Filed under: EV/Plug-in, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Green Daily, Automotive X-Prize
Should GM enter the Chevy Volt in the Auto X Prize?
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt
The Progressive Auto X Prize has gotten over 100 teams that have expressed an interest in competing in next year's competition. While a lot of these teams are small groups with big dreams, the X Prize foundation has repeatedly said they'd like the OEMs to enter. Early this year, the X Prize approached major automakers but they declined to participate.
Now, with the Chevy Volt, we have a vehicle that might get a 100 mpg rating from the feds. While the government's rating is not what the X Prize will be using to determine their MPGe numbers, we got to thinking: what if GM enters the Volt into the X Prize? It seems like a good publicity move, but would the General entering the competition be like Goliath crashing David's birthday party? Would the Volt even have a shot at winning, in your view? Also, there is a risk here, a big risk: what if the Volt were to lose to a high school team, how would that make GM look?
So, that leave us with the original question. Whaddya think?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tony Belding 9:25PM (9/30/2008)
No, they shouldn't. GM have already bet their corporate future on the Chevy Volt. Compared with that, the X-Prize would be nothing but a trivial distraction for them.
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gorr 10:25PM (9/30/2008)
Why not enter? If they enter i recommand To them to build a sample concept of a electrical corvette equivalent plug-in ev with v6 bi-turbo any fuels of 300h.p plus batteries.
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stevejust 1:51AM (10/01/2008)
I voted yes. It would suck for them if they DIDN'T win, though. They really should be able to win this thing with their resources. But I mean... they might get beat by the South Philly high school team! How embarrassing would that be. Especially since the South Philly team's had their hybrid Attack around for about three or four years, it is way sexier than the Volt, and they made it with the development costs that GM probably spent on Volt cup holders.
Does anyone know if Fisker entered the Karma in the contest? If the Volt would make the 100 mpg requirement, wouldn't the Karma?
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Ignatius 10:37AM (10/01/2008)
While I did vote yes, it'd be better for them to compete against the smaller companies to give the start-ups a better sense of accomplishment when they won.
GM shouldn't win this because they don't need the money, start up companies on the other hand need every penny they can get.
Turbofrog 11:17AM (10/01/2008)
Agree with Ignatius.
Winning the X-Prize would only be about publicity for GM, and the Volt gets plenty of that as it is. I'm more interested in seeing the smaller alternatives get proper funding so that we can have a more diverse party.
I am curious how the Volt would rate on the X-Prize MPGe scale, however.
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Sebastian 11:42AM (10/01/2008)
I've gotta say, I'm a little surprised that the "yes" vote is currently winning, 324-248 (plus another 127 for yes, but). Somehow I thought there'd be more opposition to GM entering, but hey, that's cool.
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smartone 1:49PM (10/01/2008)
The main point of X Prize is a vehicle that gets high milage that can go into production. the Volt should win hands down because it IS going into production
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NoMoreSmoke 2:59PM (10/01/2008)
GM is playing games with this 100MPG figure. If you put 10 gallons of gas in this car and drive (with a full starting charge) until you run out of gas you would get around 540 miles not 1040 miles. It would be more honest if GM would certify that this car goes 40 miles on a full electric charge and then gets around 50 MPG using the gas generator. I look forward to possibly buying one of these cars in 2-3 years, but rating this car at 100 MPG will likely do more damage to GM's reputation that this car is working so hard to repair.
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