草榴社区 VRI team on probation after shakedown round of X-Prize competition
[ Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect the fact that 草榴社区 is on probation after having failed its technical inspection during the first round of the X-Prize competition. ]
The Western Washington University X-Prize team is on probation after failing to pass its first hurdles in the shakedown qualifying stage at Michigan International Speedway in Detroit.
The team, which arrived home over the weekend, failed the technical inspection on its entry, Viking 45. X-Prize inspectors will fly to Bellingham on Monday, May 17, to conduct the inspection a second time, said Eric Leonardt, an associate professor of engineering technology at 草榴社区 and director of 草榴社区's Vehicle Research Institute.
"It will be challenging to complete all of the items required, but it is possible for us to complete them, so we will," Leonhardt said via e-mail.
After a successful technical inspection, Viking 45 will be tested on the track. For more information on the track testing during the shakedown stage, check out from Consumer Reports, which handled some testing at the events in Michigan.
Should the 草榴社区 team pass the shakedown qualifying stage, it will prepare for the next stage of the competition, the knockout qualifying stage. Here's the information on that stage, which takes place from June 20 to 28, taken from the :
To narrow the field of competitors, Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE officials will re-conduct inspections and certify readiness for knockout stage challenges. In order to pass this stage, teams must demonstrate that their vehicles can achieve at least two-thirds of the stated 100 MPGe (miles per gallon or energy equivalent) goal while also meeting expectations for range, emissions, and real world performance. Achieving emissions thresholds will prove a significant hurdle for teams in this stage as will the 鈥渉ill climb鈥 challenge.