ZAP Alias Electric Car in City Efficiency Testing for X PRIZE Finals

The first event for the Finals of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is the City Efficiency Testing simulating city driving, stop and go, for 16 miles, 8 times around the track with top speeds ranging from 25-35 MPH. The cars are testing by how much fuel they use, so between charging or refeuling teams push the cars to and from the track to get an accurate reading.

While the event is not particularly exciting, it does help calculate City MPGe. Along with Al Unser Jr. however we are excited about thanking our sponsor Firestone Racing with whom we announced their new Firehawk Wide Oval tires that helped the ZAP Alias make it to the finals. Learn more about them here:
http://zapalias.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/firestone-brand-tire-helps-zap-alias...

Along with the ZAP Alias, the cars featured in this video in order of appearance include Western Washington University's Viking 45, RaceAbout, Edison2, Tango, Spira, Monotracer and Tata.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• city
• efficiency
• testing
• prize
• piaxp
• progressive
• insurance
• automotive
• zap
• alias
• electric
• car
• vehicle
• ev
• motorcycle
• trike
• tricycle
• 3-wheeler
• three
• wheel
• wheeled
• wheels
• michigan
• international
• speedway
• mis
• #piaxp
• lithium
• charger
• motor
• controller
• mpge
• automobile
• racing
• cars
• software

[tsbrownie]

For $38,500 I can buy 2 toyota yaris' and get service anywhere in the world. Price has to be proportional to value before these things will take off.

[ZAPalias]

@tsbrownie Yes, but you'll have to use gas.

[tsbrownie]

@ZAPalias And until they make economic sense everyone *will* use gas. Exactly my point.

[ZAPalias]

@tsbrownie You don't have to use gas, a lot of people drive electric cars, including me.

[tsbrownie]

@ZAPalias Dude, you're *ignoring* the point. Have you heard of the "Undersprung"? It was a car whose marketing appeal was inverted leaf-spring suspension. It failed because no-one really saw any benefit to it. Telling me I can avoid using gas at 2x the cost, with half the features and little service availability is roughly on par with Undersprung. Selling on features that make little or no sense, or have only emotional, but no economic appeal don't create big sales. Marketing 101.

[DBSpy1]

Its got no rear,cant be much good at Costco.

[srok62]

The Alias is the only remotely "cool" vehicle. I'd like to smash the rest of 'em!