Additional Automotive X-Prize details revealed

For a competition that still hasn't officially launched, the Automotive X-Prize has certainly been doing a pretty good job of making itself known, and we've now got yet more details on it courtesy of the folks at CNET. First up, it seems that the X-Prize Foundation will finally get official with the competition "sometime next year," although likely not before the New York Auto Show in the spring. Before that, however, the Foundation will be showing off some or all of the 43 contenders currently signed up at the Detroit Auto Show in January including, among others, Aptera's 300 mile-per-gallon car pictured above. What's more, given that the competition only seeks to find a car that gets 100 miles to the gallon, it would seem that Aptera would have a considerable advantage -- assuming it can actually back up its claims, that is. Hit up the read link below for a peek at some of the other competitors.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Dec 6th 2007 2:18PM]

I swear that thing looks like it's wings are missing.

[rv @ Dec 6th 2007 3:01PM]

300 mpg?? Damn. The question now is- will gas companies find a way to squash that car (or something like it) before it could be mass produced. I say probably

[raerae @ Dec 6th 2007 3:01PM]

A flying tic tac....DISCLAIMER: Not intended for non-midget population

[fnc @ Dec 6th 2007 3:39PM]

That 300 mpg number is taking into account the plug-in hybrid nature of the car. In other words, if you take only trips of a certain length in a certain order, you'll have gone 300 miles before using a gallon of gas. But you'll have consumed some electricity from the grid to do so. The official website isn't trying to fib about this either, they're very upfront about the fact that a plug in hybrid's gas use depends a lot on how far it's driven.

Even with that, however, I think the mileage of the thing in pure gasoline mode does indeed approach or exceed 100 mpg (been a while since I saw the specs). What's most impressive is that when fitted with a small diesel engine, it got 255 mpg on liquid fuel alone. Imagine a city 255 miles away from where you live. Now imagine the size of a gallon milk jug, and consider that amount of fuel can propel this car that distance. Say what you will about the styling, it's a pretty impressive feat of highly specialized engineering.

[Michael Chastain @ Dec 7th 2007 12:36PM]

The Aptera actually gets 130mpg. Including the energy provided by a charged battery but not accounting for its cost is a disingenuous but unfortunately common practice.

Information directly from Aptera:
http://www.aptera.com/details.php (click on Performance)

[blade417 @ Dec 6th 2007 3:43PM]

Who designs these things???
This isn't very manly at all.

[Beamey @ Dec 6th 2007 6:05PM]

Having to put well over a hundred in the tank to make this trip in a Suburban is so manly?

I think that if you need to use your car as an extension of your penis is says great deal about you.

[blade417 @ Dec 6th 2007 6:14PM]

Prime example of people who misunderstand what i'm talking about. If you MUST know, i'm already blessed down there.
What I'm saying is, where I come from, you would be made fun of constantly for driving something with that sort of design.

[Michael LaFramboise @ Dec 6th 2007 8:22PM]

"What I'm saying is, where I come from, you would be made fun of constantly for driving something with that sort of design."

And in some neighborhoods you're made fun of if you drive a car costing under a 100k, and in others you're made fun of if you put spinners on your pimpmobile, so whats your point?

[Ian @ Dec 6th 2007 4:35PM]

i say people will learn to like it.. other wise we are f'd royally up the ass. so people the future is aerodynamics i just suggest we all get used to it.
(by the way i think it doesnt look that great either) and why does it have to be white?

[Michael LaFramboise @ Dec 6th 2007 8:20PM]

"...and why does it have to be white?"

Why because its an iSperm of course ;)

[Ian @ Dec 7th 2007 6:44PM]

ahh of COURSE

[Ian @ Dec 7th 2007 6:44PM]

ahh of COURSE

[CaliforniaKid @ Dec 7th 2007 2:10AM]

Pleasant design.

I always felt the primary goal of advanced technology is to do more with less.

[blade417 @ Dec 11th 2007 8:53AM]

I'm not making a point, that's just my point of view of the vehicle.

[Jeff @ Dec 18th 2007 12:07PM]

I love the idea of the 100mpg X-Prize.

BUT I have some additional rules I want to see:

1. Vehicle must maintain 100mpg (or higher) average on a road trip from New York to Los Angeles. Road trip is approximately 2776 miles (per Google maps) [specific end-points can be determined later]. Assuming freeway speed of 70mph, and 8 hours per day of driving, this trip should be possible in 5 days. To win the prize, the vehicle should make the trip in at most 6 days (allowing for unknown delays).

2. Vehicle should carry a family of 2 adults, 4 children aged 6 and under (with child safety seats), and all necessary luggage for a supposed two-week (14 day) vacation.