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New York City Announced as First Stage of the $10 Million Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Competition

Jean Levasseur — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:11:13 -0700

Mayor Michael Bloomberg Announces NYC Will Host the Start of the Stage Race
Competition in September 2009

March 24, 2008, New York, NY—Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced that New York City will kick off the $10 million cross-country Progressive Automotive X PRIZE race in September 2009. The announcement came just weeks before the one year anniversary of PlaNYC, the City's plan to create a greener, greater New York.

"The Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is an excellent example of how the private sector can spur solutions to our most complex challenges," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Here in New York City, we are also stepping up to the plate on energy conservation, by transforming our taxi fleet into hybrids and cutting the City's energy use by 30% over the next ten years. It's all part of PlaNYC, our plan to create a greener, greater New York. Development of a super-efficient car would be a major step forward in the fight against global warming - and it would help us reach our goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in New York City by 30% by 2030. To maximize national and international awareness of the X PRIZE, I am pleased to announce that New York will be the starting point for the race next year."

Beginning in September 2009, the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE will kick off a cross-country stage race in major markets throughout the U.S. in which competing vehicles will be tested and showcased in real world conditions. Following New York City’s announcement, the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE will seek proposals from other U.S. cities to serve as Host Cities for the remaining stages of the national competition. Cities are invited to host stages, or legs of varying distances, of the Qualifying and Final Races of the competition scheduled to conclude in 2010.

Thursday’s press conference to unveil the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE was hosted by Dr. Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation and Glenn Renwick, CEO of Progressive, and featured Mayor Bloomberg and members of four teams hoping to compete.

“The Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is a call to action to promote and inspire innovation,” said Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation. “The environmentally friendly cars created as a result of this competition will affect everyone who drives in ways we can’t even imagine today. We hope that other U.S. cities will follow Mayor Bloomberg’s lead to bring this competition through their city.”

To date, more than 60 teams representing ten countries and 22 U.S. states have signed a Letter of Intent to compete for a share of the prize purse and global publicity.

About the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE Competition:
The goal of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles that offer more consumer choices. Ten million dollars in prizes will be awarded to the teams that win a stage race for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 MPGe.

The Progressive Automotive X PRIZE will place a major focus on affordability, safety, and the environment. It is about developing real, production-capable cars that consumers want to buy, not science projects or concept cars. This progress is needed because today’s oil consumption is unsustainable and because automotive emissions significantly contribute to global warming and climate change.

For more information about the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE, please visit www.progressiveautoxprize.org or email us.

About the X PRIZE Foundation:
The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In 2004, the Foundation captured world headlines when Burt Rutan, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the $10 million Progressive Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is creating prizes in five areas: Exploration (Space and Underwater), Life Sciences, Energy & Environment, Education and Global Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leading model for fostering innovation through competition. For more information, please visit www.xprize.org or email us.

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X PRIZE Foundation & Progressive Insurance Join Forces to Officially Announce the $10 Million Progressive Automotive X PRIZE

Jean Levasseur — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:06:00 -0700

During Today’s Launch, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Declared
New York City as Host of First Stage of Competition, Scheduled to Begin in September 2009.

NEW YORK (March 20, 2008) – Today at the New York International Auto Show, the X PRIZE Foundation and Progressive (NYSE:PGR) jointly announced the company’s Title Sponsorship of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition and its funding of the $10 million prize purse.

The newly renamed Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is an international competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles. The independent and technology-neutral competition is open to teams from around the world that can design, build and bring to market 100 MPGe (miles per gallon energy equivalent) vehicles that people want to buy, and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance.

To date, more than 60 teams from nine countries have signed a Letter of Intent to compete for a share of the prize purse and global publicity.

“We’ve been working hard to make a difference in car insurance for 70 years,” said Progressive’s CEO, Glenn Renwick. “Now we have a chance to make a difference by supporting the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE. This competition will result in more choices of more fuel-efficient vehicles for drivers and will be a catalyst for moving this technology forward, faster.”

“This competition represents what we’re all about in name and spirit—new ideas, competition and always working to do better,” added Renwick. “Being a part of this gives us a chance to make a real difference.”

At today’s New York International Auto Show, four teams and their vehicles joined representatives of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was also on hand in support of the initiative.

“The Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is an excellent example of how the private sector can spur solutions to our most complex challenges,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Here in New York City, we are also stepping up to the plate on energy conservation, by transforming our taxi fleet into hybrids and cutting the City’s energy use by 30% over the next ten years. It’s all part of PlaNYC, our plan to create a greener, greater New York.”

The Mayor added, “Development of a super-efficient car would be a major step forward in the fight against global warming – and it would help us reach our goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in New York City by 30% by 2030. To maximize national and international awareness of the X PRIZE, I am pleased to announce that New York will be the starting point for the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE race next year.”

The X PRIZE Foundation, best known for the successful $10 million Ansari X PRIZE for private suborbital spaceflight, is an educational nonprofit whose mission is to bring about radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity by holding $10 million dollar (or larger) competitions to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges.

Several teams in the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE’s Letter of Intent program will be on hand to speak with the media throughout the show. A complete list of teams that have already signed a Letter of Intent to compete is included below.

The window for applications will be open until mid 2008, when a thorough qualification process will assess safety, cost, features and business plans to ensure that only production-capable, consumer-friendly cars compete. Those that qualify will race their vehicles in rigorous cross-country stage races in 2009 and 2010 that combine speed, distance, urban driving and overall performance. The winners will be the vehicles that exceed 100 MPGe, meet strict emissions standards and finish in the fastest time. Host cities involved in the competition route are to be announced shortly.

About the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE Competition:
The goal of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles that offer more consumer choices. Ten million dollars in prizes will be awarded to the teams that win a stage race for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 MPGe.

About the Competition:
Draft Guidelines that specify vehicle requirements and other aspects of the competition are available at http://auto.xprize.org/auto/automotive-x-prize/draft-guidelines. A summary of the current guidelines follows:
The competition will comprise two vehicle classes: Mainstream and Alternative. Mainstream vehicles will be required to carry four or more passengers, have four or more wheels, and allow for a 200-mile range. Alternative-class vehicles will be required to carry two or more passengers, have no constraints on the number of wheels, and allow for a 100-mile range. All vehicles will need to meet requirements for performance and features to make the cars attractive to consumers. The competition will culminate with two dramatic, long-distance stage races in 2009-2010 – a Qualifying Race and the Grand Prize Final Race. Race courses will reflect typical consumer driving patterns during numerous stages, in varied terrain, communities, and weather conditions. To win, vehicles must complete both races with the lowest overall time averaged over all scoring stages while still meeting the requirements for 100 MPGe fuel economy and low emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. The $10 million prize purse will be split 3:1 between the winners of the Mainstream and Alternative classes. Final guidelines will be published shortly.

Support for the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE:
Support and encouragement has been received from government agencies that will help the privately funded organization conduct the competition and test vehicle compliance, including the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory; the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway, Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ); and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

In addition, non-governmental organizations supporting the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE include the National Resources Defense Council, The Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation, Union of Concerned Scientists, the Apollo Alliance, the Consumer Federation of America, Global Green USA and CALSTART, among others.

Sponsors and Donors of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE:
• The prize’s Title Sponsor is Progressive Insurance
• The U.S. Department of Energy is the Sponsor of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE Education Program, and Adobe® and Idealab® are Supporting Sponsors
• Auto Research Center (ARC) is the Official Performance Simulation Provider
• Ray Sidney of Big George Ventures is a prize benefactor, and the following people are patron donors: Gil & Elyssa Elbaz, Jack Hidary, Jeffery Shames, and Nadine Weil

Teams in the Letter of Intent Program:
As of March 20, the following teams have signed a Letter of Intent to compete:

° AirShip Technologies Group (Lake Oswego, OR, USA)
° Alpha-Core/Poulsen Hybrid (Bridgeport, CT, USA)
° Aptera Motors (Carlsbad, CA, USA)
° Arkas Automotive (Istanbul, Turkey)
° Avion Car Company (Bellingham, WA, USA)
° Brilliant Automotive, (Fairfield, IA, USA)
° Belloso Motor Company (Salisbury, MD, USA)
° Brilliant Automotive (Southfield, IA, USA)
° Commuter Cars Corp (Spokane, WA, USA)
° Cornell University (Ithaca, NY, USA)
° DEHyds (Tenino, WA, USA)
° Delta Motorsport (Northamptonshire, UK)
° Desert Fuel (Phoenix, AZ, USA)
° Disruptech (Newhall, CA, USA)
° Team Dragonfly (Northampton, UK)
° Electric Truck Inc (Greenwich, CT, USA)
° Energy Highway (Pleasanton, CA, USA)
° Esterer Engineering Ltd. (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
° FuelVapor Technologies BC, (Maple Ridge, BC, Canada)
° Global-E (Mandeville, LA, USA)
° Goodwin-Young “Linc Volt” (Wichita, KS, USA)
° Greenhouse 2000 (Orlando, FL, USA)
° Gunn Team (San Jose, CA, USA)
° HerfDuo (Berlin, Germany)
° Hybrid Technologies (Mooresville, NC, USA)
° HyKinesys (Rolling Hills Estate, CA, USA)
° ICEwave (Terre Haute, IN, USA)
° Illuminati (Virden, IL, USA)
° Kinetic Vehicles (Creswell, OR, USA)
° Kuttner Doran Innovations (Charlottesville, VA, USA)
° laeN’O (Marshall, NC, USA)
° Loremo (Munich, Germany)
° Lydell Industries (Frewsburg, NY, USA)
° Maine Automotive X (Camden, ME, USA)
° Mann Research & Development, (Benton, KY, USA)

° laeN’O (Marshall, NC, USA)
° Loremo (Munich, Germany)
° Lydell Industries (Frewsburg, NY, USA)
° Maine Automotive X (Camden, ME, USA)
° Mann Research & Development, (Benton, KY, USA)
° MDI and Zero Pollution Motors,, (Nice, France and New Paltz, NY, USA)
° Michigan Vision (Ann Arbor, MI, USA)
° Miles Electric Vehicles (Santa Monica, CA, USA)
° Motive Industries, Inc. (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
° MotoTron Disrupt (Oshkosh, WI, USA)
° Northwest Energy Research Association (Arlington, WA, USA)
° Phoenix Motorcars (Ontario, CA, USA)
° Physics Lab of Lake Havasu (Lake Havasu, AZ, USA)
° Porteon Electric Vehicles, Inc. (Portland, OR, USA)
° Prometheus Systems (Flagstaff, AZ, USA)
° Psycho-Active (Moore, SC, USA)
° RaceAbout Association (Helsinki Finland)
° Red Light Racing (RLR) (Callaway, MD, USA)
° Revolución Motors (Lawrence, KS, USA)
° Society for Sustainable Mobility (Beverly Hills, CA, USA)
° Spirit One (Alberta, CA, USA)
° T3 Motion (Costa Mesa, CA, USA)
° Team TWIKE IV (Germany)
° Tesla Motors (San Carlos, CA, USA)
° Tilting Vehicle Australia (Kilburn, Australia)
° TriTrack (Georgetown, TX, USA)
° USA Electric Cars, LLC (Cortland, NY, USA)
° Valentin Technologies (Elm Grove, WI, USA)
° Velozzi (Beverly Hills, CA, USA)
° Venture Vehicles (Beverly Hills, CA, USA)
° Visionary Vehicles (New York, NY, USA)
° West Philly Hybrid X Team (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
° Western Washington University/Vikings (Bellingham, WA, USA)
° X Tracer Team Switzerland (Winterthur, Switzerland)
° ZAP (Santa Rosa, CA, USA)

For more information about the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE, please visit www.progressiveautoxprize.org or email email us.

About Progressive:
Progressive, founded in 1937, is a leading insurer of cars, motorcycles, recreation vehicles, boats, personal watercraft and commercial vehicles.

The company offers competitive rates and products that meet drivers’ needs throughout their lifetimes as well as 24/7 online and in-person customer and claims service.

Progressive’s products and services are available locally through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies in the U.S., online at progressive.com and by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE (1-800-776-4737).

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U.S. Department of Energy and the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE Partner to Develop National Education Program

Jean Levasseur — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:03:50 -0700

Groups Aim to Excite Students About Energy Efficiency, Next-Generation Auto Technology

SANTA MONICA, CA, March 20, 2008 – The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, a multi-million dollar competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, safe and super fuel-efficient vehicles, today announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to inspire youth and the general public about the alternative vehicle and fuel options of the near future. The two organizations plan to create a national education program that will encourage young people to pursue careers in energy-efficient sciences and technology. The U.S. Department of Energy plans to make up to a $3.5 million USD grant to fund this program, subject to appropriation from Congress.

The Progressive Automotive X PRIZE will award at least $10 million in prizes to teams that can engineer clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 MPG or its energy equivalent fuel efficiency (MPGe) and win a cross-country stage race. The Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is perfectly aligned with the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy to strengthen America's energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality through public-private partnerships that:

• Promote, advance, develop and strengthen advanced vehicle technologies
• Enhance energy efficiency and productivity
• Bring clean, reliable, and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace
• Make a difference in the everyday lives of Americans by enhancing their energy choices and their quality of life

In addition to providing more consumer choices and helping preserve natural resources, a key goal of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is to engage students and the public in learning about advanced vehicle technologies, energy efficiency, climate change, alternative fuels, and the science and math behind efficient vehicle development.

“The Department of Energy has a rich history of research and development in energy efficiency, and a commitment to educating consumers and the public on the importance of the issue,” said Don Foley, Executive Director of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE. “The organization has had a highly respected collegiate vehicle competition for over 20 years and we are delighted to have them bring their experience and expertise to the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE initiative, aimed at K-12 students and the public.”

The world-class education program will engage students and showcase the 21st century skills students will need to compete in our new global economy: teamwork, creativity, strong literacy, math and science skills and innovative thinking. The program will provide comprehensive online resources easily accessible to students, parents and teachers. This online knowledge center will provide an interactive experience that will allow both students and the general public to follow the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE vehicles as they perform in real-time during the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE races and learn about key science and technology issues as a result.

“This grant represents one of the most important ways the Energy Department is leveraging private sector expertise to educate and engage the public about utilizing clean, cutting-edge technologies to transform our transportation sector,” DOE Assistant Secretary Alexander A. Karsner said. “Our support and collaboration with the Automotive X PRIZE aims to not only demonstrate the practical and much-needed use of advanced and energy-efficient vehicle technologies to reduce our dependence on oil, but we hope it will also inspire our next generation to pursue careers in math, science and education and engineering, so America remains at the forefront of innovation and discovery.”

The Progressive Automotive X PRIZE education program funded by the Department of Energy will further engage students through national contests that ask them to imagine what the role of transportation will be in their future world. The program will be designed to build excitement among students, engaging them in a competitive and creative process while conveying the X PRIZE approach to fostering breakthroughs that benefit humanity through competition.

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION
The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In 2004, the Foundation captured world headlines when Burt Rutan, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the $10 million Progressive Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is creating prizes in five areas: Exploration (Space and Underwater), Life Sciences, Energy & Environment, Education and Global Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leading model for fostering innovation through competition. For more information, please visit www.xprize.org or email us.

For more information about the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE, please visit www.progressiveautoxprize.org or email email us.

ABOUT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Working with a wide array of state, community, industry, and university partners, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in a diverse portfolio of energy technologies. Energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy will mean a stronger economy, a cleaner environment, and greater energy independence for America.

For more information contact about the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy please contact the EERE Information Center at 1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463) or on the web at www.eere.energy.gov.

United States Senate Passes a Resolution Praising the Automotive X PRIZE

Jean Levasseur — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:07:48 -0700

Senate Resolution Introduced by Senators Lugar and Bingaman and Passed Early Today Applauds the Foundation’s Leadership in Inspiring a New Generation of Viable, Super-Efficient Vehicles

WASHINGTON, DC March 14, 2008—Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), along with Senators Carl Levin (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Pete Domenici (R, NM) today led the passage of a Senate resolution congratulating the X PRIZE Foundation’s leadership in inspiring a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles. The Senate resolution follows an earlier House resolution introduced by Congressman Daniel E. Lungren (R-CA) which passed February 6th, 2008. (Read the full text of S. Res. 486 here)

The Automotive X PRIZE is a private, independent, technology-neutral competition being developed by the X PRIZE Foundation. The prize will award a multimillion dollar purse to teams that can design, build, and demonstrate production-capable vehicles that achieve 100 MPG or its energy equivalent (MPGe).

As noted by Senator Bingaman, “This prize promises to help harness the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of America’s best minds to one of our greatest problems: our over-reliance on foreign oil. It should be an exciting competition and it is certainly a worthy goal. I wish them the best of luck and look forward to seeing the innovations they inspire.”

“The dual passage of both the House and Senate resolutions demonstrates that our elected officials understand the real issues consumers are facing today and that real solutions will require the American spirit of free enterprise,” noted Don Foley, Executive Director of the Automotive X PRIZE. “This high-profile competition is igniting ideas and concepts across the globe to help solve the challenge of energy security and climate change.”

The Automotive X PRIZE is open to all – automakers large and small as well as innovators – who believe that the goal of a 100 MPGe vehicle is not only possible but essential if we are to break our addiction to oil.

“United States national security and economic prosperity demand that we move toward a sustainable energy future,” added Senator Lugar. “The global trend of foreign governments asserting greater control over oil reserves allows unfriendly regimes to use their energy exports as leverage against the United States and our allies. Establishment of the Automotive X Prize demonstrates remarkable vision and leadership. I am particularly encouraged that development of the prize benefits from insights of a diverse group of government, non-government, university and industry representatives."

With only a few days until the Foundation’s public announcement of the multimillion dollar prize purse and title sponsor at the New York Auto Show on March 20, the Automotive X PRIZE will signal the beginning of this competition as well as the hope that the country’s dependence on foreign oil and its reliance on a depleting fuel source will one day come to an end.

“We thank Senators Lugar and Bingaman for their leadership and commitment to the goals that this competition represents to the United States as well as the entrepreneurial American spirit that it will inspire for the benefit of mankind,” added Foley.

Today’s action by the Senate adds to the significant support that the Automotive X PRIZE has garnered from a diverse group of politicians and government agencies, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Houston Mayor Bill White, along with support from The U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Andy Karsner, The Department of Transportation (NHTSA and Federal Highway Administration) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION
The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In 2004, the Foundation captured world headlines when Burt Rutan, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is creating prizes in five areas: Exploration (Space and Underwater), Life Sciences, Energy & Environment, Education and Global Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leading model for fostering innovation through competition. For more information, please visit www.xprize.org or email us.

Congressional Resolution Applauds X PRIZE Foundation for Its Work on the Automotive X PRIZE

Jean Levasseur — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:46:22 -0800

The Resolution, Introduced by Congressman Daniel Lungren in December and Passed Today, Applauds the Foundation’s Leadership in Inspiring a New Generation of Viable, Super-Efficient Vehicles.

WASHINGTON, February 6, 2008—Congressman Daniel E. Lungren (R-CA) today led the passage of a House resolution congratulating the X PRIZE Foundation’s leadership in inspiring a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles. (Full Text of H. Res. 907; Related Congressional Record)

The Automotive X PRIZE is a private, independent, technology-neutral competition being developed by the X PRIZE Foundation. The prize will award a multimillion dollar purse to teams that can design, build, and demonstrate production-capable vehicles that achieve 100 MPG or its energy equivalent (MPGe).

As noted in the resolution, first introduced by Congressman Lungren in December “…the United States is heavily dependent on foreign sources of oil that are concentrated in tumultuous countries and regions, and the national security and economic prosperity of the United States demand that we move toward a sustainable energy future.”

“The passage of this resolution is a clear signal that the House of Representatives understands that the problems we face as a Nation will require the American spirit of free enterprise to get involved in the solution,” noted Don Foley, Executive Director of the Automotive X PRIZE. “Only a high-profile competition such as the Automotive X PRIZE can bring these forces to bear on the problems of energy security and climate change.”

“Competition for a prestigious prize is far more likely to get results than government programs aimed at anticipating and funding winners,” said Congressman Lungren. “Although occasionally effective, federal subsidies are paid before an industry proves it can achieve what it set out to do, and all too often such subsidies are given to the politically influential, not the meritorious. But prize money is paid out only when the goal is achieved.”

With only weeks until the Foundation’s public announcement of the multimillion dollar prize purse, at the New York Auto Show on March 20, the Automotive X PRIZE will signal the beginning of this competition as well as the hope that the country’s days of dependence on foreign oil and its reliance on a depleting fuel source will one day come to an end.

“As a scientist, engineer and inventor myself, I am an enthusiastic supporter of the Automotive X PRIZE Foundation’s competition to build a 100 MPGe four-passenger car,” added Congressman Roscoe Bartlett. “I was the first member of Congress to purchase a Prius and I am really looking forward to the opportunity to buy the winning vehicle of the Automotive X PRIZE.”

“We thank Congressman Dan Lungren and Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) for their leadership and commitment to the goals that this competition represents to the United States as well as the entrepreneurial American spirit that it will inspire for the benefit for mankind,” added Foley.

Today’s action by the House adds to the significant support that the Automotive X PRIZE has garnered from a diverse group of politicians and government agencies, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Houston Mayor Bill White, along with support from The U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Andy Karsner, The Department of Transportation (NHTSA and Federal Highway Administration) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

To read the complete Congressional resolution, please visit auto.xprize.org.

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION
The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. On October 4, 2004, the X PRIZE Foundation captured world headlines when Mojave Aerospace Ventures, led by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space twice in two weeks to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The X PRIZE Foundation has since launched the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE and the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, and will continue to offer new prizes for breakthroughs in the areas of life improvement, exploration, equity of opportunity and sustainability. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leading model for fostering innovation through competition. For more information, please visit www.xprize.org or email us.

Automotive X PRIZE to Inspire Green Auto Innovators and Environmentally Aware Cities at 2008 Detroit Auto Show

Mark Krynsky — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:10:10 -0800

$10 Million+ Competition to Offer First Glimpse of Contenders and Launch Search for Host Cities

DETROIT, MI, January 10, 2008 — The Automotive X PRIZE, a competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles, will release a Request for Proposal (RFP) to U.S. cities interested in hosting a stage of the 2009-2010 race competition at this year’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The Automotive X PRIZE will showcase the innovations of its early entrants at their booth during the show’s Press Preview and Industry Days, January 13-18.

The Automotive X PRIZE, which was created to help break the world’s addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change, is an independent and technology-neutral competition, open to teams from around the world who can design, build and bring to market 100 MPG equivalent vehicles that people want to buy, and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance.

To date, more than fifty teams from seven countries have signed Letters of Intent to compete and the Automotive X PRIZE continues to solicit additional teams to enter the competition. The window of opportunity for interested teams to register will remain open for at least the next 60 days. Once the competition launches—in early 2008—those that qualify will embark on a rigorous cross country race that combines speed, distance, urban driving and overall performance in 2009-2010. The winners will need to exceed 100 MPG equivalent fuel economy, fall under strict emissions caps and finish in the fastest time.

“The Automotive X PRIZE has the potential to revolutionize the auto industry. Competitors and U.S. cities have a unique opportunity to help bring about tangible, positive change: lower fuel costs, reduced carbon emissions, and an invigorated market. Our participation in Detroit, and the launch of this RFP process are major milestones in this competition,” noted Don Foley, Executive Director of the Automotive X PRIZE.

The racing segment of the Automotive X PRIZE is expected to travel through ten U.S. cities while being broadcast to a global audience in 2009 and 2010, building consumer demand for vehicles in the competition and demonstrating many practical, clean and affordable vehicle options. This opportunity represents a visual, hands-on forum for Host Cities and individual administrations to drive public behavior toward reducing environmental impact. Details on the Host City RFP will be available at the Automotive X PRIZE booth.

In addition to seeking support from U.S. cities, the Automotive X PRIZE is seeking national, regional and local sponsors to underwrite the stage race competition. “Thousands of bright minds, from all over the world, will gather in Detroit next week. We’re hopeful that new individuals, groups and industry sponsors will see the possibilities within this competition, and answer our call to action,” added Foley.

To date, the Automotive X PRIZE has received support and encouragement from several government agencies that will help the privately funded organization conduct the competition and test vehicle compliance, including the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory; the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway, Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ); and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

In addition, non-governmental organizations supporting the Automotive X PRIZE include the National Wildlife Federation, National Resources Defense Council, Union of Concerned Scientists, the Apollo Alliance, the Consumer Federation of America, Global Green USA, CALSTART and Greenpeace among others.

For more details on the Competition Guidelines or to view a list of the 50-plus teams that have signed a letter of intent to compete, please visit http://auto.xprize.org.

ABOUT NAIAS PARTICIPATION
Six teams that intend to compete in the Automotive X PRIZE competition will be available to speak on their early innovations at the Automotive X PRIZE booth in the Concourse as follows (note: subject to additions and change, please check in advance):

Sunday, January 13th
12:00 – 1:00pm Psycho-Active
1:00 – 2:00pm Tilting Vehicle Australia
2:00 – 3:00pm Michigan Vision
3:00 – 4:00pm Visionary Vehicles
4:00 – 5:00pm AlphaCore/Poulsen Hybrid

Monday, January 14th
11:30 – 12:30pm Visionary Vehicles
2:00 – 3:00pm Physics Lab of Lake Havasu
3:00 – 4:00pm Valentin Technologies
4:00 – 5:00pm Velozzi
(Velozzi also available Tues., Jan 15; 10:00 – 11:00)

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION
The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. On October 4, 2004, the X PRIZE Foundation
captured world headlines when Mojave Aerospace Ventures, led by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space twice in two weeks to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The X PRIZE Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics and the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and will continue to offer new prizes for breakthroughs in the areas of life improvement, exploration, equity of opportunity and sustainability. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leading model for fostering innovation through competition. For more information, please visit www.xprize.org or email using our contact form.

For more information about the Automotive X PRIZE please visit auto.xprize.org or email using our contact form.

Automotive X PRIZE Announces Addition of Automotive Entrepreneur in Multimillion Dollar Competition for 100 MPGe Vehicles

Mark Krynsky — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:49:34 -0700

AXP Team at Frankfurt Auto Show, Seeking to Expand International Competitors

SANTA MONICA, Calif., September 10, 2007 —The Automotive X PRIZE (AXP), a competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles to help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change, announced Thursday that automotive entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin and his company, Visionary Vehicles, have officially joined the list of 36 teams who have signed a letter of intent to compete, once the prize is officially funded and launched.

A transcript of a conference call with X PRIZE Foundation Chairman and Founder Peter Diamandis and Malcom Bricklin is available here.

This announcement comes as AXP Executive Director Don Foley and Senior Director Cristin Lindsay make their way to the Frankfurt Auto Show, where another AXP contender, Loremo, will be showcased.

The international competition, in which qualified teams will compete head to head, aims to dramatically increase consumer access to ultra-efficient, clean, affordable and desirable vehicles. The current list of 36 teams includes diverse groups from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland. More than 300 additional teams have inquired about joining and are actively considering entry.

Malcolm Bricklin is recognized as one of the automobile industry's leading entrepreneurs, innovators and visionaries. He was the founder and Chief Executive of Subaru of America, Bricklin Vehicle Corporation, International Automobile Importers, Yugo America and now Visionary Vehicles. He has 40 years of experience in designing, engineering, manufacturing, remanufacturing, importing and marketing automobiles and is known throughout the industry as one of the most original and imaginative automobile executives in history.

"The great thing about the Automotive X Prize is that we all win, no matter who wins. Any developments made through the competition will serve to drive the industry forward," noted Bricklin.

The independent and technology-neutral AXP competition is open to teams from around the world to prove they can design, build and bring to market 100 MPG or equivalent fuel economy vehicles that people want to buy. Industry experts will scrutinize team plans. Those that qualify will race their vehicles in rigorous cross-country stages that combine speed, distance, urban driving and overall performance. The winners will be the vehicles that exceed 100 MPG equivalent, fall under strict emissions caps and finish in the fastest time.

“We are thrilled with the wide variety of teams and technologies from around the world that have expressed an interest in joining the competition,” said Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, CEO and Chairman, X PRIZE Foundation. “We are confident that the Automotive X PRIZE will motivate and bring visibility to a range of non-traditional solutions from both traditional and non-traditional players. The time for incremental change is over. We need radical breakthroughs to stem the consumption of fossil fuels.”

The following 36 teams have signed a letter of intent signaling their intent to apply for the AXP competition (please link the team names to their websites as done here:

• AirShip Technologies Group, Lake Oswego, OR
• Aptera Motors - California, USA
• Commuter Cars Corp. - Washington, USA
• Cornell University - New York, USA
• DEHyds - Washington, USA
• Delta Motorsport - Northants, UK
• Desert Fuel - Arizona, USA
• Disruptech – California, USA
• Dragonfly Technology LTD – Northhampton, UK
• Fuel Vapor Technologies - British Columbia, Canada
• GreenIt! - Oregon, USA
• Herf Duo - Berlin, Germany
• HyKinesys - California, USA
• Illuminati Motor Works, Virden. IL
• Kinetic Vehicles - Oregon, USA
• Kuttner Doran Inventions - Virginia, USA
• Loremo AG - Munich, Germany
• Lydell Industries LLC, Frewsburg, NY
• Maine Automotive X - Maine, USA
• MDI, Inc. & Zero Pollution Motors LLC - New York, USA
• Michigan Vision, Ann Arbor, MI
• MotoTron Corporation - Wisconsin, USA
• Phoenix Motorcars - California, USA
• Porteon Electric Vehicles, Inc. - Oregon, USA
• Prometheus Systems, Flagstaff, AZ
• Psycho-Active - Georgia, USA
• Red Light Racing (RLR), Callaway, MD
• Roane Inventions - Texas, USA
• Society for Sustainable Mobility - California, USA
• Spirit One – Alberta, Canada
• Team Twike IV, Rosenthal, Germany
• Tesla Motors - California, USA
• Valentin Technologies - Wisconsin, USA
• Velozzi - California, USA
• Visionary Vehicles, New York, NY
• X Tracer – Winterthur, Switzerland
• ZAP - California, US

ABOUT THE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE

The goal of the Automotive X PRIZE (AXP) is to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles that help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change. The multi-million dollar AXP purse will be awarded to the teams that win a stage race for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 miles per gallon equivalent fuel economy. For more information please visit www.auto.xprize.org or email autoprize@xprize.org.

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION

The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. On October 4, 2004, the X PRIZE Foundation captured world headlines when Mojave Aerospace Ventures, led by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan and Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space twice in two weeks to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since expanded its mission beyond space exploration to offer new prizes for breakthroughs in the areas of life improvement, equity of opportunity and sustainability.In October of 2006, the X PRIZE Foundation announced the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for genomics, which will reward the first private effort to map 100 human genomes in 10 days, ushering in a new era of personalized preventative medicine. For more information please visit www.xprize.org or email us.

Americans See 100 MPG Cars as Biggest Fix For Global Warming

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:00:00 -0700

Sixty-two Percent of Americans Express Strong Interest in Purchasing 100 MPG Vehicles, According to New Survey Results by the X Prize Foundation

SANTA MONICA,Calif., August 7, 2007 —Americans see the development of 100 mile-per-gallon cars as one of the most powerful ideas for combating global warming and reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil, according to survey results released today. When asked to choose among six options to address climate change and global warming, 22 percent of all Americans surveyed chose the development of a super-efficient 100 mpg vehicle, while 20 percent chose providing tax credits for solar and wind power as the next best idea.

The survey results were announced by the X PRIZE Foundation, which is currently developing an independent, technology-neutral competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles. The Automotive X PRIZE will provide a multi-million dollar purse to the teams that can design, build and bring to market 100 MPG or equivalent fuel economy vehicles. The competition is expected to culminate in a Tour de France-style road race traveling through multiple cities while broadcast to a global audience in 2009 and 2010.

Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of all Americans expressed a strong interest in purchasing 100 MPG vehicles and more than three quarters (76 percent) of those surveyed thought such a development would be extremely or very important to the United States.

“It is clear to most Americans that the need to conserve energy and to find alternative means to power our automobiles is important to national security, as well as to their pocketbooks,”said Donald J. Foley, executive director of the Automotive X PRIZE. “The development of super-efficient vehicles is imperative if we are going to move beyond the incremental changes mandated by the federal government and those considered by Congress.”
The national survey conducted July 25-29, 2007, by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research indicates an interesting gender divide on the issue, with men seeing the primary benefit of super-efficient autos as saving money on gas (38 percent) while women believe that the biggest benefit to buy a 100 MPG car is reducing pollution and global warming (35 percent).

Consumers remain wary of the costs of owning a highly fuel-efficient vehicle, naming cost by more than a 2-1 (43-19) margin over other reasons they would have doubts about buying such a car.

“Automakers understand the price-sensitivity of the buying public and developing a super-efficient vehicle will not exempt them from addressing this core, consumer concern,” added Foley. We stipulate in our draft competition guidelines that vehicles must meet strict safety, efficiency and carbon emissions as well as finish in the fastest times.To win in the marketplace, teams must obviously develop vehicles that consumers can afford and will find attractive to buy.”

Review the survey questions and responses in full.

The Automotive X PRIZE announced earlier this month that 31 teams from 5 nations have already signaled their intent to compete for the multimillion dollar prize. The independent effort has already received the support of several key federal agencies including the Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory, Department of Transportation’s National Highway,Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHA); the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

ABOUT THE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION

Automotive X PRIZE Announces First 30+ Teams in Multimillion Dollar Competition for 100 MPGe Vehicles

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:00:00 -0700

Competition to Create Super-Efficient Vehicles Draws Interest from International Teams

SANTA MONICA, Calif., August 1, 2007 —The Automotive X PRIZE (AXP), a competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles to help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change, announced today that over 30 teams have signed a letter of intent to compete once the prize is officially funded and launched.

The international competition, in which qualified teams will compete head to head, aims to dramatically increase consumer access to ultra-efficient, clean, affordable and desirable vehicles. The 30 plus teams include diverse groups from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland. More than 300 additional teams have inquired about joining and are actively considering entry.

The independent and technology-neutral AXP competition is open to teams from around the world to prove they can design, build and bring to market 100 MPG or equivalent fuel economy vehicles that people want to buy. Industry experts will scrutinize team plans. Those that qualify will race their vehicles in rigorous crosscountry stages that combine speed, distance, urban driving and overall performance. The winners will be the vehicles that exceed 100 MPG equivalent, fall under strict emissions caps and finish in the fastest time.

“In just a short time, we have seen a tremendous enthusiasm for the Automotive X PRIZE,” said Donald J. Foley, executive director of the AXP. “We believe this enthusiasm reflects the strong interest among the cardriving public for new options of super-efficient vehicles. It is clear energy legislation in Congress will fall far short of encouraging the type of breakthroughs that are needed to provide a new generation of ultra-efficient vehicles. We have designed AXP to be a technology-neutral competition to help provide this new generation of vehicles, and we are pleased that the fairness of our competition guidelines has been ratified by the interest among a wide variety of teams and technologies.”

The competition is expected to travel through multiple cities while broadcast to a global audience in 2009 and 2010, building consumer demand for vehicles in the competition and demonstrating many practical, clean and affordable vehicle options. Cities involved in the competition route have not yet been chosen. Reflecting the nature of the non-partisan effort, two leading members of Congress on energy issues, Senators Richard G. Lugar (R-IN) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), have expressed their support for the AXP. The AXP has also received support and encouragement from several government agencies that will help the privately-funded organization conduct the competition and test vehicle compliance, including the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory; the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway, Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHA); the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ); and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). In addition, non-governmental organizations supporting the AXP include the National Resources Defense Council, Union of Concerned Scientists, the Apollo Alliance, the Consumer Federation of America, Global Green USA, CALSTART and Greenpeace among others.

The AXP has recently finalized a supporting sponsorship from Adobe. Other early AXP sponsors and donors include Idealab, Ray Sidney of Big George Ventures, the Elbaz Foundation, and the Jack D. Hidary Foundation. Once fundraising for the prize purse and administration is complete, the AXP will officially launch.

“We are seeking assistance from major foundations, corporations and philanthropic individuals to help bring about this revolution in transportation,” Diamandis said. “Visionary individuals and organizations have risen to this type of challenge before by backing the Ansari X PRIZE for personal spaceflight, and the Archon X PRIZE for Genomics. We’re confident we can build a financial base for this competition as well, and expect one or more heroes to rise to this challenge.”

The following 31 teams have signed a letter of intent signaling their intent to apply for the AXP competition:

Aptera Motors - California, USA
Commuter Cars Corp. - Washington, USA
Cornell University - New York, USA
DEHyds - Washington, USA
Delta Motorsport - Northants, UK
Desert Fuel - Arizona, USA
DEHyds – Washington, USA
Disruptech – California, USA
Dragonfly Technology LTD – Northhampton, UK
Fuel Vapor Technologies - British Columbia, Canada
GreenIt! - Oregon, USA
Herf Duo - Berlin, Germany
HyKinesys - California, USA
Kinetic Vehicles - Oregon, USA
Kuttner Doran Inventions - Virginia, USA
Loremo AG - Munich, Germany
Maine Automotive X - Maine, USA
MDI, Inc. & Zero Pollution Motors LLC - New York, USA
MotoTron Corporation - Wisconsin, USA
Phoenix Motorcars - California, USA
Porteon Electric Vehicles, Inc. - Oregon, USA
Psycho-Active - Georgia, USA
Roane Inventions - Texas, USA
Society for Sustainable Mobility - California, USA
Spirit One – Alberta, Canada
Valentin Technologies - Wisconsin, USA
Tesla Motors - California, USA
Velozzi - California, USA
X Tracer – Winterthur, Switzerland
ZAP - California, USA

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION

The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. On October 4, 2004, the X PRIZE Foundation captured world headlines when Mojave Aerospace Ventures, led by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan and Microsoft Cofounder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space twice in two weeks to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since expanded its mission beyond space exploration to offer new prizes for breakthroughs in the areas of life improvement, equity of opportunity and sustainability. In October of 2006, the X PRIZE Foundation announced the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for genomics, which will reward the first private effort to map 100 human genomes in 10 days ushering in a new era of personalized preventative medicine. For more information please visit www.xprize.org or email us. For more information about the AXP, please visit auto.xprize.org or email autoprize@xprize.org.

Consumer Federation of America, Greenpeace USA, Global Green USA, CALSTART and Environment Now Endorse Automotive X PRIZE

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:00:00 -0700

Pasadena, CA-July 12, 2007--The Consumer Federation of America, Greenpeace USA, Global Green USA, CALSTART and Environment Now today endorsed the Automotive X PRIZE, a multi-million dollar global competition designed to inspire a new generation of super-efficient vehicles that dramatically reduce oil dependence and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Consumer Federation of America issued the following statement:

"The Consumer Federation of America supports the Automotive X PRIZE as an effective means to speed up the development of new technology to improve vehicle fuel economy. The Automotive X PRIZE is taking one of our country's most treasured values, competition, and using it to bring about change, protect our pocketbooks, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and bring about a better environment for our children. By serving as a catalyst for American ingenuity, the Automotive X PRIZE will stimulate innovation in vehicle fuel efficiency for the good of America."

John Passacantando, Executive Director, Greenpeace USA, issued the following statement:

"We can go to the moon, but we can't drive to the grocery store in a car that gets over 100 miles per gallon? How did we come to that hulking, unsafe, top-heavy vehicles that bow in submission to oil barons and dictators are really the best we can do? The time for action is now, and the Automotive X PRIZE has thrown down the gauntlet. Heroes wanted. The Automotive X PRIZE is perhaps the greatest idea of the century, and the dreamers and inventors among us are about to throw status quo in the trunk and become the brave few that drive toward real answers, not more excuses."

Global Green USA issued the following statement:

"Global Green USA supports the efforts of the Automotive X PRIZE to focus consumer, industry and government attention on the viability and necessity of clean transportation now. The 450 million vehicles on the road today account for half of the world's total consumption, generate nearly one fifth of greenhouse gas emissions, and have pervasive effects on land use, air quality and our health."

By inspiring practical, affordable, yet radically cleaner and more efficient vehicle technology, and by educating the public on smart buying and driving behavior, the Automotive X PRIZE can make a huge difference.

For the past five years Global Green USA has helped make clean cars cool by taking Oscar nominees to the Academy Awards in fuel efficient hybrids instead of gas guzzling limousines. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of fuel-efficient vehicles currently available, and today's car Manufacturers are not offering the cars that the public is demanding. The Automotive X Prize has the opportunity to inspire real change."

John Boesel, President & CEO, Calstart, issued the following statement:

"CALSTART is pleased to endorse the Automotive X PRIZE. Transforming the transportation energy situation is an enormous and essential global endeavor. We're beginning to see the enormous transportation energy change. The entrepreneurial activity encouraged by the Automotive X PRIZE can help us accelerate the pace of change. We view the Automotive X PRIZE as one of the key tools in the toolkit to move us toward a more economically and environmentally sustainable transportation future. We look forward to working closely with the Automotive X PRIZE and others partners to make this transformation."

Terry O'Day, Executive Director, Environment Now, issued the following statement:

"Environment Now is dedicated to making measurable improvements to our ecosystems. The Automotive X PRIZE is an innovative attempt to leverage competitive enterprise to address the most pressing environmental concern of our time. It is particularly impressive for its thorough visioning of a more sustainable future for the automobile, its use of a model of change that has already been proven to accelerate innovation, and its potential to produce a tangible, effective solution."

ABOUT THE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION

The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. On October 4, 2004, the X PRIZE Foundation captured world headlines when Mojave Aerospace Ventures, led by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan and Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space twice in two weeks to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since expanded its mission beyond space exploration to offer new prizes for breakthroughs in the life sciences, energy and the environment, education and global entrepreneurship. In October of 2006, the X PRIZE Foundation announced the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for genomics, which will reward the first private effort to map 100 human genomes in 10 days ushering in a new era of personalized preventative medicine. For more information please visit www.xprize.org or email press@xprize.org.

ABOUT THE CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA

Since 1968, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has provided consumers a well-reasoned and articulate voice in decisions that affect their lives. Day in and out, CFA's professional staff gathers facts, analyzes issues, and disseminates information to the public, policymakers, and rest of the consumer movement.

ABOUT GREENPEACE USA

Greenpeace has indeed changed the world, and we continue to make the world a better place. Our committed activists and supporters have come together to ban commercial whaling, convince the world's leaders to stop nuclear testing, protect Antarctica, and so much more. Today, we have grown from a small group of dedicated activists to an international organization with offices in more than 30 countries. But our spirit and our mission remain the same. Our fight to save the planet has grown more serious - the threat of global warming, destruction of ancient forests, deterioration of our oceans, and the threat of a nuclear disaster loom large. Greenpeace is actively working to address these and other threats.

ABOUT GLOBAL GREEN USA

Global Green USA is a national environmental organization addressing three of the greatest challenges facing humanity:

Stemming global climate change by creating green buildings and cities.
Eliminating weapons of mass destruction that threaten lives and the environment.
Providing clean, safe drinking water for the 2.4 billion people who lack access to clean water.

ABOUT CALSTART

WestStart-CALSTART is a non-profit organization that works with the public and private sectors to develop advanced transportation technologies and foster companies that will help clean the air, lessen our dependence on foreign oil, reduce global warming, and create jobs. It was founded in 1992 as CALSTART, but rapidly expanded to address national and broader Western needs. It now operates as WestStart-CALSTART with CALSTART as its California operating division.

ABOUT ENVIRONMENT NOW

Environment Now's mission is to be an active leader in creating measurably effective environmental programs to protect and restore California's environment. Since inception, Environment Now's focus has been on critical issues near to the hearts of our founders and all Californians: preserving and restoring coastal, freshwater and forest ecosystems, along with improving air quality and urban sustainability. Our ultimate goal is to restore the balance and health of California's ecosystems. We believe that this goal is achievable through an intelligent combination of: enforcing existing laws, applying advanced technology, and improving the various processes involved with eliminating unsustainable practices.