Engineering students on quest for a 3,300 mpg vehicle

[Karl]

The SAE International Supermileage Challenge is an annual event held for North American and Canadian engineering and technology students which has them competing to create the most fuel-efficient single-person vehicle.

Students from the University of Michigan are hoping the raise the bar one notch higher, they are working to create a sleek and aerodynamic ride capable of an incredible 3,300 mpg (US). They plan to use a modified and ground breaking fuelling system, ideal for small engines together with a carbon-fiber and acrylic body to keep weight down. The team’s goal of 3,300 MPG is firmly set at crushing the current North American record of 3,169 MPG which was set in 2008 by a team from Laval Universite.

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http://www.hypermiler.co.uk/green-car-news/engineering-students-on-quest-for-a-3300-mpg-vehicle-to-compete-in-2012-sae-supermileage-challenge

[greenman]

Unbelievable! I am looking forwards to the road legal model!

[dancingbear84]

Interestingly I used to take part in a similar event over here when I was at school. It was the shell milage marathon that took place in Silverstone every year. We used to run a Honda cub engine built onto a custom frame on skinny bike tyres IIRC. It was great fun. I don't think we ever did that well, I seem to recall we had figures in the 100-200mpg mark though. Thinking back to it, the was an engine kill switch, a lot of FAS, and some coasting.
There were teams though, I seem to recall Honda being one, that had massive budgets. Those guys had there own security guards in the pits. I reckon that they probably weren't running on Honda cub engines.
http://www.shell.com/home/content/ecomarathon/

[frv]

I dream of 100mpg