INCENT to INVENT !

A $10M dollar prize for a commercially viable 100mpg car. The  X PRIZE is an    international competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles. The independent and technology-neutral competition is open to teams from around the world that can design, build and bring to market 100 MPGe (miles per gallon energy equivalent) vehicles that people want to buy, and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance.

To date, more than 60 teams from nine countries have signed a Letter of Intent to compete for a share of the prize purse and global publicity.  Including most recently Tata Motors, who is launching their $2,500/75mpg Nano in India shortly.

The window for applications will be open until mid 2008, when a thorough qualification process will assess safety, cost, features and business plans to ensure that only production-capable, consumer-friendly cars compete. Those that qualify will race their vehicles in rigorous cross-country stage races in 2009 and 2010 that combine speed, distance, urban driving and overall performance. The winners will be the vehicles that exceed 100 MPG, meet strict emissions standards and finish in the fastest time. Host cities involved in the competition route are to be announced shortly.

This is a great competition at the right time.  Good luck to all the teams.

See the many active teams below;

http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/auto/prize-details/teams

What we are trying to fight is the constant naysaying and defeatism in the language used by our clueless leaders.  A common avoidance mechanism is saying things like  ”that is 20 years away from being viable”, “it works but it just costs too much right now”, ” the American people would never accept that, they are used to power and large cars”.  Well excuse me if I can think on my own.  I have faith that the American people when confronted with non-biased information, viable choices and a free marketplace will make the right decision.  They have proven this time and time again.

The question is should the behemoth government, mandate us to act accordingly to save energy or should they take some of our money (yes taxes are our money) and provide a jumpstart to companies and individuals toward a common goal.  Should the government work with the electrical companies, to monitor your household electrical usage and potentially lower thermostats in homes remotely, as in California, or should they provide an X-Prize foundation type incentive for innovation.  Let me guess….

Five billion dollar prizes, yes five billion.  You know what use to be a lot of money, five billion.  Spent each  12 days in Iraq.  Five billion dollars to a company that produces a mass market auto with 100MPG.  A committee to determine the exact specifications and requirements wouldn’t be hard to find.  The X-Prize foundation could easily accomodate it now.

I know the technology is there let’s use our money to promote the innovation and let the american entrepreneurial spirit shine.