The 1,300 Miles Per Gallon Car

Brigham Young University (BYU) is known for a number of things– and one of them is unconventional vehicles. The engineering wing of BYU has added to its fleet a new vehicle that gets 1,300 miles per gallon.

The BYU 1,300 miles per gallon vehicle premiered at the annual SAE Supermileage Competition in Michigan. The 2013 SAE Supermileage Competition in Michigan involved twenty five teams from across the country, 19 of which passed the tech review and were allowed to participate in the final day’s race. Each of the 19 vehicles was tested for its maneuverability, going through a series of cones in a slalom-like course. The big event was the fuel efficiency in which the vehicles were driven six times around a 1.6 mile track.

Overall the BYU vehicle came in second place but took first prize for fuel efficiency — 1,300 miles per gallon. The BYU vehicle runs at a maximum of 25 miles per hour, stands about 25 inches off the ground at its top, is about nine feet long, about 30 inches wide , weighs 99 pounds, and can accommodate only one driver.

Seven mechanical engineering students designed and built the BYU vehicle, with their adviser, Jerry Bowman. Unconventional and experimental vehicles are key to the future of fuel efficient and alternative fueled vehicles. The BYU vehicle is odiously not made for the mainstream but it is made to push the limits of fuel efficiency in conventional cars.  As it turns out two members of the BYU team who worked on the vehicle have found work at Ford. A good sign.

Source: deseretnews.com