Spokane7
41°
December 26, 2009 in City
Tango remains in high-stakes dance
X Prize would boost company; Clooney, Google chiefs buyers
Greg Brown assembles the steering column and controls for a Tango electric car Oct. 24, 2008. The company produces a tiny, high-performance electric car that is not much bigger than a motorcycle.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
It was not a great year to be selling an electric car that costs $121,000. Ask Rick Woodbury, the founder of Commuter Cars, the Spokane company that makes and sells the Tango, which costs that much – or more if you want longer-lasting electric batteries.
Even so, 2009 was the year Woodbury, 60, opened the doors to possibly winning a $2.5 million prize in a prestigious competition.
That’s the cash award available to winners of one segment of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize.
That international competition is offering $10 million to winners in three categories for developers of a new generation of highly fuel-efficient consumer vehicles.
When first announced, however, the X Prize contest had two competition categories: a $5 million mainstream group for companies designing a traditional, five-passenger electric car, and an alternative division, with a $5 million prize, for cars with fewer than four passengers.
It wasn’t until early this year that competition organizers added a second “alternative car” category for narrow cars with two seats, one in front of the other.
The change lifted Woodbury’s spirits, making his Tango one of four “tandem” designs competing for that $2.5 million prize.
“I don’t think anyone can beat us in the tandem category. Not on speed. There’s nothing quicker,” he said.
Commuter Cars made the initial cut. Earlier this year there were more than 100 teams competing for the Automotive X Prize. The list has been pared to fewer than 45. The only other competitor in Washington is a team from Western Washington University.
But Woodbury is hardly resting. Well before the Tango enters a race or performance test, he has to complete several more deadline submissions, establishing performance or reliability design features as required by the X Prize committee.
The first and largest challenge was to provide a solid business plan that shows how Woodbury’s company could produce 10,000 Tangos in a single year. After six months of document preparation and with help from staff at Spokane- based Sirti, Woodbury last year turned in a plan detailing how his company could produce 30,000 of the cars in a two-year period. At that volume, the sales price of the Tango would fall to $29,000, he said.
Currently, Commuter Cars produces a Tango only when an order is received, and it has made 11 so far.
Among the buyers: actor George Clooney and Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Ramping up production of Tangos by such a great degree would require about $150 million in capital, Woodbury stated in his submission for the X Prize competition.
“We don’t know yet where we might get that. I’m hoping the first $2.5 million would come from winning the X Prize,” he said.
The Automotive X Prize competition isn’t restricted to electric vehicles, but because of the judging criteria, the winners likely will rely entirely or mostly on electric power, Woodbury said.
Carrie Fox, an auto X Prize spokeswoman in New York City, said the winner will be determined based on safety, cost, performance and business plan.
Every vehicle in the race has to be able to travel 100 miles on the equivalent of one gallon of gas.
Every vehicle also must include a kill switch on the back so that someone can instantly cut its power.
The driving tests start in May, with winners to be announced in September.
Woodbury still is unclear how the actual road tests will be conducted.
“I don’t think they’ve nailed down the exact conditions yet,” he said.
He’s hoping a key part of the test is flat-out speed. In a recent, nonscientific road test in Beverly Hills, Woodbury drove his Tango along a street course, competing against a regular car taking the same route.
“I got there nine minutes ahead of the other car,” he said.
If weight of the car and efficiency become highly valued in the final results, the Tango may face a disadvantage, he added.
“We’re a little heavier (than other electric cars). So if the emphasis is on extreme efficiency, we may not do as well.”
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micdesoza on December 26 at 12:10 a.m.
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93bird on December 26 at 8:37 a.m.
The Tango’s cool, but irrelevant. Today in Spokane, several manufacturers offer much larger, safer, more comfortable cars that seat five people for less than half the price of a mass-produced Tango. Furthermore, these cars are more reliable, have more features, and are still capable of achieving well over 30mpg from powerful gasoline-only engines. The Tango’s only real advantage is its high performance.
lewis8457 on December 26 at 9:14 a.m.
high performance on potholed steets equals a broken axle.
westside on December 26 at 1:05 p.m.
Shoot..any one can afford one $120,000! LOL
polistra on December 26 at 2:25 p.m.
Just a toy for movie-stars to show off in their garage.
I can’t imagine anyone trying to drive this thing. It would tip over on the slightest turn.
Too bad … Spokane could use a new industry. A practical and relatively cheap electric car would be a wonderful new industry, but this isn’t it.
toms on December 26 at 10:05 p.m.
I will chime in, as i wrote this piece.
To correct the mis-impression that the Tango tips easily. Absolutely doesn’t. I’ve ridden in it and we’ve made sharp turns and quick curves. The heavy battery pack under the seats provide total ballast and stability.
It is spendy. But it’s built now on custom order. If …. if if if… the company ever can see significant increases in orders, the price would drop.
AxE on December 27 at 12:35 a.m.
Uh Tom. Just buy a motorcycle.
toms on January 04 at 1:37 p.m.
one must concede the Tango is not attractive. My guess is that a commercial version would adapt and look cooler.