Illuminati Motor Works (IMW) “Seven” is a street-legal four seat battery electric vehicle (BEV) that was created from scratch specifically for the Progressive Automotive X Prize. The steel frame and foam/fiberglass body were constructed by hand. (No, it is not a Volkswagen or a Tucker.)
Frequently Asked Questions (offsite link)
Download the 2011 Window Sticker (264 KB PDF)
Here are some facts at a glance:
Body:
2013: Carbon fiber and Kevlar body panels on a tube steel frame.
2010: Foam and fiberglass on tube steel frame.
Batteries:
2019: 200 CALB CAM lithium iron phosphate batteries (72 AH) = 46.5 kWh
2011: 99 Thundersky lithium iron phosphate batteries (TS 100AH) = approx. 33 kWh
(At the XPRIZE we used only 96. During EPA testing at Chrysler we used 99.)
Motor:
200 horsepower MES DEA electric motor: MES 200-330 induction
Charger:
Manzanita Micro PFC-40 (220v, 40 amp onboard charger will charge the car overnight)
Inverter:
MES-DEA – TIM600 (100kW)
Transmission:
Custom transmission inside a 1997 Geo Metro manual transmission housing.
Seats:
4 seats: 2 front (95th percentile), 2 rear-facing back (75th percentile)
Doors:
4 gull-wing doors
Car length:
17.5 feet (About 1.5 feet longer than a 1995 Ford Taurus)
Width:
Seven’s width tapers from front to back, but it’s about 70 inches wide at max.
Tires:
Bridgestone B381 P185/70R14 at 42 PSI
Weight:
2019 weight: approx 3044 pounds (including spare tire and jack)
2013 weight: 2911 pounds (including spare tire and jack)
At XPRIZE: 2900 pounds.
Vehicle Test Weight was 3149 lbs (249 lbs of test equipment was added during the coast down runs at Chrysler.)
Top Speed:
True top speed has yet to be tested. Seven has been driven up to 130 MPH.
Range:
2019: approximately 290 miles in city/highway driving
2010: 200+ miles
MPGe:
2019: TBD
(with new Mitsubishi IGBTs initial efficiency is up 12%. Official MPGe yet to be tested)
2011: 207.5 MPGe
Seven received an EPA mileage rating of 207.5 MPGe, based on the official EPA 74 test cycle used for determining mileage for electric and hybrid vehicles like the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, during its 2011 testing at the Chrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea Michigan.
For more information read this blog post. In 2010, at the Progressive Insurance Automotive XPRIZE (PIAXP) Knockout event, Seven averaged 119.80 MPGe over the course of the City, Urban, and Highway Efficiency tests (Descriptions of tests here).
According to the live telemetry data at the XPRIZE event, Seven averaged 182 MPGe on the PIAXP 134 mile range test, averaging a speed of 55 MPH with a mandatory stop every 10 miles.
Lateral Acceleration: 0.87g
Number is from PIAXP Knockout testing. (A minimum of 0.7g was required to pass the test. Descriptions of tests here).
0-60 Acceleration: 6.2 seconds.
Accident Avoidance: 48.32 MPH
at 2010 PIAXP Shakedown event. (Descriptions of tests here).
Preliminary testing shows Seven has a CD of 0.23. More tests are pending.
Prototype Amenities:
Tow hitch (3000 pound max), carpeting, seat belts, heat, air conditioning, LED headlights and brake lights, over 10 cubic feet of trunk space, FM/MP3 stereo system, Moon Eyes hub caps, 4 wheel steering.
Total Cost of 2010 Prototype:
Approximately $110,000 in parts and materials during the PIAXP competition.The unpaid hours donated by dedicated team members and volunteers when they were missing their families: Priceless.
We believe in recycling technology. Why reinvent the wheel?
Here is a partial list of Seven’s recycled or modified parts:
Headlights:
1937-39 Ford (new stock, LED, modified)
Door Handles:
Mazda Miata (new stock)
Door Pulls:
Delorean Motor Company DMC-12
Windshield:
Mazda Miata (new stock)
Brakes:
1990 Ford Taurus SHO (new stock, modified)
