Automotive X Prize News: June 15th, 2008

Inside Tesla Motors, with pics and audio at Treehugger.

Ratan Tata and Michael Boustridge join X Prize Foundation Board of Trustees. This obviously means that the Tata Motors entry to the Automotive X Prize has some very high visibility inside the Tata Group: a good sign for the Tata entry :-)

Tesla's lawsuit against Fisker goes to arbitration, apparently as required by the design agreement that is the entire issue here. Tesla's lawyers come off looking pretty bad, and Henrik Fisker "extremely pleased", but it's possible that Tesla will still get a good settlement at arbitration.

Rising Gas Prices Finally Kill the Once-Mighty SUV, sales are down around 30% for SUVs and light trucks, with small cars up a similar amount. This is hardly the death of SUVs, but it could easily be the beginning of the end if the trend continues.

Electro-Shock Therapy - chronicling the rise of the Chevy Volt and its importance to GM. Five long pages of detailed reporting.

USA Transportation Energy Use, showing that public transit is not really any less intensive per-passenger-mile than private cars. This is the reason that I think 100 MPG small passenger vehicles have a big role to play in the future of transport - not only are they more convenient than public transit, they will also consume less energy!

Mindset Six50 Electric Car Blends Gas, Li-Ion and Solar. Series-hybrid 2+2 seater, 62 mile all-electric range, 650 kg (hence the name, 1430 lbs), although the prototype is 800 kg. Top speed 75 MPH, 0-60 in <6 seconds. Price currently estimated at €31,000 (about $47,900).

Electric Car Less Than 3 Feet Wide is the Lumeneo Smera, a tilting vehicle.

Plans are shipping for the XR-3 Hybrid, a 125-225 MPG 3-wheel diesel PHEV. Kits will follow in 9-12 months according to the website. Check out the Yahoo Group and the detailed FAQ. I hope somebody enters the XR-3 in the Automotive X Prize - even if it's not R.Q. Riley himself...