You Say You Want a Revolution? - The Tango Enters X-Prize Games

Commuter Cars' Tango is excited to have been accepted as part of Progressive Insurance Automotive X-PRIZE Games, to be held in spring/summer of 2010. Over 100 teams, ranging from students to start-up companies to large manufacturers are competing.

The goal of the X PRIZE is to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles that help break the global addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change. A ten million dollar cash purse will be awarded to the teams that win long-distance races for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 miles-per-gallon energy equivalent.

Step 1:
Teams are accepted for the X-PRIZE competition based on preliminary information about their entry.

Step 2 (now):
Accepted teams provide evidence that their vehicle or designs are production capable. Those that pass will be invited to the competition events.

Step 3: The Races (May-August 2010 - open to the public)
Those that pass preliminary safety tests will participate in competition events, which include:

• PIAXP Stage Race, high-mileage race comprising stages in up to ten cities or locations, to be determined. Statistically, the overall course will reflect known consumer driving patterns,incorporating a variety of realistic and performance-illustrating driving conditions, terrains, and trip profiles. Vehicles will race rally-style over closed public roads and on one or more closed tracks. Vehicles must obey all traffic regulations, including speed limits. The Race will enable fair, technology-neutral comparisons of vehicles while maximizing public impact.
  

• A “knockout” qualifying event will be held to admit vehicles to the final race stages. To advance, vehicles must pass a full set of active safety performance tests, demonstrate Tier 2, Bin 10 criteria emissions, and demonstrate at least 67 MPGe. The knockout event will be conducted at a suitable test track or proving ground, and will be open to the public and the media.
  

• After a 2-4 week hiatus to prepare for the final events, there will be four to six on-road or track stages, with additional performance tests and a dynamometer stage occurring roughly midway. The competition will also include high-profile non-scoring stages, including a hill climb, maximum distance (“drive-till-you-drop”), and top speed runs.
  

We're excited because the Tango is the ONLY vehicle narrow enough to traverse the densest traffic, and is probably one of the fastest and most stable vehicles on the road. (Yes, stable, due to overwhelming low center of gravity.)

This is gearing up to be one sensational event. Follow our progress here and on twitter, or visit our Tango X-Prize page: http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/teams/tango.

The event will be in 10 different cities, so there may be ample opportunity to witness some history in the making.
You say you want a revolution? Bring it on, baby!

X-Prize List of Teams: http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/teams

Please share this post with your friends.