Automotive X Prize News: Sept 7, 2008

The Ultimate Fuel Economy Challenge: 100 + Hopefuls Intend to Compete for $10 Million Progressive Automotive X PRIZE, actually over 120 teams have now signed letters of intent.

Detroit Electric Attracts New Investment and Technology Partners from Europe (Detroit Electric is ZAPs brand which includes the ZAP Alias)

Watch Out, X Prize Contestants, These High School Kids Are Winners, featuring the West Philly Hybrid X team. Apparently they are planning to modify a Ford Focus, using a 90 HP Buell motorcycle engine and a 63 HP (peak) AC electric motor. They've really got their stuff together - with lots of previous experience, they may in fact be winners!

Hafei Saibao EV passes crash test; good news for Miles' XS500

Three of the Fastest EVs meet for lunch, a Tesla Roadster, the Wrightspeed X1, and a Commuter Cars Tango. Awesome photo!

Fuel Vapor Technologies Ale Running on Fumes

HEVT Plug-In Plans to Pull in Automotive X-Prize

Kinetic Vehicles reveals some more details on MAX

The Automotive X PRIZE: 5 Facts, covering some of the rules.

Loremo gets new members on it's board, who will help with manufacturing.

Aptera hires Paul Wilbur as new president and CEO, looking to build new plant

Report: Costs for New ZAP EV Plant More Than 2x Initial Estimates.

Tata to Launch Electric Car in Norway Within a Year, a version of the Indica hatchback. Range is reported to be 110 - 120 miles.

How much does it really cost to charge up an EV? Martin Eberhard reports that "it depends", but gives all the things it depends on, and offers a spreadsheet so you can calculate the number for yourself. His results show 3.6 cents/mile, far cheaper than any gasoline car.

Financial Times confirms Tesla to supply batteries for electric Smart

Berlin to Deploy Largest Electric Car Network in World, with Daimler providing the cars and RWE AG (the power company) helping to roll out a charging network. However, they seem not to have heard of Project Better Place, which will be far larger in Israel than this initiative. More details at Green Car Congress.

Autobloggreen has another installment in their series on the real story behind the EV1.

Chrysler Plug-in Hybrid Revealed (to Dealers)!, you knew that Cerberus had to be up to something with Chrysler...

Spy Shot: Production interior of Chevy Volt (maybe), look at all those buttons!

Ford Promises 30% Better Mileage Using Ethanol Injection, by making the combination of turbocharger and higher compression ratio possible.

iMiEV: 2,000 in 2009, 4,000 in 2010, 8-10k in 2011.

VIDEO: Gale Banks talks about developing high performance diesel engines, Gale Banks is helping the X Prize Foundation to evaluate the business plans of potential teams.

Honda's Prius-fighter: new five-seat hybrid-only Insight will go on sale in the United States this spring. For only $18.5k! See Jalopnik, which has a cool image of the new Insight next to the Prius - and then a detailed breakdown showing that despite surface similarities, they are very different cars.

Looking to get a quick leg up on building a car for the Automotive X Prize? Try this first generation Aztec, with some extreme aerodynamics. Owner is selling!