Local supercar races toward multi-million-dollar prize

All eyes will be on the “Very Light Car” — designed by the Charlottesville-based team Edison2 — at the finals of the multimillion-dollar X Prize competition to build a vehicle able to achieve 100 miles per gallon of gas.

Two versions of the Very Light Car beat out more than 80 vehicles from around the world to become the only remaining entries in the Progressive Automotive X Prize’s four-seat car mainstream competition. Every other vehicle in the category was knocked out in previous rounds after falling short of the contest’s rigorous testing requirements.

To win the mainstream competition’s $5 million prize, the Very Light Car must pass an array of emissions, efficiency, safety and range tests this week and next at the Michigan International Speedway.

The vehicle must prove it can travel for 200 miles, seat four people, accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 15 seconds and reach 100 miles on a single gallon of gas.

The Very Light Car achieves its astronomically high levels of fuel efficiency thanks to a combination of its extremely low weight and extremely high aerodynamics. In all, the vehicle weighs less than 800 pounds. It runs on E85, a blend of ethanol and gasoline.

The car was designed and built from the ground up by Edison2, a team of engineers, designers and auto racing industry professionals led by Charlottesville real estate developer Oliver Kuttner.

David Brown, Edison2’s spokesman and member of the Charlottesville City Council, said the team is confident about its chances in the mainstream competition but knows that meeting the competition’s tough standards will not be easy.

“We’re right at the edge of accomplishing everything they’re asking of us,” he said.

The team has been working 12 to 15 hours each day, seven days a week to finish its preparations for the finals stage, Brown said.

Edison2 also has a Very Light Car that will compete in one of the X Prize’s two alternative class categories, each of which carries a $2.5 million prize.

Edison2’s alternative vehicle is in the tandem category, in which each car must seat two people, one in the front and one in the back. Three other teams remain in the tandem competition.

Another category is for side-by-side two-seat vehicles. Eight teams are still in the running for the side-by-side prize.

The alternative competitions have less rigorous standards than those of the mainstream class. For example, the alternative vehicles must reach a range of only 100 miles rather than the mainstream class’ 200 miles.

Of the 136 vehicles that originally entered the X Prize a year ago, a mere 15 remain.

After the finals stage wraps up next Friday, the top qualifying vehicles in each class will undergo validation testing at Argonne National Laboratory in August. Winners will be announced in September.

The goal of the Progressive Automotive X Prize is to “inspire a new generation of viable, safe and super fuel-efficient vehicles.”

It attracted entries from established automakers, inventors, universities, start-up companies and one high school. The teams came from 14 states and nine countries. Edison2 was the only entry from Virginia.

Edison2’s mission is not simply to win the marquee X Prize event. Kuttner has said he wants the Very Light Car to usher in an era of highly fuel efficient vehicles. Much of Edison2’s innovations may be licensed to the auto industry for use in future cars.

“This part of our journey is ending,” Brown said. “But a whole other journey begins after this.”