User:Dbrowndc/Very Light Car

Designed and built by Edison2 in Lynchburg, Virginia, the Very Light Car is based on two absolute virtues of automobile efficiency: light weight and low aerodynamic drag. It is entered in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. Public availability of the Very Light Car is expected in the future.

The Very Light Car has a coefficient of drag of less than 0.15 and weighs less than 1000 lbs. The mainstream class (4-passenger) and alternative class (2 passenger) X Prize versions are powered by turbocharged extensive exhaust gas recirculation engines, but the ultra low weight chassis is also suitable for hybrid applications and is intended as an efficient platform for electric vehicles as well because of the lower system weight. All components were evaluated for function and weight, resulting in a number of new solutions including more efficient suspension systems and novel safety technology. Despite the low mass, these design innovations adapted from endurance auto racing are expected to allow the Very Light Car to meet or exceed safety standards.

Unlike many alternative vehicles, the Very Light Car mostly avoids carbon fiber and other energy-intensive exotic materials in favor of readily available, fully recyclable aluminum and steel. The choice of materials and the fewer material inputs associated with such a low mass vehicle means lower costs and a low production carbon footprint.