Phoenix Valley drivers may have noticed gas prices today topping out at $3.99 a gallon. High gas prices in Phoenix Arizona, Phoenix not being a dense city like Chicago or New York, can carry a hefty price tag for Valley drivers who must fan out widely across the city as part of their daily commutes. For those Phoenix Valley drivers waiting for a solid solution to their gas guzzling problems, they need look no further than the Progressive Automotive X-Prize.
The Progressive Automotive X-PRIZE is a global competition that awards $10 million to three teams that build cars that achieve at least 100 MPGe in real world driving. These cars must be safe, affordable, and desirable, with the ultimate goal of offering more efficient vehicle choices to consumers.
The prize also advances the adoption of a new consumer metric, called MPGe (Miles per Gallon or gasoline equivalent energy), that offers consumers the ability to make an apples-to-apples comparison of this next generation of vehicles that will use a variety of energy sources and fuels with the conventional cars they drive today. The runner up to the most recent Progressive Automotive X-Prize was Illuminati Motor Works, with their innovative “Seven” concept vehicle.
The IMW (Illuminati Motor Works) “Seven” is a four seat battery electric vehicle (BEV) that was constructed from scratch specifically for the Progressive Automotive X Prize. The steel frame and foam/fiberglass body were constructed by hand (No, it is not a Volkswagen).
The IMW Seven has a range of over 200 miles on a single battery charge. You can compare this with the Chevy Volt, which has an EPA city estimate of 20-50 miles on the battery alone. The Nissan Leaf testing shows 47-138 miles per charge, depending on weather, speed, and use of A/C. The IMW Seven soundly defeats it’s closest competition. The IMW Seven officially received an EPA mileage rating of 207.5 MPGe, based on the official EPA 74 test cycle used for determining mileage for electric and hybrid vehicles like the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, during its 2011 testing at the Chrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea Michigan.
In 2010, at the Progressive Automotive XPrize (PIAXP) Knockout event, Seven averaged 119.80 MPGe over the course of the City, Urban, and Highway Efficiency tests. The Seven averaged 182 MPGe on the PIAXP 134 mile range test, averaging a speed of 55 MPH with a mandatory stop every 10 miles.
Illuminati Motor Works is a largely self-funded, volunteer group of engineers, automotive technicians, graphic artists and car enthusiasts who have worked on alternative means of transport and alternative energy for many decades in their professional and personal lives. If any Phoenix Arizona philanthropists are wondering, yes, they accept donations at their website.
Phoenix Arizona auto, tech, and environmental enthusiasts should consider taking a trip to the LA International Auto Show this November, where the public, press, and industry insiders alike are invited to view examples of the most recent and cutting edge advances in the industry, as well as concept designs of the very near automotive future. Los Angeles is only a short drive from the Phoenix Valley area.
