The Automotive X Prize competition to create a production-capable car that can achieve 100 MPGe, with a market-acceptable performance and safety, is racing to the $10 million finish line. The recent Knockout stage saw the contests whittled down to just 15 vehicles from 12 teams through make-or-break eliminations on technical inspection and both emissions and performance testing. After the Knockout stage, we published the list of teams heading into the finals with their MPGe numbers after the penalties. Now we present the performance numbers recorded on the dynamic tests conducted by Consumer Reports.
Several teams told us that they wanted the numbers to be shared. In some cases, it may be for bragging rights, but the general sentiment was to show the benefits and limitations of some designs.
The chart below shows the traditional 0-60 mph measurements, as well as the 40-65 mph passing test times. The 0-60 mph acceleration minimums were 15 seconds for the Mainstream category and 18 seconds for Alternative vehicles. Only Edison2 has proceeded to the Final stage in the Mainstream class, and that team has done so with two cars.
Lateral acceleration measured the maximum g-force attained by vehicles orbiting a 300-foot circle, known as a skid pad. Most production cars can get past .80 in this test, and .90 and higher is considered sports car territory.
The last column is for the accident avoidance maneuver. Any speed over 45 mph is considered a pass.| TEAM | CATEGORY | 0-60 MPH, SEC. ACCELERATION | 40-65 MPH, SEC. ACCELERATION | LATERAL ACCELERATION | ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE MANEUVER |
| AMP | Alternative | 17.85 | 20.0 | .91 g | 46.55 mph |
| Aptera | Alternative | 10.63 | 10.52 | .86 g | 47.63 mph |
| Edison2 (#95) | Alternative | 16.89 | 11.34 | .95 g | 47.49 mph |
| Edison2 (#97) | Mainstream | 15.0 | 9.8 | 1.18 g | 45.11 mph |
| Edison2 (#98) | Mainstream | 14.2 | 14.93 | .94 g | 49.06 mph |
| Li-ion Motors | Alternative | 17.9 | 16.2 | .85 g | 45.96 mph |
| RaceAbout | Alternative | 8.4 | 4.07 | .90 g | 45.46 mph |
| Spira | Alternative | 16.67 | 9.9 | .54 g | 46.0 mph |
| Tango | Alternative | 6.56 | 6.91 | .74 g | 46.78 mph |
| Tata Motors | Alternative | 11.72 | 8.13 | .76 g | 45.14 mph |
| TW4XP | Alternative | 17.09 | 19.48 | N/A | 46.99 mph |
| West Washington University | Alternative | 17.54 | 10.04 | .72 g | 46.10 mph |
| X-Tracer (72) | Alternative | 6.3 | 4.0 | .38 g | 45.18 mph |
| X-Tracer (79) | Alternative | 5.5 | 4.06 | N/A | 45.84 mph |
| ZAP | Alternative | 9.13 | 5.0 | .85 g | 48.75 mph |
The final stage of the competition is set to begin next week at the Michigan International Speedway. The teams will compete in scored on-track challenges, including a “coast down” exercise to determine aerodynamics and rolling resistance based on speed and time performance. The following week, Consumer Reports will conduct the final dynamic tests.
We will again provide live coverage from the track. For the latest on the race to develop tomorrow’s green machine, follow our Auto X Prize coverage here in the Cars blog, as well as in our special Auto X Prize section and via Twitter @CRcars.
—Liza Barth
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