Green Options » aerodynamics

100 MPGe Automotive X Prize Offers $10 Million Purse

Clayton B. Cornell — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:45:37 +0000

Teams from around the world are gearing up for the Automotive X Prize, a competition that will award part of $10 million to the team that builds the cleanest production-ready 100 MPGe (mile per gallon equivalent) vehicle.

This isn’t a race centered on space-age concept cars that will never see a US highway, but aims to jump-start the auto industry with revolutionary, super-efficient vehicles that consumers will actually want to buy. Entries must be ready for production and have a business plan outlining how they’ll be brought to market. They’ll also be judged on safety, cost, and features.

But the heart of the race is the requirement for ultra-efficiency, which can bring out the best in beautiful aerodynamic cars and new green technology (see below). All entries must get over 100 MPGe and meet strict emissions standards.

Over 60 teams have entered since the X Prize Foundation released guidelines for the contest over a year ago. I’ve already covered three of the competing vehicles here:

Tesla Motor’s All-Electric Roadster, which just entered commercial production,
Aptera’s $26,000 Electric Car and 300 MPG Hybrid which should be available next year, and
Loremo’s 117 MPG Diesel Hybrid Sportscar

Teams can compete in two different vehicle classes: Mainstream or Alternative. Mainstream vehicles must be able to carry four passengers and have four wheels. Alternative entries only need to carry two passengers, and only require two wheels.

Preliminary judging for cost, safety, features, and business plan will take place before the end of the year. In 2009, vehicles still in the running will compete in a qualifying race designed to reflect typical consumer driving patterns, varied terrain, and weather. The Grand Prize Final Race will take place in 2010, and the winner must maintain 100 MPGe while emitting less than 200 g/mi of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and meeting legal emissions criteria in all 50 states.

It looks to be an exciting race. For more information, check out the website for the Progressive Automotive X Prize.

Source: Autopia (Mar. 20, 2008): Tesla, Aptera Among the Dozens Vying for the Automotive X-Prize

Photo Credit: AXP Blog

The World’s Most Fuel Efficient Car: 285 MPG, Not A Hybrid

Clayton B. Cornell — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:17:45 +0000

This is what a team of engineers can do when challenged to push the limits of fuel efficiency and technology. You may have already heard of VW’s 1-liter car, but take a closer look. It’s a sports-economy concept car produced a few years ago by VW engineers, to answer one big question: could they build a car that consumes less than 3 liters of fuel for every 100 km traveled?

It turns out they could, but they didn’t stop there. Instead, VW blew by that goal to create a car that uses only 1 liter of fuel for every 100 km. That’s 285 MPG.

To accomplish such a feat, VW’s engineers had to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch. They knew that fuel efficiency depends on aerodynamics and weight, so they created a bullet-shaped, ultra-lightweight (640 lbs) carbon-fiber car powered by a new, completely redesigned diesel engine. To save more weight, they didn’t even paint it:

Proper aerodynamics were key to the low fuel consumption. VW engineers knew they needed a small frontal area. This led to its unusually narrow, bullet-shaped body where the passenger sits behind the driver. As well, the car features an aircraft-like canopy, enclosed rear wheels, special flat carbon-fibre front wheel covers, and an aerodynamic underpan. Even the side cooling air inlets only open when the engine needs cooling, and otherwise stay closed. . .the 1-Litre-Car has an amazingly low coefficient of drag of 0.16 (a typical car has a drag coefficient of approximately 0.30 ).

Everything in the car was made out of lightweight carbon-fiber or magnesium, gears were hollowed, and bolts were made from titanium. Like the electric Aptera Typ1 that I wrote about earlier, the VW 1L was designed without side mirrors (too much drag), instead relying on internal video screens to guide the driver. And also like the Aptera, safety was of particular concern:

Despite its small size and light weight, Volkswagen says the 1-Litre-Car is as safe as a GT sports car registered for racing. With the aid of computer crash simulations, the car was designed with built-in crash tubes, pressure sensors for airbag control, and front crumple zones. Its aluminum fuel tank is located in a protected area behind the passengers. As well, the 1-Litre-Car includes ABS and ESP (electronic stability program).

The existence of the VW 1-Liter car suggests the possibility of drastically reducing our vehicle fuel consumption without any major advances in technology. You probably won’t ever see the VW 1-Liter on the road, but don’t think something like this will never come to the market. You’ll see Aptera’s electric and plug-in hybrids within the next year, and they look like spaceships too.

Addendum: VW’s 1L car will be released in 2010!

Aptera’s $26,000 Electric Car and 300 MPG Hybrid Coming Soon

Clayton B. Cornell — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:01:34 +0000

For under $30,000, you will soon be able to buy an electric car with a 120 mile range, or a plug-in hybrid that gets 300 miles-per-gallon.

Sound like a fantasy, but this one could be coming to a dealer near you. Slated for release in late 2008, the company Aptera will be offering the initial limited release of their fully electric model Aptera Typ1, and the 300 mpg plug-in will follow in 2009.

At first glance, this thing looks as ungainly and futuristic as other highly efficient, low-drag vehicles (it reminds me of a wingless Cessna 206). But before you pass judgment, check out the test drive video from Popular Mechanics. Also see the short video segment below. This thing cruises, topping out at 85 mph:

Aptera’s car is really a study in advanced aerodynamics. As the PM video points out, the Typ1 has embedded body panels, glass, and even windshield wipers to reduce drag. You’ll also notice it has only three wheels, which makes it legally registered in California as a motorcycle (and eligible for use of carpool lanes). It also has some nifty features, like recycled interior components, and embedded side and rear video cameras that replace side- and rear-view mirrors. Solar cells on the roof supplement internal climate control and shunt warm cabin air out the back of the vehicle—further improving efficiency and decreasing drag.

It should only take a few hours to charge the Typ1’s 10-kilowatt lithium-ion battery packs, at a cost of $1 to $2 (based on typical California electricity prices).

Aptera is currently taking refundable $500 reservations on their website.

More Electric Cars:

An Electric Car You Can Buy Today: The $20K TRIAC EV
Plug-In Hybrids Use Over 17 Times More Water Than Regular Cars, Researchers Say
Get 120 MPG Out of Your Prius (Plug It In)
The Sporty Future of Electrics Cars: the Lightning GT
For more information, see the following:

Aptera: www.aptera.com
Popular Mechanics (Nov. 20, 2007): 300-mpg, Electric Aptera Typ-1 Ready for 2008 Production
Popular Mechanics (Dec. 21, 2007): Aptera’s Super-MPG Electric Typ-1 e: Exclusive Video Test Drive
TreeHugger (Nov. 19, 2007): Unveiled: Aptera Typ-1 100% Electric and Series Hybrid Vehicles

Photo Credit: Aptera