Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize Announces Teams Qualified to Compete for $10 Million and Launches National Student Contest

43 teams have been judged qualified to advance in the $10 million Progressive
Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, a competition to create viable and super
fuel-efficient vehicles.Registration also opens for a national student contest
to reinvent the automotive dashboard, sponsored by a grant from the U.S.
Department of Energy.
NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, a multimillion dollar competition
to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles, today
announced the 43 teams- representing 18 states, 10 countries and 6 fuel types,
that have passed the competition`s Design Judging phase and will move into the
most exciting phase of the competition - performance and safety testing -
putting them one step closer to their share of the $10 million prize purse.

The announcement was made at Manhattan`s Classic Car Club, and featured Dr.
Peter Diamandis, X PRIZE CEO and Chairman; Glenn Renwick, President and CEO of
Progressive Insurance; Connie Bezanson, Lead Engineer, Program Planning, U.S.
Department of Energy's Office of Vehicle Technologies; and Dale Fulton, Senior
Vice President for Curriculum Development at Discovery Education; along with a
number of the qualified teams and their vehicles and the first high school teams
to register for the complementary student contest.

Teams that have passed this most recent phase of judging have proven to the
competition`s automotive and technical experts that their vehicles will be
available in time for formal vehicle challenges next spring, will be production
capable, and can plausibly meet or exceed the competition requirements. There
are a total of 53 vehicles moving forward in the competition with 28 represented
in the Mainstream Class and 25 represented in the Alternative Class.

"The teams and vehicles represented in this group are the most viable in our
competition and we believe that together they are positioned to make a huge
impact on the automotive marketplace," noted Dr. Diamandis.

"The work that these teams have done is really amazing-congratulations to them
all on getting this far," said Progressive`s CEO Glenn Renwick. "Over the next
year, we'll see significant advancement of these designs, taking us even closer
toward the ultimate goal of making super fuel efficient vehicles a viable choice
for consumers."

The competition features teams from around the world that can design, build and
bring to market 100 MPG or energy equivalent (MPGe) vehicles that people want to
buy and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and
performance. Performance testing will begin in spring 2010 and winners will be
announced in September 2010. Exact dates and locations will be announced
shortly.

A complete list of qualified teams, along with fuel types, photos of their
vehicles and team information is now available at www.progressiveautoxprize.org.

Also at the event today, the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE formally
opened registration for a national high school contest, funded by a U.S.
Department of Energy grant. The contest, called DASH+, challenges students to
work together using creativity, design, and math and science skills to develop
new gauges, instruments and interfaces to create the "Dashboard of the Future"
which will support behavior change to help drivers maximize fuel efficiency and
reduce environmental impact. Each team will experience a unique, hands-on
opportunity as they design their dashboard which will be accompanied by a
written technical plan and a design video pitch to convince both auto
manufacturers and the general public to adopt and embrace their new concepts,
experiences and tools to better understand energy use in vehicles.

DASH+ teams must include two to five U.S. students enrolled in 9th through 12th
grade, aged 14 or older, in fall 2009 and have an adult mentor. Registration is
now available online at www.FuelOurFutureNow.com/contest.

www.FuelOurFutureNow.com is a dynamic, online destination advancing science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education goals created by the U.S.
Department of Energy, the X PRIZE Foundation, and Discovery Education. Featuring
empowering resources that engage students in the science of alternative fuels
and energy-efficient engineering, www.FuelOurFutureNow.com features targeted
curriculum and lesson plans for all grade levels, as well as high-quality video,
dynamic interactives, and additional resources teachers can use to achieve their
STEM objectives.

ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE

The goal of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is to inspire a new
generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles that offer more consumer
choices. Ten million dollars in prizes will be awarded to the teams that win a
stage competition for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 miles
per gallon or energy equivalent (MPGe). The Progressive Insurance Automotive X
PRIZE will place a major focus on efficiency, safety, affordability, and the
environment. It is about developing real, production-capable cars that consumers
will want to buy, not science projects or concept cars. This progress is needed
because today's oil consumption is unsustainable and because automotive
emissions significantly contribute to global warming and climate change. For
more information about the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, please
visit www.progressiveautoxprize.org or email progressiveautopress@xprize.org.
For related educational resources, please visit www.FuelOurFutureNow.com.

ABOUT PROGRESSIVE:

Progressive, founded in 1937, is one of the country`s largest auto insurance
groups and a leading insurer of motorcycles, recreation vehicles, boats, and
commercial vehicles. The Company offers competitive rates and innovative
products and services that meet drivers` needs throughout their lifetimes as
well as 24/7 online and in-person customer and claims service. One of
Progressive`s Core Values is Excellence. To the Company`s nearly 25,000 people,
it simply means seeking constant improvement. Over time, this has meant
introducing revolutionary ideas that make car insurance easier to shop for, buy
and use. It`s this same innovative spirit that`s behind the Company`s
sponsorship of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. The Progressive
Insurance Automotive X PRIZE will inspire innovation that will produce more fuel
efficient vehicle choices, helping to make a difference in people`s lives.
Progressive`s products and services are available locally through more than
30,000 independent insurance agencies in the U.S., online at
http://www.progressive.com, and by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE (1-800-776-4737).

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION

The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission
is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In 2004, the
Foundation captured world headlines when Burt Rutan, backed by Microsoft
co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world`s first private vehicle to space
to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10
million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and
the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is
creating and conducting competitions in four prize groups: Exploration (Space
and Oceans), Life Sciences, Energy & Environment, and Education & Global
Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leader in fostering
innovation through competition. For more information, please visit
www.xprize.org.

ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE EDUCATION PROGRAM:

Through a $3.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the
Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE has developed a national education
program to engage students and the public in learning about advanced vehicle
technologies, energy efficiency, climate change, alternative fuels and the
science, technology, engineering, and math behind efficient vehicle development.
A key component of the education program is www.FuelOurFutureNow.com, an online
knowledge center developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and
Discovery Education, offering stimulating science, technology, engineering and
math lessons and resources for students, teachers, and families as the unique
and engaging Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition unfolds.

Progressive
Carrie Fox, 202-255-9214
Carrie.Fox@xprize.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009