"VW has been talking for a long time about its L1 concept, so called because it uses a measly 1 liter of gasoline to go 100 km... Of course, the amazing mileage comes at a price... The single passenger actually sits behind the driver, like in a small airplane. The tiny engine will only get the car up to about 75 mph and, as such, VW doesn't expect to sell a lot of these vehicles. Safety concerns might also keep the car from being a best seller. But, since it does have four wheels, it will have to meet all of the normal safety regulations for cars. VW will continue to release details on the car, but it is firm that this vehicle will be produced by 2010."It will compete with the three-wheeled 300 mile-per-gallon Aptera. "The Aptera is fuel-efficient because it is extremely light, and it keeps itself so light in a few ways. First, the engine is tiny, one cylinder, but that's OK, because it's only ever used to charge the batteries. It also stays light by doing away with one of the wheels. This also helps because then, according to American safety regulations, it is technically a motorcycle, and so doesn't have to jump through any of the normal safety hoops."
Since they appear to be hybrid motorcycle-cars, these vehicles are unlikely to replace current cars en masse, but they will fill a niche. It will depend on whether a driver or family can save enough on fuel to justify one of these as a second vehicle. I drive about 16,000 miles per year, about 8,000 of that city driving suitable for a minicar. At my current 20 mpg city, that's 400 gallons per year; switching to a 200 mpg car would cut gas consumption to 40 gallons, saving 360 gallons. At $4/gallon that saves $1,440 per year - not enough to justify a $20K car in strict economic terms. But gas may go to $8/gallon, or the car prices may come down. Things could get interesting...
Where is the law of 200? 200 horse power, 200 mpg, 200 mph, where is that car?
ReplyDeleteWhere are the American made cars that can compete with this gas milage?
DeleteIt's at your local bookstore, second aisle, way at the back. Look under "science fiction."
ReplyDeleteHello;
ReplyDeleteI am David Wofsey the inventor of the Sonio Spark Plug US Pat. 5,610,470. Also, I have supplied welding technology to Locheed Martin for the welding of the Titan III and the Titan IV.
There are many products on the market that make claims of higher mileage such as this new Volkswagon. Unfortuneately, the Automotive Industry has been building engines for over a hundred years, and they never understood the combustive process in the automotive cylinder. The principle point that I wish to make is that the major oxidezer is Ozone. Whereby, Oxygen translates to a higher energy form of Ozone with termperatue and pressure increase. Oxygen is a slow oxidizer. But, Ozone is an instant Oxidizer. Infact, the automotive engine would not work if this translation did not take place. Ozone, O3, has four electric switchy states, and Ozone reactions always complete. Therefor, Ozone does not come out the tail pipe. Turbo Chargera, and Lean Burn puts more Oxygen into the cylinder that translates to Ozone. Then. more power with more fuel.
Additional power, with extra Ozone, is released from the Split Nitrogen Molecule in its reaction with Ozone to release 226,000 of calories per mole. The Nitrogen Molecule is split as a result of temperature and pressure increase. Yes, more mileage and power can be obtained from the Nitrogen Molecule which is 80% of the air mixture. However, Ozone reaction with Nitrogen produces Nitric Oxide, NO3, which is the Nitrate Ion that is corrossive, and can form Nitric Acid. Now, the major problems become environmental as a major air pollutant, and its effect on Photosynthesis.
I have given speaches to the Colorado Air Quality Committee regarding this subject.
Thank You, David Wofsey