Automotive X-Prize: only 15 vehicles from 12 teams left now

Automotive X-Prize Knockout Stage – Click above for high-res image gallery

As expected, the recently concluded Automotive X-Prize Knockout Stage was not easy. The challenge was particularly brutal to the teams competing in the mainstream class. Of the nine teams that entered, the only team that will make it to the finals stage is Edison2 with its Very Light Cars (one of which is seen at the front of the line in the picture above). In the entire competition, only 15 vehicles from 12 teams are left. Pretty soon, we’ll be able to pack everyone left competing into a mid-sized RV.

There is more life left in the alternative class, where five vehicles from four teams are still competing in the tandem section and eight vehicles from eight teams are left running in the side-by-side class. You can see a full list of these teams after the jump. Remember, even if there’s only one car left standing in a class, it hasn’t automatically won. There are still performance levels that these vehicles need to reach – reaching 100 miles per gallon equivalent is the big one – and that’s where the next challenge lies. The Finals Stage takes place in the second half of July, and we’ll be on hand to see how this all works out.

Gallery: Automotive X-Prize Knockout Stage