Progressive Automotive X PRIZE

AMP - After the X PRIZE

AMP, a Finalist and electric drivetrain producer based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has succeeded in bringing test vehicles to market since the completion of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE last summer. AMP's first all-electric models were the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice convertibles and the Chevrolet Equinox.

“We probably have 100,000 electric miles on our vehicles,” states Steve Burns, AMP founder and CEO. “These early customers and actual road miles have helped us refine our craft to the point that we are now ready to validate and crash test our vehicles.”

In addition to the development work on their core GM products, AMP has delivered the first of 1,000 AMP electrified Mercedes Benz ML to Northern Lights Energy of Iceland. The agreement for 1,000 vehicles was signed on April 14, 2011 and volume delivery is expected to begin this fall. According to Burns, “Iceland is kind of a perfect storm for EV's. High gas prices, almost free electricity, high taxes on ICE based vehicles and moderate temperatures. Quite a test bed.”

Spira - After the X PRIZE

Spira, an international Finalist, has continued their push to launch a unique vehicle exclusive to the Asian automotive markets.  The Spira4U, currently being developed by an American team based in Thailand, has a foam body construction.  The vehicle showcased in the competition was powered by an internal combustion engine, but the team has recently begun collaboration with Electric Motorsport and the Tiger Motorcycle factory to create an electric Spira. 

“We are considering a couple of partners for producing electric Spiras for export. We are concentrating on an electric version as we are still seeking a gas scooter engine supplier that will meet emissions in the USA and Europe,” states Lon Ballard, CEO.  While developing new versions of the Spira4U, the team continues to work through vehicle safety requirements including vehicle crash performance.

Edison2 - After the X PRIZE

Edison2, the $5 million winner of the Mainstream Class has been very productive following the X PRIZE competition. The company is rapidly moving towards commercialization of their vehicle and has been investigating alternative drivetrains for use in the Very Light Car vehicle platform. These alternate drivetrains include a battery-powered electric version of the Very Light Car (VLC,) which, according to Edison2 spokesperson David Brown, “can solve EV's issues of range and battery weight.” Brown predicts that the electric VLC will have a range of over 100 miles using a 10 kilowatt-hour (kwh) battery pack. In comparison, the Nissan Leaf has a 77 mile range using 24 kwh.

Another important part of Edison2’s path to commercialization is safety. Ongoing computer-simulation crash testing is confirming what the team already knows from their history in racing:  with the right architecture a low mass car can be safe by today's standards. Edison2 plans to begin live crash testing this fall.

Aside from the company’s technological development, Edison2 is growing its company as well, acquiring a new property on the outskirts of Lynchburg, Va.  – the former Virginia Castings foundry at Mt. Athos.  This property will house a test track, on-site crash testing and the company’s offices. Edison2 has also expanded their team, bringing in additional design expertise from Jason Hill of Design by 11 and electric car expertise from Ron Cerven, the former team leader from Li-ion Motors, who led the Li-ion team to victory in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize Alternative Class.

“The next version Very Light Car will be roomier, friendlier, pass safety standards and turn heads -- while maintaining breakthrough efficiency,” stated David Brown.  It appears that Edison2 is well on their way to making that statement a reality.

Team EVX – After the X PRIZE

West Philadelphia High School, better known as Team EVX, was eliminated from the competition during the Knockout Phase, but the team has continued their work with efficient vehicles and developing the next generation of technology savvy young adults.

Early in 2011, Edison2, Mainstream Class winner, created a chassis of the Very Light Car for Team EVX to build as an all-electric car, the Electric Very Light Car (EVLC). The team has decided on a drivetrain utilizing Azure Dynamics electric motor and International Battery Lithium Iron Phosphate battery pack. Subsequently, five students on the EVX Team entered the Clean Energy division of the Conrad Foundation’s Spirit of Innovation Awards (SOIA) that challenges high school students to use science, technology and entrepreneurship to solve real-world 21^st century problems. The students detailed their work on the EVLC for the contest and partnered with University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business to create a business and marketing plan. In May, the students won the SOIA and will be working on additional components of the business plan this summer.

On April 15, after tweaking and tuning the EVX GT, the team’s internal combustion engine powered competition vehicle, the team took a large group of students and teachers to the Green Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International, which featured a short and long road rally. The Chevy Volt won the short road rally and the EVX GT won the long road rally and logged the best MPGe of any car in the competition.

Perhaps most importantly, Simon Hauger, Team EVX leader, mentor, and program developer, has been working to advance the work of the EVX Team from after-school to an official high school program. The program, the Sustainability Workshop, will be housed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in conjunction with the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC), a $129 million initiative of the Department of Energy. The team is partnering with the GPIC, the Philadelphia School District and Drexel University for this effort and started classes early this month.

“For all that the X PRIZE did to foster the advancement of the automotive industry, the greater achievement will be a fundamental rethinking about how we educate today’s young people for tomorrow’s green economy,” states Ann Cohen, Team EVX advisor and mentor.

West Philly EVX will also be honored by Popular Mechanics for their achievements at a ceremony in New York on October 10, 2011.  What an inspiring group of young adults!

X PRIZE Education at Solar Decathlon and NC Museum of Life and Science

Education Outreach for the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE continued in September and October, 2011 at the  U.S.Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon held in the National Mall's West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. Nineteen collegiate teams from around the world  competed to determine which group had created the most efficient solar powered home. Competition categories included Architecture, Energy Balance, Affordability, Engineering, and Market Appeal.

Though quite a few of the competition days were solar-challenged, the demonstration homes performed well, and visitors lined up for a chance to inspect the innovative design and construction inside and out.
   

 

 The Under The Hood - Drive Change Today activity cart was very popular with the energy-efficiency-minded Solar Decathlon visitors.  The activities in the cart are designed to provide a hands-on introduction to principles of energy use, by-products of energy consumption, and conservation. 

Mixing  vinegar and baking soda provides an immediate Carbon Dioxide reaction...

 

 

 

 

 ...while yeast and water take longer to work together to create the same effect.

 

 

 

 

The aerodynamic properties of cars of different shapes and sizes were compared on test tracks. With hair dryers creating wind resistance, it was clear that boxy designs and luggage racks can drastically reduce energy efficiency.





A favorite activity was the battery circuit station, where the challenge was to complete an energy circuit utilizing a battery, wires and tape, in order to light a small bulb.  The more batteries, the brighter the light, until the tiny lights blow from the energy supplied by about 6 to 7 D batteries.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

The principles how of interlocking gears work to control speed and direction of movement were explored by many visitors to the booth as well.

At the NC Museum of Life and Science in Durham, a week of Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE education events and activities were held in the museum's hands-on investigation lab space.  

   Museum visitors learned that under-inflated tires and dirty air filters are two enemies of energy efficiency.

 

 

 

Visitors used a high-magnification camera and display screen to compare clean and dirty filters and learned how a dirty air filter slows the intake of air needed for efficient burning of fuel. 

 

  The challenge of designing and constructing paper  luggage racks and testing their effect on a car's aerodynamics was also a popular activity using the museum's high tech spring loaded tester track.

 

ZAP – After the X PRIZE

ZAP, from Santa Rosa, CA, with their all electric 3-wheeled vehicle, the Alias has been very productive in the area of bringing their vehicle to market since the end of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition.  In January of 2011, ZAP became the first non-Chinese based company to acquire a Chinese automobile Manufacturing facility.  The 3.5 million square foot facility is fully provisioned and already producing two sport utility vehicles and a van.  “The challenge to acquire the Chinese facility was so great it required the full bandwidth and focus of the company,” stated Steven Schneider, ZAP CEO.  “Throughout this process in China, we, at ZAP, fully intended to move forward with the production of the Alias and other affordable electric vehicles for public consumption,” adds Schneider.

 Zap Alias

In a discussion on the effects of the X PRIZE, Schneider candidly states that if it had not been for the competition, ZAP may not have pushed forward to produce the Alias.  “We may not have won the prize, but with so much attention and so many requests from the public, we had to build it,” said Schneider.  ZAP is currently fine tuning a plan to launch the Alias in their Chinese facility by the end of 2^nd quarter, 2012.  Adds Schneider, “it may have taken longer than we thought, but we are now ready to move forward.”

If that is not enough, keep your eyes open during an upcoming Bruce Willis movie…the Alias is featured in one of the many action scenes!

To see a video of the new ZAP facility in China, click on the video link below:

Download ZAP_Jonway_China_Factory

Aptera: After the X PRIZE

On a recent trip to southern California, I had the opportunity to visit the new Aptera headquarters in Carlsbad and discuss the effect the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE had on the development of the 2e, one full year after the completion of the prize.

The new 100k square foot facility in Carlsbad houses the corporate offices and serves as the Aptera engineering and technology center. The facility has ample open space to work on the continued development of the 2e, as well as the 2nd vehicle in the Aptera portfolio, currently in the design phase.

Though the team is busy working on the design and development of both vehicles, the timing of the production launch is still to be determined. The work continues as the company seeks funding to fully equip a facility to house their manufacturing operation. The team has applied to the Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program, and is still working with the DOE to complete the process. According to Paul Wilbur, CEO, the loan program “provides the kind of funding necessary for manufacturing facilitization.” It is a very rigorous and diligent process, but one that was aided by the team’s participation in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. “The fact that the 2e had been in the X PRIZE and at Argonne National Labs for testing, helped us validate our technical claims in the application,” stated Wilbur.

When asked about the effect of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE on Aptera as a company and on the vehicle, Tom Reichenbach, VP and Chief Engineer, and driver of the 2e throughout the competition was quick to state that “it was worth the trip.” Reichenbach believes that the “engagement and discipline required to be in a competition like the X PRIZE is fundamental to the growth of a company.” Paul Wilbur remarked that Aptera “walked in with twenty-five engineers, each independently thinking about how the vehicle should perform, but quickly became aligned with a single purpose and were galvanized to trust and accept Tom as their leader.” Wilbur believes that “competition is healthy for start-up businesses.” The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE has helped Aptera create a sense of “team” that has made them “ready to take on any challenge.”

Celebrating Science

This has been a busy season for  Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE education outreach. In early March the National Science Teachers Association National Conference on Science Education was held in San Francisco, CA.   This gathering of science teachers from across the nation provided ample opportunities to promote Fuel Our Future Now (FOFN) resources in partnership with Discovery Education.

 

 

Conference activities also included a chance to meet the cast of Discovery’s Mythbusters. Science teachers love the Mythbusters for bringing science concepts to life in a fun and often explosive manner.

And in the spirit of making science accessible and fun, we met a true master of the art, Bill Nye, another idol for science teachers.  Many of the 3,000+ teachers in the audience grew up watching The Science Guy bring scientific concepts to life.

 

 

The NSTA experience included a visit to the CA Academy of Sciences which features a living roof representing the seven hills of San Francisco.

The Computer Using Educators conference in Palm Springs, CA also afforded an opportunity to partner with Discovery Education to promote FOFN resources to this annual gathering of tech savvy teachers, including the Discovery Educators Network of teachers who are super-users of Discoverystreaming. Copies of the complete K-12 FOFN curriculum binder were given to two lucky teachers.

 

At the San Diego Science Festival, we showcased a model of Edison2’s PIAXP-winning Very Light Car to fascinated expo visitors.  This popular event held annually in San Diego’s Petco Park was attended by approximately 20,000 people and provided yet another perfect opportunity to promote the resources available at FOFN.