Desert Fuel has officially been accepted as a contender in the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE competition.
Desert Fuel's vehicle will be entered into the mainstream competition with a hybrid of electric and diesel/biodiesel fuel sources. The electric charge will be distributed using lithium batteries. The main drive motor will be electric and the vehicle will have the ability to plug into standard AC wall outlets, tapping into worldwide power grids. A modified diesel engine will provide additional torque, charging for long distances, and smooth highway driving. Solar energy will be used to recharge the vehicle for short commutes, reducing the strain on the power grid and increasing the fuel economy of the vehicle. A generator will assist in long distance driving and will operate through the use of diesel/biodiesel to generate electricity. Since fuel economy is of the utmost importance, the vehicle will recapture lost energy through regenerative braking, an exhaust fed turbo generator, linear motion recapture, and thermal recapture. In addition, the vehicle will utilize LED lighting both internally and externally, including headlights, tail lights, back lighting, and various displays.
Desert Fuel has started to make all of its AC Motor 3D renderings a reality, the first step is to create the stator which requires an automated winding process. Pictures of the construction of the winding mechanism can be viewed by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page.
The team is starting with two test vehicles, named Prototype 1 and Prototype 2.
Interested in sponsoring Desert Fuel? Click Here
Desert Fuel's Goals:
- Build a vehicle that meets Progressive Automotive X PRIZE’s requirements (http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/auto/prize-details)
- Produce a cost effective vehicle that reduces the daily impact of driving on the environment and can be purchased by a large portion of the population
- Refine and highlight emerging technologies currently unused in the automotive industry
- Develop highly efficient new technologies
Featured Websites:
Favorite Quotes:
“No matter what we attempt to do, no matter to what fields we turn our efforts, we are dependent on power. We have to evolve means of obtaining energy from stores which are forever inexhaustible, to perfect methods which do not imply consumption and waste of any material whatever. If we use fuel to get our power, we are living on our capital and exhausting it rapidly. This method is barbarous and wantonly wasteful and will have to be stopped in the interest of coming generations.” Nikola Tesla
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margret Mead
Official Sponsor of Desert Fuel
Visitor Counter: