PRESS RELEASE:
Challenge offers $150,000 for safe, lightweight vehicle design of the future
PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 6, 2015–
Local Motors is teaming up with the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to present the LIghtweighting Technologies Enabling Comprehensive Automotive Redesign (LITECAR) Challenge, which seeks innovative conceptual designs to lightweight a vehicle while maintaining or exceeding current U.S. automotive safety standards. Participants’ pioneering designs will compete for a piece of the total $150,000 cash prize.
“Local Motors and ARPA-E are disruptive forces changing the future of vehicles,” said John B. Rogers Jr., CEO and Co-founder of Local Motors. “Together, we want to understand what technologies, materials, and solutions are required to make a vehicle with the purpose of being lightweight and safe. Instead of incrementally lightweighting today’s vehicles, we want to start from first principles and make meaningful change.”
The LITECAR Challenge invites designers, scientists, engineers, innovators and fabricators to comprehensively redesign a vehicle using beyond-the-state-of-the-art solutions to reduce the overall curb weight of modern vehicles. Participants are encouraged to address novel material technologies, structural designs, energy absorbing materials and devices, and unique methods of manufacturing that allow for lightweight vehicle designs that maintain or exceed current U.S. automotive safety standards.
A panel of expert judges will evaluate entries based on four main criteria: curb weight reduction, vehicle safety, innovation and supporting evidence. The total prize money for this challenge is $150,000, with a grand prize of $60,000. Submissions will be accepted until Thursday, March 5 and winners will be announced on Monday, April 20. For more information and to participate in the Challenge, download the “Ignition Kit” and visit www.localmotors.com/litecar.
About Local Motors
Local Motors is a technology company that designs, builds, and sells vehicles. From bytes to bits, the Local Motors platform combines global co-creation with local micro-manufacturing to bring hardware innovations, like the world’s first 3D-printed car, to market at unprecedented speed. Discover more at localmotors.com.
About ARPA-E
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) catalyzes the advancement of transformational energy technologies to enhance the economic and energy security of the United States by investing in high-potential, high-impact energy projects that are too early for the private sector. Launched in 2009, ARPA-E explores uncharted territories of energy technology to generate options for entirely new paths to create, store and use energy. Learn more at www.arpa-e.energy.gov.
Local Motors
Jamie Hobbs, 480-799-4093
jhobbs@local-motors.com
Kate Hartley, 480-717-0624
khartley@local-motors.com
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