The X Prize has gone Automotive! (And seems to have picked up a major sponsor.) That’s right, there’s now a Progressive Automotive X Prize. Now instead of just civilian space ships, we have something terrestrial to shoot for: a fuel efficient car! (No, really – a fuel efficient car of over 100MPG!)

It’s a neat idea really. The contest is not just looking for a one-off prototype. It’s looking for a mass production vehicle. And there’s that loverly $10 million prize to aim for as incentive.

But there does seem to be one major failing in this contest: it has two classes. The first class is all good. “Mainstream class – 4+ passenger vehicles with 4+ wheels that meet conventional expectations for size and capability.” Well that seems normal enough. No problems there.

But then there’s there’s that other one… “Alternative class – An outlet for innovative ideas that push forward today’s conventions about automotive transportation (2+ passengers, no requirement on number of wheels)” Yeah. That one. Full of two-passenger three-wheeled freak shows like out of some “alternative” rock … or “alternative” porn for that matter. These aren’t cars that any sane person would drive.

It’s like going back to an episode of “Family Matters” and seeing Steve Urkel driving his lame three-wheeled nearly useless 1956 BMW Isetta 300. Only in this century. It was a huge joke in a sit-com then. We’re supposed to take it seriously now? Oh, right, only this time it’s a “Moonbeam”. Serious?

I don’t think so!

If people want to drive lightweight three-wheeled (or less) vehicles with great gas mileage, there are these inventions called motorcycles you see. Say it with me. M – o – t – o – r – c – y – c – l – e. Trike even!

Oh yeah, and there are also smart cars! You know, cars that actually look smart. Or was that they’re a smart drive because of good fuel economy? Hmm … either way, they’re both snazzy and can hit 90MPH, so they’re not the Urkel-mobile!

Now, granted, trikes and smart cars haven’t been known to hit above 100MPG yet. But the keyword there is yet. They’re so small (and thus potentially lightweight) that with incentive, I’m sure they could. Heck, add a plug-in battery to my Prius and I could hit 100MPG. And Toyota is rumored to soon unveil that as a stock vehicle! Which is why I think this “Alternative” class in the Progressive Automotive X Prize is a joke. Or a dog barking up the wrong tree. Because this “Alternative” market is a niche in a niche. It’s a micro-niche. It’s almost a non-existent market. And with cars like the “Moonbeam” … who can take it seriously?

But the Mainstream class, now there’s a winner! How to make a vehicle that people will actually use have good gas mileage? How can that go wrong?