City high-school kids best MIT in $10M car contestThursday, 12 November 2009 00:00Daily News columnist Ronnie Polaneczky interviewed the team on Tuesday for this article, appearing in the Thursday edition of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Students build green cars for $7.5M in prizesThursday, 22 October 2009 16:29The West Philly Hybrid X Team was recently interviewed by Jenna Bush Hager for a segment and live appearance on the Today Show on October 20. The appearance coincided with the announcement of the 43 teams that will continue to the next phase of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. Read the full article to see the video of the Today Show broadcast.
Philadelphia Students Build Fuel-Efficient Hybrid CarSaturday, 03 October 2009 09:19Reuters featured a story by Jon Hurdle on the team and the lead-up to the October 19th media announcement of teams that will be continuing in the hunt for the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. The article featured interviews with members Stefon Gonzales, Simon Hauger, Ron Preiss, and Chris Millsip.
ExxonMobil Foundation donates $25000 to the West Philly Hybrid X TeamThursday, 24 September 2009 12:11The team was featured the week of September 14 on 6ABC and Autoblog Green after ExxonMobil Foundation President, Gerald McElvy, presented the team with a check for $25,000.
High school students from Philadelphia's inner city, the West Philly Hybrid X Team, are bringing their winning record to the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize (PIAXP) competition. The competition challenges teams from around the world to design, build, and sell super-efficient cars that people want to buy. There are currently 43 teams entered in this important contest. Unlike the West Philly Team, many of those teams are extremely well financed companies.
While many may believe it unrealistic for a team of inner city high school students to win this competition, we know we can succeed. The West Philly Team has built and raced alternative fuel vehicles since 1998. As entrants in the National Tour de Sol, we outperformed elite university teams and production vehicles, winning the competition in 2002, 2005 and 2006.
The Progressive Automotive X Prize is our next challenge. The Team will provide a powerful example of how urban young people can impact climate change and create important roles for themselves in the new green economy. The students, and the cars they develop, will be models for the future.
If you would like to help us realize our dream, please follow the link to make a tax deductible contribution to Philadelphia Academies, Inc., support the West Philly Team in its quest to win the Progressive Automotive X Prize.
Please help support our team by making a tax-deductible contribution now.
Thank you for your support!
