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Edison2 shows off an updated Very Light Car EV by exposing its unique frame (hands-on)
We've had a few looks at Edison2's Very Light Car (VLC) project including its gasoline-powered X-Prize winning incarnation, but today's EV looked a bit different. In an event at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI, CEO and founder Oliver Kuttner showed off the latest version of the vehicle, this time unskinned -- while referencing similar body-less showcases of the Lamborghini Miura and Volkswagen Beetle -- to show off the innovative suspension that contributes greatly to the car's light weight. The in-wheel suspension units connect to single piece axles that bookend the car's chassis and feature fewer contact points than traditional car suspension designs. Kuttner claims this technique will also feed back into conventional car bodies, opening up more space and taking weight out of future vehicles. Check after the break for more details about what's changed and what's next for Edison2, or dive into the gallery to take a look for yourself.%Gallery-185393%
The very light, very electric, very efficient Edison2 eVLC scores 245MPGe rating
After winning the X-Prize, Edison2 decided the next logical step for its Very Light Car was to put an electric engine in it. Well, what is now known as the eVLC has been put through the EPA-certified ringer and come out boasting a jaw-dropping 245MPGe. Using the latest, more stringent, 5-cycle EPA tests the strange looking vehicle posted a miles-per-gallon equivalent almost 250-percent that of the Nissan leaf. The four-passenger eVLC also scored an impressive 114 mile range on its tiny 10.5 kWh battery (the Leaf gets 117 miles out of its 24 kWH battery) and sucked down a full charge in six hours from a standard 110v socket. For a few more details check out the PR after the break.
Edison2's Very Light Car is now very electric, too
When we caught a glimpse of Edison2's Very Light Car earlier this year, we were told to expect an electric version of the X-Prize winning featherweight in the near future. Well, here it is. Known as the eVLC, this "supremely aerodynamic" concept car is powered by a 10-kWh battery pack and, believe it or not, can comfortably seat four passengers. The plug-in has yet to go through the EPA's official round of mileage testing, but Edison2 claims that the eVLC is far more fuel efficient than the Nissan Leaf and believes it could even receive the highest MPGe rating ever awarded. There's still no word on when this little critter could hit the market, but you can check out Autoblog Green's gallery (at the source link below) for a more extensive tour of what Edison2 calls the "inevitable future of the automobile."
A tour around the X-Prize winning Edison2 Very Light Car (video)
A few months ago, three teams split $10 million in prizes, finally claiming the Progressive Insurance Automotive X prize. They're all at CES, and we got a chance to speak in detail with one of the men behind one of them, Edison2's Oliver Kutter, about the design of the car and, ultimately, what's going to come next thanks to that $5 million in cash the company walked away with. Read on for the details from that conversation, including why this tiny thing could actually be safer than a traditional car, as well as a video walkthrough, and pictures of the winner of the two-wheeled X-Tracer too. %Gallery-113929%
Three lightweight fuel economy meisters split $10 million in X Prize dollars
We're big fans of private entities giving away big chunks of cash to fund cool research, and the X Prize foundation seems to be making the most waves lately. Most recent is the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize, a $10 million total purse going to cars able to score at least an equivalent MPG of 100. There were two main classes and three total prizes, all of which recently found winners. Besting them all was the Team Edison2 Very Light Car, taking home $5 million thanks to its four-passenger configuration clocking in at 102.5MPGe running on E85 ethanol. There were also two "alternative" winners, each scoring $2.5 million: Team Li-On's two-seater Wave-II EV (187MPGe) and Team X-Tracer Switzerland's E-Tracer, an awesome and electric two-wheeled enclosed motorcycle with auto-deploying outrigger wheels. That sucker, pictured above, managed 205.3MPGe and will do 0 - 60 in under seven seconds, something that certainly can't be said of the rest. But, none of them are exactly what you'd call four star safety rated nor can any be found on dealer lots. In other words: it remains to be seen when mere mortal commuters will get to be the winners of this contest.
