Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard
Really? Edison2 faltered but Aptera is still viable.
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None of the finalists made any contribution to current automotive technology.
I'm cheering for Aptera, but they are not in production . . . Yet.
Several teams, such as ourselves, pulled out when the scope of the competition was greatly scaled down. Many teams withdrew from the competition once Progressive came on board and reduced the visibility of the competition. Advertising is expensive and the Xprize was to provide tremendous value in product exposure. This didn't happen so all the competition provided was a limited opportunity.
The competition did not turn up anything new that we as Ecomodders already didn't know. Electric drives are efficient. Light weight is advantageous. Aerodynamics is crucial. Etcetera, etcetera.
It was hoped advanced combustion engines, fuel cell storage and technology or some unforeseen battery chemistry would make an appearance. In speaking with the organizers in the run up to the competition, this was their goal - to reveal technology that could be used across a broad spectrum of products. This did not happen.
It was still entertaining to see, but truthfully, it changed nothing in the automotive world.