When it comes to fuel efficiency, most people strive for the best. They want the most fuel efficient vehicle they can get…within their budget, of course. But sometimes affordable, high fuel efficiency vehicles seem to be few and far between. Luckily the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is aiming to change all of that.

The goal of the Progressive Auto X PRIZE is “to inspire a new generation of viable, safe, affordable and super fuel efficient vehicles that people want to buy.”

And if the competition sounds familiar, this particular competition is one of the latest from the X PRIZE Foundation, known for their creative contests and competitions that tend to draw out the very best in innovation and inspiration.

So, with oil use and oil dependence a subject of great discussion and debate, especially in recent months, it only makes sense that they would have a prize for automotive.

Since the Automotive X PRIZE plans to reward $10 million dollars in September 2010 to the “first team to build a car that gets at least 100 MPGe in real world driving and is safe, affordable and desirable to offer consumers more efficient vehicle choices“, you can only imagine the competition is hot and heavy. Some teams have already been eliminated, but as of Round 2 there are still 15 teams going strong.

Let’s take a look at a few of these 100 MPGe (vehicles that could spark the next auto revolution:

The Aptera

Edison2 - Very Light Car

Li-ion Motors – Wave II

ZAP – Alias

There is even a fan favorite sweepstakes where you can vote for which vehicle(s) would best represent and revolutionize the automotive industry. Categories include: most stylish (voting concluded – the winner was the Alias by ZAP), most innovative, most practical and which vehicle you would want to own. Now through July 26th you can place your vote for the most innovative and have a chance to win $3000!

Don’t forget to follow along as I’m sure the competition will get even hotter as the Automotive X PRIZE competition closes in on a winner. Who’s your favorite? Which team do you think came up with a winner for the most fuel efficient, production-ready “clean” vehicle?

Image by ^riza^ 

Now that we are going to be heading into the holidays, I figured I’d give you a few tricks and treats you can use to make the most out of your vehicle’s gasoline consumption.  These tips can be used anytime actually whether gasoline prices are up or down or whether you are driving to work or heading out for that holiday vacation.  Just keep them in mind as they can help you lower your emissions, speed up your travel and of course put more of your money back in your wallet.

1. If you have a vehicle that uses alternative fuels, take the time before you leave to find out where the alternative fueling stations can be found.  It will save you time and speed up your arrival time if you know exactly where you can/can’t stop along the way.  GreenCar.com has a great tool that shows you all kinds of alternative fuel filling stations within a 1-10 mile radius of the location you enter. 

2. Know before you go.  Entering your destination on your GPS or mapping your route via a service like Mapquest will help you save time and fuel.  Studies have even shown that use of a GPS can reduce emissions by up to 21%.  Mapquest also has a cool gas price programwhere you can see what the price of gas (or diesel or alternative fuel) is along your route and/or at your destination.  This way you know whether its smarter to fill up now or just put in 1/2 a tank as there is cheaper fuel further along.  This is particularly valuable when going on long trips as we all have probably experienced filling up and then seeing a sign for cheaper fuel only 5 miles down the highway.

3. Get your vehicle fully tuned up regularly.  Changing your vehicles’ fluids, rotating your tires and/or checking to ensure they have the correct air pressure in them, getting your brakes checked, etc are all regular maintenance activities that when done properly will help keep your vehicle running properly.  A proven fuel additive will also help reduce build-up in your engine and provide a more complete burn, thus helping fuel efficiency.  Keeping your vehicle running well improves gasoline consumption and lessens harmful exhaust.

4. Empty your vehicle of all unneeded items.  A heavy, loaded-down vehicle tends to use more gas to get where you need to go.  On trips, I know this isn’t necessarily an easy thing to do as you are usually packed full for your trip.  One simple tip to lessen the weight of your vehicle is to only fill up half-way.  It will mean stopping more for gas, but may get you better mileage.  However in your regular week to week, day to day commutes, keeping your vehicle cleaned out is definitely a smart move.

5. Car-pool or take public transportation whenever you can.  Not only does car-pooling help save gasoline, but if your car-pool members each take turns driving their vehicle at least once a week then you save big on maintenance costs as well.  Driving as part of a car-pool or taking public transportation whenever you can is one of the simplest tricks for saving gas. 

6. Drive smart.  Aggressive drivers who rapidly accelerate or brake while driving are wasting gas.  Did you know that driving that way can actually lower your gas mileage by up to 33%?   There is no reason to rapidly accelerate only to have to slam on your brakes a little further ahead.  Just be smart when driving.  It will not only give you better gas mileage, it is also safer for you and those around you. 

These are simple tricks but some of the treats are better mileage, less harmful emissions, less gasoline used and more money saved.  Even for those who drive a hybrid or electric vehicle, many of the tricks I mentioned can be used by you as well. 

Image by nsgbrown

It’s the perfect time of the year to go camping, the kids are hopefully still off for summer vacation, you could really use some time off work or maybe you just want to spend some time in the great outdoors.  Camping is the perfect trip.  It’s low cost, family-friendly and if you plan right, you can have a great green camping trip!

No, camping green doesn’t mean using a green tent or staying at an “eco-friendly” lodge…of course that might be nice!  What I mean is doing things like: find a camping location near your home, buy fresh fruits/vegetables at a local or roadside stand on the way to your destination, leave no trace that you were there, etc.

Here are a couple of tips when planning your green camping trip:

• Find a campground or state park near you, so you cut down your travel time (eg emissions). In California you can go to the California State Parks website to find great campgrounds across the state.
• Make a list of all the items you need to pack.  I found a good list here.  They also remind us to bring biodegradable or environmentally-friendly toiletry items!
• Pack re-usable utensils and plates.  That way you can wash and re-use them rather than using plastic or Styrofoam and just throwing them away.  You’ll want to bring a bin to wash them in too.
• If you need camping gear or need to update your camping gear, check Best Green Gear.  They have a great selection of EcoFriendly Products including solar camping gear.
• To ensure you get to your destination safely, get your car tuned-up, check the pressure on your tires, fill up, use a proven fuel additive (to increase fuel efficiency and decrease harmful emissions) and make sure you’ve packed an emergency kit.  Some extra water is always smart too.

When you go for walks/explore around your campsite, be sure to respect the environment around you.  At the end of your trip, please clean up after yourself.  Throw away or recycle everything you used.  Try to leave your camping spot as if you had never been there.  To put it simply, while you are enjoying the environment around you, doing these simple steps can help make sure it is still there, just as green, for the next person to enjoy.