Quote:
Originally Posted by CFECO
"Edison2 has taken heat from Ecomodders because their vehicle isn't available yet as a kit or production model. "
As one of the "Requirements" of the X-prize, there was supposed to be a Production Plan detailing the way the Team projected the construction of several thousand vehicles within a couple of years.
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Yes - a lot of people who learned about the production plan requirement expected Xprize vehicles to be produced in a handful of years….with what? It takes immense capital to produce vehicles at a scale that doesn't make the price tag an insult to the average consumer.
When hundreds of millions didn't magically materialize, people blamed Xprize teams for failing to raise it. And many have written off their achievements and subsequent efforts simply because they can't buy one
right now.
Even if you win, you lose.
This is where many, including ecomodders, have missed the point: designs like the VLC, Xtracer, Aptera, Illuminati and more mean the day you can buy a hyper-effient vehicle is
closer.
I wanted a hyper-efficient car yesterday. And it's a huge disappointment that teams haven't convinced those with capital to make this happen because the money-holders are moving too slowly, are too short-sided, too risk-averse or too-whatever to bring affordable efficiency to the masses.
That doesn't mean anyone has failed. Those Xprize teams have shown us - with very little time/money (compared to OEMs) - that real-world, safe, well handling 100MPGe vehicles are within our grasp.
These efforts need support and advocacy, not disappointment and disdain. Every time the public, including ecomodders, writes off someone's efforts, we push the purchase date of a hyper-effient production or kit vehicle into the future.