[Graeme]

Believe it! Car gets 3,000 miles per gallon

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'E')ngineers have proven that it’s possible, at least technically, to drive from coast to coast on only a gallon of gasoline.

Granted, however, the vehicle they built goes about 10 to 25 miles an hour, can only fit one compact-sized person and more closely resembles a coffin on wheels than anything found on the streets. Designed by students at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, the 3,000 mpg “Lamina” was conceived strictly as an entry into this year’s Shell Eco Marathon, a worldwide competition where participants attempt to build a vehicle with the highest possible fuel efficiency. Still, much of the techniques used to boost fuel efficiency can also be applied to everyday cars.

For instance, the designers that built the supermileage Lamina say that size and weight are the two most important factors for improving the gas mileage of any particular vehicle. Consisting of an ultra-lightweight carbon fiber frame and other spare parts such as low resistance tires with BMX bike rims, a modified Honda generator and a fuel tank the size of a soda can, the car altogether weighs a mere 100 pounds.

“It’s really just sizing an engine properly for your car, we don’t need all that extra horsepower that people love,” team member Gabriel Mountjoy told Fox News. “That is one way we can increase our efficiency and fuel economy and you don’t need to invent anything, just smaller engines for decently sized cars.”

[dinopello]

One thing true in the blurb is smaller engines, lighter cars means better gas mileage.

I doubt that car could actually go "coast to coast" due to the mountains.

[Windmills]

Was the car on a flat circular track, or did it actually have cross natural terrain with all the associated slopes, hills, or mountains?

I do see part of the point, however. There's a great deal of room for improvement in personal transporation once people stop using vehicles as penis extensions. Given that the younger generation is becoming less interested in cars and more interested gadgetry, perhaps there's a foothold here regarding moving away from autos, or at least wasteful ones.

[cephalotus]

At 10-25mph you can also drive an aerodynamic bike (velomobil) that uses no gasoline at all, just human power:

You can even buy such things and also drive them on real roads:

http://www.go-one.us/

[Beery1]

All these engineers have done is to power a faired tricycle with a little gasoline engine. This is hardly a step forward in fuel efficiency. All it does is waste gasoline by replacing pedal power with an internal combustion engine. Essentially, all it accomplishes is to allow the driver to get fat by sitting idle instead of pedaling and thereby burning the energy he/she must eat.

My old hybrid bike with a gallon of gasoline sitting in a pannier could probably outpace it across the US - and I'd still have the gallon of gas untouched at the end.

[The Practician]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Beery1', 'A')ll these engineers have done is to power a faired tricycle with a little gasoline engine. This is hardly a step forward in fuel efficiency. All it does is waste gasoline by replacing pedal power with an internal combustion engine. Essentially, all it accomplishes is to allow the driver to get fat by sitting idle instead of pedaling and thereby burning the energy he/she must eat.

My old hybrid bike with a gallon of gasoline sitting in a pannier could probably outpace it across the US - and I'd still have the gallon of gas untouched at the end.

[MrEnergyCzar]

The top Volt driver, after a year, is getting 15,000 miles per gallon... obviously he drives 40 miles or less a day though...

MrEnergyCzar

[MrEnergyCzar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrEnergyCzar', 'T')he top Volt driver, after a year, is getting 15,000 miles per gallon... obviously he drives 40 miles or less a day though...

MrEnergyCzar

[Beery1]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrEnergyCzar', 'T')he top Volt driver, after a year, is getting 15,000 miles per gallon... obviously he drives 40 miles or less a day though...

[MrEnergyCzar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Beery1', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrEnergyCzar', 'T')he top Volt driver, after a year, is getting 15,000 miles per gallon... obviously he drives 40 miles or less a day though...

[MrEnergyCzar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrEnergyCzar', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrEnergyCzar', 'T')he top Volt driver, after a year, is getting 15,000 miles per gallon... obviously he drives 40 miles or less a day though...

MrEnergyCzar