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Pitch

Team WIKISPEED proposes mitigation of transportation GHG production through near term production of affordable cars getting 100 mpg.


Description

 

Proposal Text 

Team Wikispeed entered the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-prize to determine whether a manufacturable, practical car can achieve 100 mpg. The WIKISPEED car tied for 10th place out of 136 entries in the full-size division. The car is built by an all-volunteer network of more than 130 people in 13 countries. More details are on http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Wikispeed_SGT01 and http://www.wikispeed.com/

 

Agile software management techniques revolutionize the process of designing a car and bringing it to market. The modular vehicle design produces a loosely-coupled system; product cycle time is measured in months rather than years. The car can function on the current gasoline engine or an electric motor. Composites and aluminum do not require expensive production equipment.

 

On simulated EPA tests, the car gets 104 mpg city and 114 mpg highway. We are selling hand assembled prototypes at $25,000; we expect full production vehicles to cost under $20,000. To date, five prototype vehicles have been constructed, including two used for crash testing.  Ten additional prototypes are under construction.

  

SkyTran was the winner of the 2011 award; it is a good intermediate term solution, but adoption will be slowed by the requirement of building new infrastructure. SkyTran has advantages over automobile based transportation; unfortunately the U.S. transportation system has been cemented to the automobile over the last 60 years, and construction of new infrastructure will be slow and energy intensive.

 

Taxonomy:

 

What: A garage level method to manufacture a highly fuel efficient car without reliance on expensive tooling or long lead times.

Where: Currently, the body is crafted in Maryland, the chassis built in Washington, the engine and transmission produced in Ohio, and the electronics systems built in Japan, France and the United Kingdom. Other production sites under consideration are in Michigan, Texas and Viet Nam.

Who: Volunteers based around the world, with the current majority in the United States.

 

 

 

Summary


Category of the action

Reducing emissions from transportation


What actions do you propose?

 

Proposal Text 

Team Wikispeed entered the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-prize to determine whether a manufacturable, practical car can achieve 100 mpg. The WIKISPEED car tied for 10th place out of 136 entries in the full-size division. The car is built by an all-volunteer network of more than 130 people in 13 countries. More details are on http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Wikispeed_SGT01 and http://www.wikispeed.com/

 

Agile software management techniques revolutionize the process of designing a car and bringing it to market. The modular vehicle design produces a loosely-coupled system; product cycle time is measured in months rather than years. The car can function on the current gasoline engine or an electric motor. Composites and aluminum do not require expensive production equipment.

 

On simulated EPA tests, the car gets 104 mpg city and 114 mpg highway. We are selling hand assembled prototypes at $25,000; we expect full production vehicles to cost under $20,000. To date, five prototype vehicles have been constructed, including two used for crash testing.  Ten additional prototypes are under construction.

  

SkyTran was the winner of the 2011 award; it is a good intermediate term solution, but adoption will be slowed by the requirement of building new infrastructure. SkyTran has advantages over automobile based transportation; unfortunately the U.S. transportation system has been cemented to the automobile over the last 60 years, and construction of new infrastructure will be slow and energy intensive.

 

Taxonomy:

 

What: A garage level method to manufacture a highly fuel efficient car without reliance on expensive tooling or long lead times.

Where: Currently, the body is crafted in Maryland, the chassis built in Washington, the engine and transmission produced in Ohio, and the electronics systems built in Japan, France and the United Kingdom. Other production sites under consideration are in Michigan, Texas and Viet Nam.

Who: Volunteers based around the world, with the current majority in the United States.

 

 

 


Who will take these actions?


Where will these actions be taken?


How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?


What are other key benefits?


What are the proposal’s costs?


Time line


Related proposals


References