No Surprise: Big Auto Shuns X Prize

The New York Times auto blog discusses how none of the big carmakers have submitted entries into the auto X Prize contest, but this is not startling in the least.

The contest is looking for a commercially viable vehicle that can get 100 miles to the gallon or the gasoline equivalent if the car uses an alternative fuel type. Tesla Motors and Zap Motors are the most recognizable names as the auto leaders of Japan, Germany and Detroit have stayed away.

The probable $10 million prize is nothing to Honda, Daimler or GM, so if any of these companies had a vehicle of this type in development, it is not worth making that information public in a contest. These companies will show their hands under circumstances that they control (like say in Detroit next January, at the biggest U.S. auto show).

Also, Ford enters the contest, then they are saying that they believe that this level of fuel efficiency is achievable, which would go against their perpetual whining before Congress that making safe cars that get 40 mpg isn't technically possible. And imagine if GM enters this race and loses to Joe T. Anonymous of Dublin, Ohio. The shame, the shame.

So big auto has nothing to gain and everything to lose by entering the X Prize competition.