Can Your Car Get 1,700 MPG?

Xaroth writes "Given all the hubbub over EPA mileage ratings, I'm a little surprised that this one hasn't come up earlier. SAE apparently holds a contest each year to encourage students to design single-person, fuel-efficient vehicles. This year's winner achieved 1,747.4 MPG, with the press release that tipped me off pointing out that third got a 'measly' 1,194. There are more details on the competition over at SAE's site about the competition. Now, if only they could make these street-legal..." However, even the winner has nothing on top entries we mentioned in Shell's competition a few years back.

Comments

My car gets 40 hectares to the hogs head

[Anonymous Coward]

and that's how I likes it.

(you knew this one was coming)

Re:My car gets 40 hectares to the hogs head

[gordona]

I did a calculation that a person riding a bicycle could get 2000 miles per gallon of fat!

New hummer?

[aiyo]

Somehow I dont think a styrofoam hummer will take off..unless there is a gust of wind.

The winner is...

[earthforce_1]

Fred Flinstone, with infinite miles to the gallon.

People could do this hundreds of years ago

[harlows_monkeys]

I'm not impressed. The Spanish in the 15th century in their voyages to the New World and back were getting thousands of miles per galleon.

Re:Haha

[D-Cypell]

we'd all be a lot healthier if we followed Fred's example

I suspect the cardio vascular benefits of using your legs to power your car would be dwarfed in comparison to the damaged caused by eating one of those ribs that toppled said car.

your calculations are a little screwy

[SeXy_Red]

Your saying that your car can drive 4305564.16 Square Feet for every 52.5 gallons? First of all how do you calculate how many square feet a car drives? You would have to take the width of the car and multiply it by the length the car has driven. I will assume for the sake of easy math that your car is 10 feet wide; If you divide 10 4305564.16 by 10 you get 430556.416 feet, which converts to about 81.5 miles. That means that your car gets 1.55 miles to the gallon, which is pretty bad unless of coarse you are driving a canyonaro. :P

Re:Infinite MPG

[Anonymous Coward]

I find that when riding my bicycle, I often produce natural gas....

I don't think these vehicles would impress chicks.

[Eric Damron]

Oh wait.... This is Slashdot... Never mind... :-)

Re:Driving Styles

[gotr00t]

So, you're saying that flooring the car at every stoplight and hard breaking at every opportunity is _not_ good for MPG?

Re:High Mileage Cars

[Virtex]

but 1500 mpg is a bit out of reach

640 MPG should be enough for anybody. (sorry, couldn't resist)

Re:Haha

[Dun Malg]

What kinds of crazy things do have these people actually said to you?

Dunno 'bout him, but the one I get to talk to on occasion comes up with gems like:

"SUV's should be ILLEGAL!" (what about people who haul heavy/large loads, i.e. construction workers?)
"Well, then people should have to prove they need them then!" (How?)
"Compulsory state licensing for construction workers!"

"Nobody should be allowed on the freeway without at least two people in the car!"

"Nobody should be allowed to drive more than 15 miles to work!" (how do they get to work?)
"Public transit!" (This is Los Angeles. Public transit is already inadequate to meet the meager current need)
"Tax gasoline a couple more bucks a gallon to pay for more buses!"

They're the ones who usually posit absurd solutions to in a tone of voice that makes every sentence sound like it should end with "..and the consequences be damned!" Plenty of self-righteous outrage and no common sense.