Business

Lake Havasu firm participating in vehicle design competition

Friday, October 31, 2008 12:51 AM CDT

LAKE HAVASU CITY (AP) - Physics Lab of Lake Havasu announced its acceptance into the multi-million dollar Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, a competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles to offer more consumer choices.

Physics Lab of Lake Havasu was among the first to submit its registration application.

Physics Lab of Lake Havasu, which provides retrofit technologies for automobile manufacturers, is led by automotive enthusiast and physician, Jim Stansbury, who directs a team of industry leaders in their respective trades. The team is comprised of mechanics, electricians, fabricators, a race vehicle manufacturer, an engineer, and an inventor. The focus of the team's technology is cheap, renewable, clean propulsion. These technologies include waste heat engines, steam, hydrogen, thermal hydraulics, and a proprietary regenerative suspension system, all applied to charge batteries for electric vehicles.

Physics Lab of Lake Havasu will next be on display at the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, from November 4-7. The team will be at the Regen EV Shocks booth 31215, where they will showcase their proprietary suspension and some of the other technologies they plan to include in their power/propulsion system.

To date, more than 120 teams from 28 states and 17 countries have signed letters of intent to compete for their share of the $10 million prize purse, funded by Progressive, which will be awarded to those that can design and build production-capable, 100 mpge (miles per gallon energy equivalent) vehicles that people will want to buy and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance.

The race is set to kick off in New York City in September 2009, and will continue in up to nine other cities throughout the U.S. Winners will be announced in 2010.

For more information about Physics Lab visit PhysicsLabLH.com.