| Regardless of what automakers tell us, the internal | | | | organizations, and surprisingly, some of the largest |
| combustion engine has changed very little in the past | | | | potential awards come from the federal government. |
| hundred years. In fact, Ford's Model T averaged 28 | | | | For instance, the Department of Energy (DOE) has |
| mpg, while Ford's current model of the Explorer | | | | been authorized to award up to $10 million in |
| barely makes 16 mpg. No matter how you look at it, | | | | incentives for technology that can be used to |
| that isn't what you would call progress. However, | | | | affordably convert wood and other fibers into |
| Peter Diamandis, founder of the X Prize, hopes to | | | | ethanol. The DOE also has been authorized to offer |
| force automakers to do better by offering the first | | | | what's been dubbed the Freedom Prize, a $5 million |
| Automotive X Prize, which will focus on the creation | | | | award for workable methods to significantly lessen |
| of a new breed of vehicles that will be far more fuel | | | | America's dependence on foreign oil. Unfortunately, |
| efficient than anything offered by the current | | | | congress has yet to appropriate any actual money to |
| automobile industry. Part of the innovative rules for | | | | fund either one of those prizes. The good news for |
| the competition will be that the winning vehicle will be | | | | consumers in the long run is that the federal |
| made available to consumers at a price they can | | | | government may be catching on the fact that large |
| afford. The X Prize Foundation hopes to encourage | | | | cash awards can stimulate innovation in the private |
| entrepreneurs to bring about significant changes in | | | | sector, but it's been a long time coming. Charles |
| the way vehicles are propelled, with one of the main | | | | Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 |
| focuses still being on the use of fossil fuel, since the | | | | in pursuit of a $25,000 prize, but the government has |
| vast majority of consumers still would prefer to be | | | | done little since then to stimulate interest in |
| able to use a "gas station" model when | | | | alternative energy sources or fuel efficient vehicles. |
| refueling. The Auto X Prize money hasn't been | | | | The technology is out there, and if American |
| officially announced, but they awarded $10 million to | | | | entrepreneurs have enough incentive, our energy |
| the winner of their competition for the world's first | | | | problems can be defeated. Here's hoping the X Prize |
| private spaceflight in 2004. The challenge this time: | | | | Foundation's auto competition will be the first giant |
| build a vehicle that gets up to 250 mpg while creating | | | | step in that process. It worked for private space |
| little or no pollution. It's a change that's sorely | | | | flight, so there's no reason not to believe it won't |
| needed, and since the government and Big 3 | | | | work for those of us here on Earth, as well. |
| automakers don't seem capable of making it happen, | | | | Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. FisherJeanette |
| perhaps prizes such as the X Prize will bring about the | | | | Fisher teaches environmental interior design. |
| change.There are other prizes being offered by other | | | | |