In 2010 we tied for 10th place in the Mainstream Class of the Progessive Insurance Automotive X Prize, achieving 109 mpg combined EPA city/highway in simulation of that test. We received $10,000 in road legalization testing and consulting as our consolation prize. With that money, we have developed the Roadster, which is avialable for sale in our online store as 8 separate modules.
Now we are working on:
A next generation We intend to update this design for use as a compact, ultra-efficient RV camping vehicle and a light commercial delivery vehicle.
A next generation taxi cab vehicle for global use.
An ultra-light racing vehicle to campaign at the world’s most famous race track, the Nuremburgring. We have a prototype there currently under development by
An ultra-lite
Our current open source roadster is shown below:
You may prototype your own WIKISPEED car with us from our Open Source plans for free, or purchase the modules you’d like from our .
Developed as a Minimum Viable Product and descended from our eco-challenge race car, the modules available for sale skip every amenity except a smartphone dock in the dash panel. They do not have a lockable trunk, roof, or cup holders – yet. Step over the side crush structures and fixed door panels then sit down inside like a pure race car for the ultimate in light-weight and simplicity.
We have built to NHTSA and IIHS specifications and prepare for official test and rankings. The car has been impact tested at CAPE in Indiana, where the driver’s seat broke loose, allowing us to discover faulty MIG weld seams. The seat mounts have been replaced by bolt-in plates, and we are iterating to replace all welded joins with bolt-in gusset plates. The car has a driver’s air bag option but does not yet have an airbag sensor strategy and airbag computer. We excitedly look forward to partnering with an airbag and related safety systems group or engineer to provide a complete and testable airbag system, and at the same time are prototyping our own Open Source airbag computer and firing system.
Financing Options We do not currently offer financing, but purchasing your vehicle one module at a time allows splitting the cost up as your cars pieces are assembled. For the most opportunity to iterate your vehicle, we highly recommended building one or more of the modules yourself from our open source plans, which are posted for free in the online Store.
Current bug report (Updated March 7th 2015): Unstable at highway speed turning. FIXED in Suspension Module version 29b and above! Wide turn radius at low speed. FIXED in Suspension Module version 29b and above! No fuel gauge with current fuel system. FIXED In engine module 5 and above! Overheats intermittently. FIX In testing! Prototype this with us! No wipers in current iteration. No parking brake in current iteration. FIX In testing! Prototype this with us! Airbags not functional. IN DEVELOPMENT. No rear seats and belts currently. Pulse and Glide not automated. No windshield defrost. Last EPA test 69 mpg hwy, need to run new test. Roadster aero package needs a aerodynamic roof panel and a boat-tail.
WHAT IF WE ALL SPENT TWO HOURS A WEEK DESIGNING THE VEHICLES OF THE FUTURE? At WIKISPEED we are driven to do awesome things to change the world for the better. Our cars are super-efficient which is exactly how we run our business, and we genuinely care about making things better every iteration. We are developing convertible bodies as well as a pickup truck, which can be swapped out in about the time it takes to change a tire. Amazing things like this are possible because:
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