BOOK: Ingenious: Behind the scenes of the Auto X-Prize.

[sheepdog 44]

Ingenious: A True Story of Invention, Automotive Daring, and the Race to Revive America
By Jason Fagone,
Ingenious: A True Story of Invention, Automotive Daring, and the Race to Revive America: Jason Fagone: 9780307591487: Amazon.com: Books


I read some excerpts on Amazon, and the book is fantastic! A real candid look behind the Xprize and several teams. It's hilarious, informative and everything i wanted to know. The Edison2 engineers are particularly noteworthy. It looks like he was embedded with several teams, Edison2, Aptera, West Philly, and Illuminati motor works. It's a really important record of events not seen in press releases.

Here's a great interview about the that describes it better than i can: http://www.motherjones.com/media/201...s-book-x-prize

Jason is going on tour to the North East this winter with Illuminati's 200mpge "Seven" electric car. I'm thinking about going to the New York stop this December. They're offering rides in their prototype electric car along with the book presentation. If you have a good place where they can make a stop, Virginia to Boston, send them a message on the blog. Their currently looking for places to visit.

http://www.jasonfagone.com/2013/10/22/need-your-help/

[NeilBlanchard]

I went to B&N tonight, but it is not out yet. I'm looking forward to reading it!

[sheepdog 44]

It's out Nov 5th. You can read a lot of the pages on Amazons preview. I also pre-ordered a copy.

I forgot to ask you about your impression of the Edison2 VLC when i went to see your CarBen. I did meet a guy who did design work on the Aptera in an unrelated event. He had a chance to take the Aptera for a spin, but didn't. Didn't want to crash a million dollar prototype!

[euromodder]

True genius would be to have a result of the competition on the showroom floors ...
We'll see if any of these cars or spin-offs ever make it that far.

Press and people alike quickly get tired of messages of high hopes in far away futures.

[NeilBlanchard]

Here are new photos of the Illuminati Motor Works 'Seven' with the new, sleeker body panels:


(click on image for link)

Edison2 has been hard at work on a v4 version of their Very Light Car:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...2-a-24844.html

These are the two cars that competed for the mainstream class at the X-Prize - which is the most important class. The two seat classes (tandem and side-by-side) are much less likely to ever enter large volume production.

To expect that the X-Prize should have already resulted in a production car is expecting too much, in my opinion. But also remember that we *have* see electric cars enter production, and the Tesla would likely have won the X-Prize, if it had been entered. 'Seven' would have walked away with the top prize if they had not used a clutch. It is rated at 207MPGe and has a range over 200 miles with a ~33kWh battery pack - a bit more than half the capacity of the 200 mile Model S, which has a 60kWh pack.

I briefly meet Jason Fangone at the X-Prize Knockout Round, and I wish I had more time to talk with him. I'm looking forward to reading his book, and hearing what he says about this whole process.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

To expect that the X-Prize should have already resulted in a production car is expecting too much, in my opinion.

Is it really ?

The goal and selection criteria was to have a production-capable vehicle.

http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org...ines_V_1.3.pdf

A ten million dollar cash purse will be awarded to the teams that win a long-distance stage race for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 miles-per-gallon energy equivalent (MPGe – see below). Both new vehicles and modifications of existing vehicles may enter.


I guess I've seen the Loremo story happen a bit too often.
They had a running prototype, then all went downhill. Fast.

[sheepdog 44]

I had a very good response till my browser deleted it. Short answer is it's in book why. It comes down to there not being any funding from the Big 5, entrepenuers, or the AVTM government loan. A very long list of startups have failed because they couldn't get any money. Edison2 still survives while others don't because it hasn't fallen into those pit traps.

The Xprize did what it intended to. It spurred the research and development of production capable high mpg cars. NONE of the numerous contestants who entered had the capitol or infrastructure to mass produce a car. None of them. There are many production capable designs now, just no one to mass produce them.

[sheepdog 44]

Here's an excerpt from the book.

Think You Could Build a Sweet 100 MPG Vehicle in 2 Years? (These Guys Did.) | Mother Jones

[sheepdog 44]

It's a great read so far. Go buy it!

First time i've bought a physical book since Harry Potter...

[Ryland]

I got an Email back and it sounds like Jason is interested in attending the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair in central Wisconsin, said he might even be able to get the Illuminati Motor Works 'Seven' there.