100 MPGs Could Get You 10 Million USDs

Looks like the X-PRIZE Foundation is at it again. This time it seeks to award $10,000,000 for a super-fuel efficient vehicle. To further ideas and designs for realistic, safe, affordable fuel-efficient vehicles, the Automotive X-PRIZE seeks to do for vehicle travel what the Ansari X-PRIZE did for space travel.

By offering up $10 mil, the X-PRIZE is out to “leverage the elements of public interest, entrepreneurial spirit and cross-disciplinary innovation to bring about breakthroughs that benefit us all.” Well, 10 million smackers should do it.

Sponsored by Progressive Insurance, the Automotive X-PRIZE competition is passed the qualifying stages (teams must pass a series of rigorous reviews of their business plans and technical specs) and onto the fun part—the track. From the end of April to September, the 41 teams will gradually be eliminated and whittled down to the one $10,000,000 dollar winner.

Unlike the X-PRIZE for space, the Automotive X-PRIZE promises something more tangible to the general public in the form of super fuel efficient automobiles. We here at Discover Hybrids are damn excited to see what comes out of this year’s competition—stay tuned for the updates.