One Gallon Challenge this August in Massachusetts

Nestled in the Connecticut River valley, Greenfield in Massachusetts is 100 miles west of Boston. It will be the venue for the One Gallon Challenge, where the aim is to design “a safe, comfortable car” and drive it from there to Boston using the amount of energy stored in a single gallon of gasoline this summer.

On August 19, the public and press get to inspect an unusual gaggle of next-generation cars in downtown Greenfield, and the following morning the checkered flag will signal the start of an unusual “race.”

These high-efficiency cars must get to Boston’s Greenfest, at City Hall Plaza, within three hours, using as little energy as possible. Some are electrics, some hybrids, and others use diesel or gasoline for fuel. But all cars will display how much energy they used for the trip, while they are on display at the Greenfest on Friday, August 20, and Saturday August 21.

“At this point, we’re looking for cars to participate.” says Jory Squibb, organizer of the event. “Some may not quite make it to Boston, but may finish the last stretch of the fixed route on their trailers, and be exhibited with the finishers”.

“It doesn’t necessarily take new technology to produce a 100 MPG vehicle,” Squibb said. For instance, three vehicles now entered use low weight, good aerodynamics and small engines. “Dirigo” recently took second place at Watkins Glen’s “Green Grand Prix” achieving 89.9 mpg. Roo Trimble’s “Roopod” is also a diesel-powered three-wheeler. Squibb’s own entrant, “Moonbeam,” has already traveled 10,000 miles at 100 mpg.

They expect several contestants from the Progressive Auto-X Prize, which is offering multi-million dollar prizes in 2010 for efficient, marketable cars. Many of these cars go far beyond traditional concepts and some are supposedly even in production right now.

The event takes place August 20 in Greenfield, and August 21-22 at Boston City Hall Plaza. If you have a car to enter, or for more details and updates on the One Gallon Challenge, see the moonbeamplans.com website.

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