Indian automaker is first to enter automotive X Prize

The funny thing about the Progressive X Prize to develop a 100 mpg vehicle has been that no major automakers have bothered to enter. Until now.

Giant Indian automaker Tata, which has become famous for the designing the $2,500 Nano microcar, has thrown its hat in the ring.

The company plans two entries, one in each competition class, Alternative and Mainstream. In the Alternative class, Tata is expected to enter an electric microcar in the Alternative class, which requires a minimum range of 100 miles, and 2-passenger capacity. In the Mainstream class, which requires a 200-mile range and 4-passenger capacity, Tata is designing a hybrid.

Perhaps it’s not surprising that there are no major U.S. automakers participating in the competition. Years ago, Amory Lovins, founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute who was promoting a hybrid car made with lightweight carbon fiber, said innovation in mass producing efficient cars was unlikely to come from traditional automakers. They have too much invested in manufacturing plants designed to work with steel and metal, he said.

Instead, he forecast that most innovation in fuel-efficient cars would come from small companies of the type starting up frequently in the Silicon Valley.

So far, this competition seems to bear out that prediction. Although now we might now add overseas-maker Tata as stepping up.

Produced in India, Tata’s cars are not subject to the same safety standards cars must pass here. So the company has experience making smaller, lighter cars that may get better fuel economy.

In the X Prize competition, entries will be expected to include all modern safety features and to prove in a computer simulation that they can perform well in crash tests.

The contest is expected to begin on the streets of New York City in September 2009.

—Eric Evarts

Check out our previous coverage of the Automotive X Prize:
Automovie X Prize find sponsor
Automotive X Prize entries still up for grabs
Auto X Prize announces the teams competing to build 100-mpg car
Auto X Prize to reward 100-mpg car

Discuss the Auto X Prize in the Consumer Reports forum.

Comments

[Ed]

I understand that Tata is also about to launch a version of this "the cheapest car in the world" that RUNS ON AIR! How have i never heard of this before? Why is it that our supposed "big three" can not build the cheapest car in the world, let alone a car the runs on compressed air. Does anyone know how it works? I think that everyone in the USA needs to be more realistic about their actual necessities and buy much smaller cars, even if that means compromises in speed, size, and capacity such as smart cars. Realizing that the smart gets only OK millage, in europe with a diesel motor they get about 85 mpg! If the big three really are as inflexible as they are turning out to be, bent of making heavy, fuel thirsty cars for as much profit as possible, I say let they go out of business. The world will be a better place without them and then maybe other America companies will no longer be strangled by their huge cars taking up the road and can step in to build REAL alternatives! Down with the big three!

[Cale]

Let's see...Tata pays $4.50/hour for engineers and can put an army on a challenge that will put additional traction in their public relations/company awareness campaign. GM/Ford/Chrysler would pay $28/hour for domestically-sourced engineering talent at a time when it needs to conserve resources for critical ongoing missions. Chasing the Progressive X Prize doesn't sound like a productive use of talent in Detroit where new car development costs are staggering.

No wonder Lovins predicted that the big three wouldn't take the bait. They've got bigger fish to fry.

[Ivan]

The point of the exercise is not the prize but innovation and the future of the auto industry to conserve energy... that is the focus of the X prize .. Tata is on the right path. The big 3 and the governments have wasted time and precious resources for the last 10+ yrs, when will they wake up and face tomorrow and not be blinded by the financial profits for today.