September 17, 2010. Copyright 2010, Graphic News. All rights reserved

Petrol car wins $5 million fuel economy X-Prize
By Neil Winton

LONDON, September 17, Graphic News:  The Edison2 team won the $5 million X-Prize prize fuel economy award with a petrol-engine driven car which looks a bit like a small, racing power boat from the 1950s.

The X-Prize, awarded by the Progressive Insurance company, demanded that the winner average at least 100 miles per U.S. gallon (2.4 litres per 100km) carrying four people for at least 200 miles. The winner would have to produce a vehicle which was practical enough for manufacture. A second $5 million category, for more exotic, but less practical vehicles, was split two ways.

The 200-mile range requirement effectively ruled out electric cars.

The Edison2 team's Very Light Vehicle was powered by a one-cylinder 250cc petrol engine which can use petrol or E85 ethanol. The team, led by retired German racing driver Oliver Kuttner, and based in Lynchburg, Virginia, originally planned to produce either a battery or petrol-hybrid electric vehicle -- hence the electricity linked name -- but found they had to revert to a very low weight, low aerodynamic drag body structure and a petrol engine to meet the prize's requirements.

The $5m prize money for more exotic attempts at fuel economy was split between U.S. company Li-ion Motors Corp's Wave2, a two-seater electric car, and X-Tracer from Winterthur, Switzerland, with a motorcycle-like electric car. In this category, vehicles had to carry at least two, and have a 100-mile range.

The Progressive Automotive X Prize competition began in April at the Michigan International Speedway. There were a wide variety of solutions including 20 battery electric vehicles, and 15 petrol-powered entrants, while others used biodiesel or R85 ethanol. One ran on a mix of hydrogen and gasoline; another combined gasoline and steam. There were 51 entrants from 11 countries, including the U.S., Britain, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Holland, Finland, China, Thailand, India and Canada.

Contestants had to prove driveability, braking, acceleration and refuelling. The knockout stage pared the field down to about five in each category, which then had to demonstrate fuel economy.

The only major car manufacturer to enter the competition was Tata of India (which owns Jaguar Land Rover), with its polymer lithium-ion battery powered Vista EV-X. Tesla Motors entered its high-performance electric sports car based on the Lotus Elise. Aptera Motors of Vista, California entered an electric vehicle, backed by Google. The rest of the teams were often university-based, or groups of small companies.

Edison2's chief designer Ron Mathis used buttons instead of door handles and internal cameras rather than external mirrors to improve its aerodynamics. The body was made from carbon, giving it strength similar to a Formula 1 racing car. But it would be possible to manufacture the vehicle in aluminium and steel to make it affordable, he said. The design also meets America's demanding safety standards.
/ENDS