100 Mile Per Gallon Car--Coming Soon

The X Prize Foundation, the group that spurred the competition for the Spaceship One enterprise, is preparing to announce the rules for a competition to produce a 100 mile per gallon car. Of course there are probably some prototypes out there already, but the rules for this contest are a little different:

"These cars must be production viable in quantities of 10,000 or more as judged by industry experts. We want to prevent the million-dollar fuel cell car from entering as well as the technically competent but ugly ‘bubble car,’" says [foundation Executive Director Mark] Goodstein.

So this won't be a concept car or a small run of vehicles that only the super rich can afford, the winner must be able to mass produce and mass market the car.

Instead of govenrment regulation mandating certain criteria, the free market of innovation and ideas might provide the real breakthrough. That has always been the case.

Hat Tip: The Instapundit