INTRODUCTION The goal of the Automotive X PRIZE (AXP) is to inspire a new generation of super-efficient vehicles that help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change.
AXP is a new prize that is currently under development by the X PRIZE Foundation. Prior to making a final decision on launching the prize, we are entering a sixty-day public comment period on the Guidelines contained in this document. Our goal in doing so is to obtain valuable feedback that will help us to create final, detailed prize rules and inform the launch decision.
To comment on these draft Competition Guidelines, please use this form on our website.
GUIDING PRICIPLES
Throughout the prize development process, we have been guided by the principles that the AXP must:
Achieve our main goals - inspire a new generation of super-efficient vehicles that help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change
Be simple to understand and easy to communicate
Benefit the world - this is a global challenge
Result in real cars available for purchase, not concept cars
Remain independent, fair, non-partisan, and technology-neutral
Provide clear technical boundaries (i.e., for fuel economy, emissions, safety, performance, cost, features, feasibility, etc.)
Offer a "level playing field" that attracts both existing automobile manufacturers and newcomers
Attract a balanced array of private investment, donors, sponsors, and partners to help competitors succeed (e.g., manufacturing assistance, testing resources, etc.)
Make heroes out of the competitors and winner(s) through unprecedented exposure, media coverage and a significant cash award
Educate the public on key issues
Simplicity is paramount. Every additional complexity makes the competition harder to understand, harder to manage, and harder to promote. Complexity also invites gaming by competitors. We must resist the tendency to over-engineer the AXP rules – this is a case where perfection is the enemy of the good.
Overall, we are looking for a balance that makes the AXP simple, fair, technology-neutral, and likely to result in a vehicle that is feasible to bring to market. We need this balance to attract strong teams and engage the public. Our principles will sometimes be in conflict, and we hope that all involved will understand the need for flexibility and compromise.
We hope that the public will keep these principles in mind when commenting on these Guidelines, as we will continue to be guided by them throughout the development and administration of the AXP.
OVERVIEW OF THE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE
Here we give an overall summary of the AXP. Details are covered elsewhere in this document.
The goal of the Automotive X PRIZE (AXP) is to inspire a new generation of super-efficient vehicles that help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change.
A multi-million dollar1 cash purse will be awarded to the teams that win a long-distance stage race for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 MPG equivalent (MPGe)2.
The AXP will encourage production-capable vehicles and products (not concept cars) through tough entrance requirements, judging criteria, and race courses that test and reward manufacturability, marketability, safety, durability and performance.
The AXP will devote considerable traditional and online media resources to public outreach, education, and involvement.
ENERGY AND EMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
AXP winners must achieve the following energy and emissions requirements:
Fuel economy (energy efficiency): at least 100 MPGe
Total (wells-to-wheels3) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions expressed as equivalent grams of CO2 per mile: no more than 200 g/mi
Criteria emissions: no worse than US EPA Tier II, bin 5 standards
GHG emissions from vehicle production no worse than typical vehicles in production today
PRODUCTION CAPABLE VEHICLES
Our goals require that AXP vehicles be designed to reach the market. Accordingly, all vehicles entered into the AXP competition must be “production capable” as judged by the following criteria:
• Safety: Vehicles must be designed to meet safety regulations in the U.S. and other markets
1 The size of the purse is still being determined and will be announced at a later time. It will likely be in excess of $10M.
2Pump-to-wheels energy efficiency in terms of petroleum-based gasoline MPG. Conversions will be based on energy equivalency.
3Total emissions including all contributions from fuel extraction, production, distribution, and consumption
• Cost: Vehicle cost at a production rate of 10,000 units per year must be within levels that the market is likely to bear
• Features: Vehicles must be desirable, addressing the most important features and factors consumers consider when purchasing an automobile
• Business Plan: Teams must articulate clear and viable business cases for bringing their vehicles to market
VEHICLE CLASSES
The AXP will offer two vehicle classes: Mainstream and Alternative. The classes have the same requirements for fuel economy and emissions, but different design constraints.
Mainstream class – 4+ passenger vehicles with 4+ wheels that meet conventional expectations for size and capability
Alternative class – An outlet for innovative ideas that push forward today's conventions about automotive transportation (2+ passengers, no requirement on number of wheels)
RACE SERIES
The key AXP public events will be two dramatic, long-distance stage races to be held in 2009 – the Qualifying Race and the Grand Prize Final. The race courses will reflect typical consumer driving patterns during numerous stages, in varied terrain, communities, and weather conditions. The courses will enable fair, technology-neutral evaluation of competing vehicles while maximizing public impact. Vehicles will use AXP-supplied fuel.
To complete a race successfully, vehicles must complete all race stages with a minimum average speed (maximum allowable time) while meeting the AXP requirements for fuel economy and emissions averaged over all scoring stages. For those vehicles that successfully complete the race, race placement will be determined by the total race time averaged over all scoring stages. Thus, the fastest vehicle will be the winner. Vehicles that do not maintain the AXP requirements for MPGe fuel economy will be disqualified.
Winners of the Qualifying and the Grand Prize Final Races will share multi-million dollar purses. The purse for the Grand Prize Final will be significantly larger than the purse for the Qualifying Race. In both cases, the purse will be split 3:1 between the Mainstream and Alternative classes
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEAM RECOGNITION
Our long term vision is that many AXP Finalist vehicles and technologies go into production and become available to the general public, directly or indirectly. To this end, we will promote all AXP teams and provide many opportunities for team and vehicle recognition – not just recognition of the AXP Final Race winners.
All teams will receive significant public exposure and promotion to potential partners, sponsors, investors, manufacturers, distributors and customers.
Examples include:
The “AXP Certified” mark that is available for vehicles that successfully complete the AXP Final Race
“AXP Awards” for vehicles in various categories that demonstrate significant progress towards AXP goals
4 Timeline subject to change.
Special recognition for production-intent vehicles – production prototypes that will be brought to market within a year
Aggressive web-based and traditional media outreach promoting teams and vehicles, including documentary and live event coverage
In addition, we will sponsor a variety of networking and consumer marketing events to bring key constituents together, engage the public, and showcase vehicles.
PROPOSED TIMELINE4 
Public Comments on Competition Guidelines [through June, 2007] We welcome questions and comments from prospective teams, from the general public, and from the media. Your feedback will help shape the final competition rules.
Letter of Intent Program [through September, 2007] We encourage prospective teams to sign our non-binding Letter of Intent. Teams that do so will have benefits as these Guidelines evolve into final rules.
Registration [mid-2007 through early 2008] Teams submit applications, a signed Master Team Agreement, and a registration fee (currently expected to be $5,000). Teams will be accepted for further consideration based on preliminary information about their vehicle design and business plan.
Formal Launch Event [late 2007] High-profile “let the games begin” event with key sponsors, partners, supporters, initial teams, and possibly vehicles on stage. The focus will shift from AXP prize development to the competing teams.
Plan Submissions [mid-2008] Accepted teams choose a vehicle class (Mainstream or Alternative) and submit material for judging production capability and expected performance.
Qualified Team Selection [late 2008] Expert judging panels will select teams to race vehicles in the AXP Qualifying Race.
Qualification Race [early 2009] To remain eligible for the Grand Prize Final, vehicles must prove at least 75 MPGe fuel economy and low emissions. The Mainstream and Alternative vehicles that successfully complete the race with the best overall time will be declared Qualifying Race Winners and will split a multi-million dollar purse in a 3:1 ratio.
Finalist Selection [mid-2009] Teams with vehicles that successfully complete the Qualifying Race can apply for the Grand Prize Final Race. Finalist selection will be based on revised team submissions. Selection standards will be more rigorous than for the Qualifying Race.
Grand Prize Final Race [late 2009] Vehicles must prove at least 100 MPGe fuel economy, less than 200 g/mi GHG emissions, and no worse than Tier II, bin 5 criteria emissions. The Mainstream and Alternative vehicles that successfully complete the Final Race with the best overall time will be declared AXP Grand Prize Winners and will split a multi-million dollar purse in a 3:1 ratio. The purse for the Grand Prize Final will be significantly larger than the purse for the Qualifying Race.
REGISTRATION
LETTER OF INTENT PROGRAM
Prior to the completion of the AXP final rules and Master Team Agreement (MTA), teams may join our Letter of Intent (LOI) program. The LOI gives teams that plan to enter the competition a way to officially announce their intent to do so, and provides them with additional insight into the AXP rules as they are refined.
Teams that sign a non-binding letter of intent and submit a refundable registration fee will receive:
Permission to use the official “Automotive X PRIZE Contender” logo on their website(s) and materials
Priority attention to comments and questions about AXP Guidelines and a guaranteed response to those comments from the AXP Team
Timely updates on competition developments
Invitations to competition kick-off and other special pre-competition events
To learn more about and participate in the Automotive X PRIZE Letter of Intent Program, please complete the form available on the AXP website here.
APPLICATIONS
The AXP application will be simple and open enough to encourage a wide range of entrants. However, registrants will be required to submit credible, initial plans for a production capable vehicle or product that could meet the performance criteria of the prize. Judging of these initial applications will be intentionally lenient, but review of additional submissions will increase in rigor as the competition progresses.
MASTER TEAM AGREEMENT (MTA)
In order to participate, all teams must sign the MTA. The MTA is a non-negotiable legal agreement between each participating team and the AXP. The MTA will govern all aspects of participation, including detailed rules, judging, insurance, liability and indemnification, confidential information, safety, AXP sponsor rights, team sponsorship constraints, logos, team obligations, etc.
FEES
The non-refundable registration fee is expected to be $5,000 USD per vehicle. For those vehicles that successfully complete the Qualifying Race, an additional fee (same amount) will be due with the Grand Prize Final Race Submissions
VEHICLE CLASSES AND DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
In order to encourage a wide range of realistic, production-capable vehicles and products, the AXP purse will be awarded in two vehicle classes: Mainstream and Alternative.
The Mainstream Class has minimum design requirements based on the characteristics and combined city and highway driving profile typical of today's popular, mixed-use vehicles.
The Alternative Class is intended to encourage wider-ranging innovations in vehicle design, as well as alternative but realistic visions of how future vehicles will be used for personal and family transportation. Accordingly, the Alternative Class has fewer design constraints.
Vehicles that are designed to achieve AXP goals by modifying an existing popular vehicle may be entered in either class, provided that all AXP requirements are met.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL VEHICLES
All vehicles or products must be designed to achieve AXP energy and emissions requirements, i.e.:
Fuel economy: at least 100 MPGe
Total (wells-to-wheels) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions expressed as equivalent grams of C02 per mile: no more than 200 g/mi
Criteria emissions: no worse than Tier II, bin 5
GHG emissions from vehicle production: no worse than typical vehicles in production today
All vehicles will be required to have a minimum set of features. Those features include but may not be limited to:
• Enclosed cabin (or convertible), with windshield and windows
• Windshield wipers and washers
• Seat belts and restraints
• Rear and side view mirrors
• Feedback mechanisms to provide essential data to the driver (speed, fuel remaining, range, etc.)
• Lamps, lighting, horn, indicators, brake lights and reflective devices consistent with safety regulations
Furthermore, the following features are required to accommodate AXP requirements for vehicle testing and monitoring:
Sufficient ground clearance, cooling and attachment points to facilitate dynamometer testing
Marmon flange for connection to emissions sampling equipment
A standard, AXP-supplied on-board data acquisition and telemetry package that captures and transmits at a minimum: fuel-flow (for liquid and gaseous fuels), amp-hours (for electrical fuels), GPS data (for location and speed)
5 A device that provides real-time and cumulative feedback to the driver concerning fuel-economy, drive-train efficiency, emissions, etc.
MAINSTREAM CLASS REQUIREMENTS
Capacity: 4 or more passengers (95th percentile adult male) and 10 cubic feet of useful cargo space
Wheels: 4 or more wheels
Performance: 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 12 seconds, minimum top speed 100 mph, minimum range 200 miles, 60 - 0 MPH braking in no more than 170 feet, lateral acceleration (300-ft-dia skidpad) 0.70 g, 600 ft slalom (Motor Trend) speed 55 MPH, gradeability 55 MPH on a 7.5% grade, noise levels within drive-by standards (74 decibels max)
Features: Heater, air-conditioner, audio system, real-time eco-feedback display5
ALTERNATIVE CLASS REQUIREMENTS
Seating Capacity: 2 or more passengers seated side-by-side (95th percentile adult male) and 5 cubic feet of useful cargo space
Wheels: No minimum requirement
Performance: 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 12 seconds, minimum top speed 80 mph, minimum range 100 miles, 60 - 0 MPH braking in no more than 170 feet, lateral acceleration (300-ft-dia skidpad) 0.70 g, 600 ft slalom (Motor Trend) speed 55 MPH, gradeability 45 MPH on a 7.5% grade, noise levels within drive-by standards (74 decibels max)
Features: Real-time eco-feedback display
The AXP reserves the right to modify and expand these requirements while preserving their basic intent.
TEAM SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
All registered teams will be required to submit the following materials for judging production capability. Based on these submissions, the AXP Judges will determine whether or not teams may enter their production-capable vehicles in the AXP Qualification Race and, later, the AXP Grand Prize Final Race.
The AXP will provide a submission template for teams to work from, or teams may choose to independently create their submissions.
The AXP will make industry resources available to teams to assist them throughout this process and to provide a standardized method of evaluation. However, the cost and onus of complying with AXP requirements will remain the sole responsibility of each team.
QUALIFYING RACE SUBMISSIONS
Teams that demonstrate reasonable, credible plans to meet the requirements of their vehicle’s class will be selected to race vehicles in the AXP Qualifying Race. Required submissions include:
PRODUCT
• Vehicle design renderings
• Preliminary systems-level bill of materials (BOM)
o A “checklist” template will be provided by the AXP
o Teams will need to provide detail where they deviate from industry norms; e.g. for the power train and body structure
• Data providing reasonable evidence that AXP safety, cost and feature requirements can be met
• Data providing reasonable evidence that AXP energy and emissions requirements can be met
• Description of critical characteristics or unique features of the entry
BUSINESS PLAN
A business plan template will be provided by the AXP. Teams should expect to submit:
• List of team members with biographies
• Financing sources
• Detailed design and engineering plan: timeline, activities, resources leading to first prototype, safety compliance
• Rough marketing plan: target market description, value proposition, sales and service strategy (including estimated costs of ownership), fit with existing fuel infrastructure
• Rough 3-year P&L: volumes, prices, variable and fixed cost, capital expenditures, margins
GRAND PRIZE FINAL RACE SUBMISSIONS
All vehicles that successfully complete the AXP Qualifying Race can apply to compete in the AXP Grand Prize Final Race. To apply, qualified teams must submit more detailed revisions of the initial requirements listed above, as well as the following additional materials:
PRODUCT
CAD drawings & 3D vehicle models in the Adobe Acrobat 3D file format
Simulated crash testing results, with resulting torsion and bending statistics
Detailed BOM (template will be provided by the AXP)
JUDGING TEAM SUBMISSIONS
While the AXP will not certify or represent that any competing vehicle is in fact production capable, and while the burden of proof to establish safety, cost, features and viable business plan lies with the entrants, our due diligence will determine that competing vehicles have a reasonable chance of being so, in the sense that they could be successfully manufactured and brought to market within a reasonable time frame. For additional background and information, see the relevant Frequently Asked Questions.
SAFETY
Occupant safety is perhaps the single characteristic consumers are not willing to sacrifice, and is essential for mass market adoption of super-efficient vehicles. All vehicles that qualify to compete in the AXP must be designed with the intent to meet current safety standards.
Ultimately, certifying the safety and legality of vehicles brought to market during or after the AXP competition will be sole responsibility of the vehicle manufacturers. We will not require physical crash-testing of vehicles, but teams are free to submit crash-testing data.
BROAD MARKET STANDARD
The AXP will impose a broad standard for vehicle safety. It will be consistent with the regulatory standards for the US and similar markets (such as the E.U.) but will be at a level above detailed homologation specifications. It will be informed by both UNECE regulations for Safety and US FMVSS Crashworthiness and Post Crash Standards, with a focus on:
• Protection of occupants in the event of a frontal collision
• Protection of occupants in the event of a lateral collision
• Fuel system integrity
Where new or unproven technologies are introduced, teams must submit a Failure Modes Effect Analysis (FMEA) demonstrating that all reasonable safety precautions have been taken to prevent injury or damage should the system malfunction or fail.
For vehicles that are legally classified as motorcycles, the AXP expects teams to demonstrate due care for occupant safety as outlined in the section Vehicle Classes and Design Requirements.
In addition to the broad standard for occupant safety, AXP expert judges will also make assessments of vehicle compliance with full UNECE or US FMVSS standards, red-flagging gross errors and omissions.
JUDGING SAFETY
For admission to the AXP Qualification Rally: AXP Judges will assess the general and occupant safety of vehicles on a Pass/Fail basis:
• Passing vehicle designs will be approved for entry into the AXP Qualification Race, provided they meet all other AXP qualification requirements
• Teams with failing vehicle designs will have one opportunity to re-submit designs for compliance
• Non-compliant vehicles will be eliminated from the competition
For admission to the AXP Grand Prize Final: Teams that successfully complete the AXP Qualification Race must submit software-based crash simulation results using 3D CAD models to become eligible for the AXP Grand Prize Final. Teams are welcome to provide crash-simulation data prior to the AXP Qualification Race, but it is not required. Teams will be judged on a Pass/Fail basis:
• Passing vehicles will be approved for entry into the AXP Grand Prize Final Race, provided they meet all other AXP requirements
• Teams with failing vehicle designs will have one opportunity to re-submit data
• Non-compliant vehicles will be eliminated from the competition
COST
The AXP will assess vehicle cost as one measure of market viability. In essence, vehicle cost must be reasonable enough to justify sales of 10,000 units per year in the intended market(s).
The AXP will rely on cost and pricing data about the historic success of similar vehicles in the market for judging what consumers may be willing to pay for vehicles.
Vehicle cost will be estimated via the BOM and investment costs from the business plan. All costs will be based on current market prices for materials and components. Teams that utilize advanced materials or components for which there is insufficient market history to judge current cost will be required to provide verifiable market pricing. Judges may also take into account extraordinary vehicle lifetime ownership costs.
JUDGING COST
AXP Judges will issue a Pass/Fail assessment:
• Vehicles that pass will be approved for entry into the AXP Qualifying Race, provided they meet all other AXP requirements
• Teams with plans that exceed reasonable costs will have one opportunity to re-submit revised plans for approval
• Rejected plans will be eliminated from the competition
FEATURES
Vehicle features must resonate with experts and the public in terms of desirability. By desirability we mean the most important factors that consumers consider when buying a vehicle.
Some key factors that influence desirability are already embedded throughout the AXP guidelines, including measuring fuel economy and assessing environmental impact. Safety review is outlined in the Vehicle Classes and Design Requirements section above. Performance, of course, will be validated and measured in both the AXP Qualifying and AXP Grand Prize Final Races.
The remaining factors that influence desirability guide this category, which we will judge in an attempt to forecast likely customer acceptance. These factors include but may not be limited to the following vehicle features:
Interior Comfort
Ingress / Egress
Interior Noise Levels
Quality of Workmanship
Exterior Styling & Vehicle Image
Passenger Capacity
Cargo Capacity
Advanced Technology
AWD/4WD Capacity
Because relevance with consumers and generating demand are so important to ensuring market adoption of super-efficient vehicles, all entries will be judged on features through a combination of public voting and review by opinion-leaders and design experts.
Often these factors mark the key differences between successful and unsuccessful vehicles in the marketplace and therefore represent the “price of entry” for releasing a vehicle into the market.
JUDGING FEATURES
The AXP Judges will issue a Pass/Fail assessment:
• Vehicles with passing designs will be approved for entry into the AXP Qualifying Race, provided they meet all other AXP requirements
• Failing designs will have one opportunity to re-submit designs for approval
• Rejected designs will be eliminated from the competition
BUSINESS PLAN
Teams must articulate clear and viable business cases for bringing their vehicles to market. While all teams must submit plans, it is essential for teams that do not have a proven history of bringing a vehicle to market in quantities of 10,000 units per year to prove that they understand what it takes to make, sell and service vehicles in quantity.
JUDGING PLANS
AXP Judges will issue a Pass/Fail assessment:
• Vehicles with sufficient business plans will be approved for entry into the AXP Qualifying Race, provided they meet all other AXP requirements
• Teams with insufficient business plans will have one opportunity to re-submit revised plans for approval
• Teams with rejected plans will be eliminated from the competition
• Business plans will be re-assessed for teams that successfully complete the AXP Qualification Race (additional requirements for admission into the AXP Grand Prize Final Race are outlined above in the section Team Submission Requirements)
FIGURES OF MERIT FOR ENERGY & EMISSIONS
Here we give details about how AXP will handle energy and emissions. For additional background and information, see the relevant Frequently Asked Questions.
ENERGY (FUEL ECONOMY) – 100 MILES PER GALLON OF GASOLINE ENERGY EQUIVALENT (MPGe)
The AXP figure of merit for fuel economy will be Miles per Gallon of Gasoline Equivalent (MPGe), a measure that expresses fuel economy in terms of the energy content of a gallon of petroleum-based gasoline. That is, vehicle fuel economy is expressed as miles-per-gallon of energy-equivalent gasoline.
Basically we ask: how much energy was delivered to the vehicle, and how far did it go? Thus, the fuel economy measure may be described as pump-to-wheels or plug-to-wheels.
AXP vehicles will be required to demonstrate a minimum of 100 MPGe fuel economy via a combination of fixed-cycle EPA (CAFE-based) dynamometer testing and actual performance in the AXP races. We believe that this is a difficult, but feasible goal. It is more difficult for the Mainstream vehicle class than for the Alternative class. For various fuels and drive trains, a detailed analysis of the AXP fuel economy and GHG emission requirements is available in a spreadsheet, described here, prepared by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) with assistance from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and data from ANL’s GREET Model.
In many cases – e.g., gasoline internal combustion engines (ICE) – pump-to-wheels is the same as tank-to-wheels. That is, essentially all of the energy delivered to the vehicle goes into the tank. In others – e.g. battery electric vehicles (BEV) – there is an energy loss between delivery to the vehicle (i.e., the wall plug) and the energy that ends up in the “tank” (the battery). To be clear, what counts is the energy in the fuel delivered to the vehicle (i.e., what the consumer pays for). We consider “fuel-plug-to-tank” energy conversion or storage losses (such as during battery charging via an onboard or offboard inductive charger) to be part of the drive train - i.e., they are accounted for in measuring how far the vehicle goes per unit energy from a pump nozzle or wall plug delivered to the vehicle.
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS – MAXIMUM 200 g/mi TOTAL CO2 EQUIVALENT (CO2E)
The AXP figure of merit for greenhouse gas emissions will be the total for all significant wells-to-wheels emissions of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions – including tailpipe, HVAC, and upstream contributions,– expressed as equivalent grams of CO2 emitted per mile (CO2e). For the AXP, this figure must be less than 200 g/mi.
The upstream (wells-to-pump) contributions of GHG emissions will be estimated by using the DOE-Argonne GREET model using average default values that reflect fuel production today and in the near future. For vehicles that can be powered by more than one fuel, this estimate will be based on all of the vehicle’s possible fuels, weighted by their current mix in the marketplace. In the case of electricity, GHG emissions will be based on the current national grid – however, we will publicize in various ways how cleaner electricity production generally (and renewable energy sources in particular) can significantly reduce wells-to-wheels GHG emissions (for example, see the section Education Program).
Greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide will be expressed in terms of equivalent CO2 based on the IPCC’s 100-year Global Warming Potential measurements. Currently, the values are: 1 for CO2, 23 for CH4, and 296 for N2O.
As mentioned above, a detailed analysis of the AXP fuel economy and GHG emission requirements is available in a spreadsheet described here.
We also require that GHG emissions arising from vehicle production are no worse in this respect than typical vehicles in production today. The DOE-Argonne GREET 2 Series model is available for estimating this contribution.
CRITERIA EMISSIONS – Tier II, bin 5
All AXP vehicles must meet U.S. EPA Tier II, bin 5 standards to be legal in all 50 U.S. states. Vehicles will be tested for compliance prior to the AXP races and randomly during the races using remote emissions sensing technology. Although we will not require full 120K lifetime emissions confirmation, vehicles must be designed to achieve full 120K compliance. During the admissions process teams will be required to present evidence that their vehicle is likely to pass 120K testing. APRIL 2, 2007
HTTP://AUTO.XPRIZE.ORG MEASURING FUEL ECONOMY
For details on how fuel economy and emissions will be measured, see the sub-section Fuel Economy and Emissions Requirements.
We recognize that holding entrants accountable to the basic AXP requirement of 100 MPGe presents difficulties, including:
For measurements on a fixed-test cycle, establishment of a fair and accurate test cycle
For measurements based on race performance, issues in course design and driving constraints
Gaming by competitors (whether in the fixed test cycle or during races)
These issues will be reviewed again after the public comment period.
To guard against unintended consequences, we are supplementing the 100 MPGe requirement with several "corralling" standards and features to ensure that the results are consistent with our goals. For example:
Maximum 200 g /mi wells-to-wheels GHG emissions
Course design requirements that normalize gross drivetrain advantages (pure ICE, pure electric, etc.)
Note also that we intend to provide additional energy and emissions data as part of the AXP Education Program, as mentioned below.
PERMITTED FUELS
Vehicles must use AXP-supplied fuel during performance tests and races. A limited number of representative fuels will be provided. This will neutralize fuel gaming, and allow us to focus on viable fuels that are available in the marketplace to a level of our satisfaction. At this point, we expect to provide gasoline, diesel, electricity, natural gas, bio-diesel, and E85; the final list will be determined after initial applications are reviewed (additional fuels will require a clear business case that a vehicle using a non-mainstream fuel can succeed in the marketplace within a few years).
However, since there is only a threshold requirement on GHG emissions (200 g/mi maximum), there would be no particular race scoring advantage to using a non-mainstream fuel just because it is low in CO2 emissions. We expect most AXP vehicles to use gasoline, diesel, bio-diesel, electricity, and ethanol – because these will be the predominant available fuels in the near future.
Where the amount of fuel energy available after fueling depends on the fueling conditions and procedures (e.g., for recharging batteries), AXP will specify sufficient details to ensure a fair representation of energy consumption.
Because we do believe that alternative fuels are important for the future, but cannot predict which alternatives will emerge as the best choices (availability, GHG emission characteristics, etc.), the AXP will provide some sort of general incentive for vehicles that can optionally be powered by more than one fuel, whether or not those fuels are currently mainstream (for our purposes, examples of flex-fuel vehicles include plug-in hybrids, vehicles that can run on gasoline or ethanol, etc.). The form of this flex-fuel incentive is yet to be determined.
If you represent a team interested in joining the Automotive X PRIZE, check out our Letter of Intent program and review the reasons to compete. http://auto.xprize.org/auto/automotive-x-prize