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• The winning vehicle of the Progressive Automotive X Prize will need to demonstrate speed, low emissions and one key feature not offered in any commercially available car: at least 100 MPG of gas (or its energy equivalent). The specific race course and timing will be established by July 2009, with the races to take place in 2010.PR Newswire: 111 Teams Get Green Light to Advance in Multimillion Dollar Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize Competition (April 7, 2009)

  A total of 111 teams have signed up for the competition, including Aptera Motors and pop singer Neil Young's Linc Volt.Wall Street Journal: Teams Race to Build Super-Fuel-Efficient Car (April 7, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Prize: $10 million
  2. Race to be run in segments of 30 to 200 miles
  3. Each stage to include a variety of driving conditions
  4. Starts in NYC—other locations to be determined
  5. Co-sponsored by Progressive Insurance and X Prize Foundation
  6. 111 teams in the competition, from 11 different countries

• Competition So Far

  The first wave of judging left 111 teams, with 136 vehicle entries using 14 different fuel sources. The teams include groups from established automakers, start-ups, universities and inventors from 24 U.S. states and 11 countries. Next the teams face design judging tests.

  The competition start date, number of venues, and geographic distribution will be determined before July 2009. Competitive races will begin as early as May 2010.PR Newswire: 111 Teams Get Green Light to Advance in Multimillion Dollar Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize Competition (April 7, 2009)

• Real-World Efficiency

  According to the X Prize Foundation's press release, the competition is meant to test practical, marketable technology, "not science projects or concept cars."Official Press Release: Progressive Automotive X Prize for Super Fuel Efficient Vehicles To that end, the the race will feature a variety of normal driving conditions, including city, suburban, rural and mountain roads.Official Press Release: Progressive Automotive X PRIZE for Super Fuel Efficient Vehicles

• 1987 Ford Mustang

  One entry that's unlikely to look like a science project is Doug Pelmear's 1987 Ford Mustang. The Ohio-based engineer claims to have electronically tweaked the engine to achieve 110 MPG in E85 |fuel—he says he can raise that figure with a model that uses standard gasolineKMBC-TV: Engineer Gets 110 MPG Out Of '87 Mustang (July 2, 2008)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Doug Pelmear | Linc Volt | Aptera | Neil Young | Hybrid Cars | Toyota Prius | Honda Civic | Alternative Fuel | Nissan Altima | Time Best Inventions | Google Lunar X Prize | X Prize Foundation | X Prize

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