Popular Mechanics Recognizes World-Changing Innovations with 2011 Breakthrough Awards
It’s time to brag here. While bureaucrats in Washington dole out a half a billion dollars in DOE grant money that ends up getting flushed down the toilet (Solyndra), real innovation is driven by American ingenuity and small companies like Factory Five.
Simon Hauger and his team of high school KIDS built a 100+ MPG Factory Five GTM that was a finalist in the X-Prize competition, won the 2011 Green Grand Prix and now has been honored with a Popular Mechanics 2011 Breakthrough Award.
To understand the magnitude of this award is to read the list of award recipients. The West Philly team and their GTM is second on the list to James Cameron and ahead of the Mars Rovers Spirit and Opportunity program! The TDI technology in this car is slated to become part of the new Factory Five 818 product line-up.
Click here to read Popular Mechanics write-up on West Philly’s 2011 Breakthrough Award. Bottom line is this exciting accomplishment by high school kids and a inspirational leader has DIRECT product applications that will hit the market within a year. THAT is exciting and we require no money from the government to do this.
Huge congratulations to Simon and all the kids at West Philly High School!
The high mileage drivetrain technology proven by Simon’s team is slated to be plugged directly into Factory Five’s next production car, the 818. The new car will have multiple body shapes and deliver build-it-yourself 80+ MPG performance.
One potential body shape of the 818 is this race version is the 818-R.
Factory Five engineers surface scan 818 concept shape number 4.