[lys3rg0]

UBC Engineers Create Vehicle that Travels from Vancouver to Halifax on a Gallon of Gas

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')The futuristic-looking, single-occupancy vehicle won top prize at a recent international competition, marking the UBC team’s fourth win in as many years.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Supermileage Competition took place June 9 in Marshall, Michigan. Forty teams from Canada, the U.S. and India competed in designing and building the most fuel-efficient vehicle.

“We achieved this level of efficiency by optimizing many aspects of the vehicle design, including: aerodynamics, light-weight construction, a small displacement engine (54 cc), and conservative driving habits,” says Team Captain Kevin Li.

The UBC design, which required the driver to lie down while navigating it, achieved 3,145 miles per US gallon (0.074 litres/100 km) -- equivalent of Vancouver to Halifax on a gallon (3.79 litres) of gas -- costing less than $5 at the pump.

[ohanian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lys3rg0', '[')url=http://www.physorg.com/news70040977.html]UBC Engineers Create Vehicle that Travels from Vancouver to Halifax on a Gallon of Gas[/url]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')The futuristic-looking, single-occupancy vehicle won top prize at a recent international competition, marking the UBC team’s fourth win in as many years.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Supermileage Competition took place June 9 in Marshall, Michigan. Forty teams from Canada, the U.S. and India competed in designing and building the most fuel-efficient vehicle.

“We achieved this level of efficiency by optimizing many aspects of the vehicle design, including: aerodynamics, light-weight construction, a small displacement engine (54 cc), and conservative driving habits,” says Team Captain Kevin Li.

The UBC design, which required the driver to lie down while navigating it, achieved 3,145 miles per US gallon (0.074 litres/100 km) -- equivalent of Vancouver to Halifax on a gallon (3.79 litres) of gas -- costing less than $5 at the pump.

[Windmills]

I think you're giving it too much credit to even call it a glorified motorcycle. It's a rolling capsule with a human coccooned inside it. It might be better considered to be a self-mailing postage device for sending humans from one location to another.

[steam_cannon]

3145 MPG, how they did it...

[steam_cannon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ohanian', '[')size=200]That's not a car!
That's a glorified motorcycle with 3 wheels!
[/size]

[steam_cannon]

Coffin on wheels?

Nice design, do you die if a squirrel goes though your windshield?

It looks like you lie face down and look at the road with a parascope? I've seen this article before and wondered that. It reminds me of a German fighter jet that never came to production that laid the pilot flat and used mirrors to see out... "Turn left, no your other left!" (I'm joking, with a periscope you wouldn't have reversal of images.)

The problem with this sort of news is reporters don't start off telling people that they will never drive something like this. They tell people that scientists have found a way to get 3000 miles on a gallon of gas. Then people will argue that they're sure Humvee's will be getting 3000 mpg in the future! (the news said so) No energy problems, everything is ok! Yeah right!

An equally feasible transportation solution...
(beep beep)

[steam_cannon]

How about Infinity MPG

I bet a solar car would have more pickup (and comfort).

http://www.sunnev.com/

[WisJim]

Variations of this kind of high mileage contest are used by high schools and colleges around the world to encourage students to think about fuel efficiency, to design and build working projects. The local contest, at a Wisconsin State University, run for high school students, typically has vehicles getting 200 to 350 mpg on a 2 mile closed level course (city streets blocked off for a day), maximum speed 15mph, I think. There is a lot of run and coast driving done.

http://www.dunnconnect.com/articles/200 ... news05.txt
http://www.dunnconnect.com/articles/200 ... news02.txt

[kaktus]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') think you're giving it too much credit to even call it a glorified motorcycle.

[whereagles]

I'm lecturing at a local institute whose engineering department is currently working on one of those insane mpg vehicles for entering the shell eco-marathon

[kaktus]

Great, do you know anything about the engine and contol electronics? I saw the common way is to use a 50cc engine, but not more.
I'm not a technician, just curious.

[steam_cannon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kaktus', 'W')hy so negative?

[The_Toecutter]

The good news is, put the solar on your home or garage, and you don't need it on your car. Then you can potentially blast down the highway at 140+ listening to metal and smoking a sherm without ever paying anything to the oilies to fuel it! (Ok, I don't really recommend doing that. )

[kaktus]

the earlier posts were all about that these frontier experiment vehicles were not realistic, that it was somehow a scam to make people believe that it was "normal" cars driving 3000km/liter. that's what I reacted upon.
then steam_cannon comes along and surely has a very good point in that its kind of stupid to develep a dead end technology further. still thats only for the engine. not for pushing further in aerodynamics, light weight structures, control electronics, materials science and so on. and also the challenge is to use 1 litre of gas or EQUIVALENT energy amount. It can be any fuel.
hopefully someone will come up with sustainable alternatives that show to be more efficient than the gas engine so we dont have to poke around in 15mph like today if we choose electric cars. that will only be for idealists.

[kaktus]

steam_cannon wrote
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'l')ess comfortable looking then electric!

[steam_cannon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kaktus', 'S')urely you dont mean...

[steam_cannon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kaktus', 'a')nd also the challenge is to use 1 litre of gas or EQUIVALENT energy amount. It can be any fuel.

[oilfreeandhappy]

Well this guy can go 65 MPH on a bicycle of a similar shape.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeHxx-FzSdI

[Rogozhin]

Oi

That woman in the L has not a clue about her envirornment.

I think that every project like this creates a higher awareness of what we are using to sustain the contemporary lifestyle.

In such a sense it is a good thing.

Rogo

[Plantagenet]

You can get a zillion times better gas mileage on a bicyle.