000,00 prize for 2009 The guidelines specify that the car must be appealing to buyers and easy to mass produce — warning that concept cars or "science projects" won't qualify. The vehicles will compete in real-world driving tests, in two categories — mainstream (four or more passengers and four wheels) and alternative (two or more passengers and no requirement on the number of wheels). |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #2 It's called a "Motorcycle" |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-04-03 19:16 |
| #1 missed the last 0 $10,000,000 prize. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-04-03 14:25 |