The New York Times reported the winners for the Automotive X-Prize today.
Although the official awards will be announced later, the report says the big $5-million prize was snagged by Edison2′s Very Light Car design, which was entered in the mainstream class. $2.5-million prizes were also awarded to Li-Ion Motors’ Wave II electric vehicle, entered in the alternative side-by-side category, and the unusual Swiss Peraves E-tracer cycle, which was the last remaining competitor in the alternative tandem class.
Per the rules of the Mainstream class, the Very Light Car seats four passengers, uses four wheels, offers 10 cubic feet of cargo space, and have a range of over 200 miles when used in a mixture of city and highway driving. Thanks to a svelte curb weight of 850 pounds and a 40-horsepower, turbocharged 250-cc one-cylinder engine running on E85 ethanol blends, early estimates suggested the VLC’s range could be in excess of 600 miles per tank.
Alternative classes allowed designers to whittle away both seating and wheels. Both the Wave II and E-tracer seat two passengers, albeit in very different manners. The Wave II places its occupants side-by-side, while the two-wheel E-tracer — essentially an enclosed motorcycle — places the passenger immediately behind the driver.
via New York Times courtesy of Automobile Magazine Staff
