Newest X Prize targets 100 mpg car

December 6, 2007 4:00 AM PST

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The X Prize Foundation plans to officially announce its newest prize competition, the Automotive X Prize, sometime next year. That announcement won't occur at least until the New York Auto Show in the spring, according to the company. In the meantime, the competition, a challenge to build a car that gets 100 miles to the gallon, is gathering steam.

So far, the X Prize has signed up 43 teams from six countries. Those teams will likely vie for a multimillion-dollar prize, similar to the group's previous challenges, such as the $10 million Ansari X Prize and the $30 million Google Lunar X Prize.

The X Prize plans to show off its contestants' cars at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

One participant in the upcoming challenge will be Aptera Motors, which made a splash in November with the announcement of a vehicle that can get 300 miles per gallon. The Typ-1 (shown here) comes in two versions--an electric plug-in and a gas-electric plug-in hybrid--and can charge from any 110-volt outlet, according to the company. Because of its size, the Typ-1 is registered as a motorcycle, but it can get up to highway speeds and seats two in the front, with room for an infant's car seat in the back, according to the company. It's expected to come to market in early 2008 for less than $30,000. If Aptera's claims prove true, it puts the company's vehicle well past the X-Prize goal of 100 mpg.

Credit: Aptera Motors