Students in England Show Off CLEVER Car

It has two seats, three wheels and so far has cost $2.9 million. Students at the University of Bath in western England, who on Monday unveiled the prototype of the CLEVER (Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport), hope that it represents a greener future for transport.

Equipped to handle both city streets and long-distance highway driving, the vehicle runs on compressed natural gas, is capable of 80 mph speeds.

..Limiting pollution was a big push for the project, according to the project’s coordinators. And with rising fuel costs a rising concern for drivers in Europe, the car’s use of natural gas emissions is one of its sterling points, according to the Bath design team.

“As fuel prices go up and up, people will look at how else they can get around,” said Geraint Owen, a lecturer at the university who helped lead the team project.

Running on compressed natural gas, its fuel consumption is equivalent to 108 miles per gallon.

A commercial version could be a decade away, assuming a manufacturer is interested, Owen said. He said it would be priced in the micro-car bracket of around $8,500-$17,000.

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