Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

8128 miles Per (US) Gallon

Posted by timothy on from the how-many-oil-changes-is-that dept.

idletask writes: "Yes, you read well. This is the new record established this year in the Shell International Mileage Marathon (NOTE: English link, their figures are calculated using UK gallons), held this year on June 1st and 2nd on the Circuit of Nogaro, by a team from Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France. This yearly contest, sponsored by Shell since 1977, consists in travelling the longest distance with only one liter of gas (the record is therefore actually 3494km with 1 liter), at a minimum pace of 25kph (~15mph). Full results of the contest can be found in a PDF file. The only US team who participated this year scored 69th, with 1136mpg (483km with 1l)."

4 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Because, as a European... by GCP · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    ...you are virtually pickled in a vat of daily "this is why we Europeans are actually better than Americans" hogwash, resulting in countless superficial analyses such as this.

    This is a cool European engineering competition with about the same level of practical significance for US transportation problems that battle robots competitions have for US manufacturing. Maybe more than zero, but not much.

    But, as a European, you're not required to think about an issue beyond the point where you think you've found a way to employ it in the service of proving your superiority to Americans. You're not likely to want to, either, because often the deeper you go the less superior to Americans you might feel, and European self-esteem seems to be on such thin ice as it is.

    --
    "Those who have never entered upon scientific pursuits know not a tithe of the poetry by which they are surrounded."
    1. Re:Because, as a European... by leastsquares · · Score: 2, Flamebait

      I was simply pointing out that this is further (completely tongue-in-cheek, unsubstantial) proof that that the Americans (as a generalisation) don't care about the environment. (...at least enough to worry about having efficient cars, anyway.)

      I own a car in California that does 28 miles to the gallon (after conversion to UK sized units) and that was actually adevertised as being extremely efficient. My car in the UK does 34 miles to the gallon and no one there would consider that to be particularly efficient.

      Don't even get me started on the amount of electricity that gets needlessly wasted in California. But it's cheap, right? And I won't be on this planet in 80 years time, right?

    2. Re:Because, as a European... by GCP · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Yes, despite the claim of "completely tongue-in-cheek", you say you were "pointing out" "further proof" of European stereotypes of Americans and you go on to offer even more "proof". Regardless of the putative position of your tongue, you clearly meant what you implied.

      And what stereotype were you offering further proof of? That "Americans (as a generalisation) don't care about the environment". Your evidence? That *you*, a European, own a lower gas mileage car in America than you own in Europe. So, if an American stole money in Paris but not in New York, would that be further proof that Europeans were thieves?

      --
      "Those who have never entered upon scientific pursuits know not a tithe of the poetry by which they are surrounded."
  2. Re:What's country got to do with it? by leastsquares · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    I was infering that this was more evidence that Americans don't care about the environment. Yes, yes, I know that's a hugely prejudiced generalisation. I guess I should have put one of those little smilies after that comment.

    (PS Neither Europe nor America are countries)