The race to 100 mpg (CNN/PopSci.com) {new X Prize to winner?}

[eppur_se_muova]

By Billy Baker
Popular Science
***
Yet hope is coming faster than that hydrogen economy you've been hearing about. Several small companies are developing new engine technologies and advanced automotive designs that promise to deliver 100 miles from a single gallon of gas. The proposals run from the simple -- reduce weight, improve aerodynamics -- to the incredible (one company wants to borrow a few tricks from jet engines).

The race should heat up further when the X Prize Foundation -- the group that kick-started the space-tourism industry with its $10 million competition to produce a reusable private spacecraft -- announces in the next few months a competition for the first car to break 100 mpg and sell a yet-to-be-decided number of units.

The prize money hadn't been finalized at press time, but X Prize officials are discussing figures in the $25 million range as an appropriate incentive. They hope the prize will urge people to completely reconsider what a car should look like and how it should function.
***
"Everything I had been doing was with an eye toward manufacturability," he says. By using novel composite-construction techniques, including inexpensive molds and automated fabrication processes, Fambro says he can keep the cost per vehicle under $20,000. And when combined with a hybrid engine that burns diesel, the Aptera could break 300 mpg.
***
The hydraulic-hybrid system, scheduled to begin testing in two UPS trucks this month, with another to follow next year, promises to return at least 70 percent of the braking energy back to the wheels, which would lead to a 60 to 70 percent jump in fuel economy and a 40 percent reduction in emissions.
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more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/03/09/cars.100mpg.popsci/index.html

Nice article. Three very different approaches are highlighted, in more or less detail. If any ONE works out, it will make quite an impact; if all three work, it'll be Futurama!

[papau]

1. Good Article - sounds like a carbon composite frame should cut steel demand and steel plant

With our Steel industry now overseas more or less (compared to the 50's) this has a lot of good and little bad. I vote for inexpensive molds, automated fabrication processes and composite materials NOW!

The hybrid engine that burns diesel seems a no brainer, and if braking energy recover as in the Prius via batteries can be doubled by replacing batteries with a hydraulic system using pumps that compresses nitrogen gas, the combination should be awesome. Throw in the thermodynamic process based on jet engines that uses some of the heat normally lost to exhaust to warm the air before fuel enters the engines piston area, and we have a car that I'd buy tomorrow!

The neat thing is that CNN story about 3 different approaches to increasing mileage is actually describing 3 ideas that fit together very nicely (although I still want my battery and plug in ability for at least a 30 mile daily ride).

[eppur_se_muova]

2. If only "green my ride" thinking could compete with "pimp my ride" thinking.

(Stretching the word "thinking" a bit in the latter case.)

[phantom power]

3. Are there other performance and/or safety requirements?

I mean, people have been making 100mpg cars for years. Make it light enough, and slow enough, and it's easy. (If I enter my bike, do I win?)

Of course, our desire for larger and faster cars is itself a cultural thing that needs some major re-thinking, but 100mpg by itself admits a lot of existing designs from the garage/university set.

[Javaman]

4. That's nice but how about an electric car that gets 300-500 miles per charge? nt

[JohnWxy]

5. Ethanol car wins fuel efficiency challenge - 6,786 miles per gal - designed by high school students

http://news.com.com/2100-11389_3-6075058.html

By Candace Lombardi
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Published: May 22, 2006, 12:06 PM PDT


An ethanol-powered vehicle engineered by students from the Lycee La Joliverie took top honors at the Shell Eco-marathon, a contest to build a car that can drive as far as possible using the least amount of energy.

The vehicle averaged an astounding 2,885 kilometers per liter, or approximately 6,786 miles per gallon, according to an announcement released Sunday by race officials.


(keep in mind this car was designed just for high economy driving and is very small and very light, but it shows what the potential is for higher economy engines_JW)