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Consumer prototype first drive!

 CBS Detroit 

Edison2 Unveils New Super-MPG Car At The Henry Ford

DEARBORN — Finally, a 21st Century car that really looks like it came from the 21st Century.

The venue was appropriate. The Henry Ford is a shrine to American innovation, and the Edison2 is packed with innovation from stem to stern.

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The next generation VLC


Since introducing the electric Very Light Car in September 2011, Edison2 has been busy continuing the design of a dramatic new version of the Very Light Car. Work on this next generation VLC actually started before the ink was dry on our $5 million X Prize check.


This next generation Very Light Car is much more than just a pre-production version of the X Prize prototype.  It is a completely new vehicle, using the same underlying architecture and with the same virtues of efficiency that won us the X Prize. The X Prize VLC was purpose-built to demonstrate the importance of platform efficiency and to win the competition.  It is an uncompromising vision of light, aerodynamic efficiency, but we knew that as we moved toward a production model we needed to make some changes.


The sleek new shape of the next generation VLC is an aerodynamic improvement over the angular X Prize design. Preliminary testing at the Virginia Tech Wind Tunnel showed us that the smoother curves of the new design can help offset the drag associated with requirements such as bumpers and mirrors. The new shape also improves driver visibility. Larger wheels allow more in-wheel suspension travel, improving ride quality. The interior will have simple but sophisticated fit-and-finish and a lower doorsill.  With an eye towards eventual production, the chassis is now aluminum sheet metal instead of tubular steel.