London: In what could be an answer to fuel scarcity, a team of engineers from the California Polytechnic State University has designed a vehicle that does a whopping 584mpg.
Called the Lamina – it was introduced at this year`s Shell Eco-Marathon held in Houston, Texas.
However, it has a drawback as there`s only room for the driver, the Daily Mail reported.
The Lamina was entered in the event`s prototype class.
It`s powered by a modified Honda generator and can hit 12mph flat out. Its low fuel consumption is partly achieved by coasting.
In posts to National Geographic`s `The Great Energy Challenge` blog, driver Ann Peters said that, with the Lamina “we aimed to combine sleek aerodynamic shapes with ergonomic design in order to minimize weight.”
The vehicle`s name is Latin for `thin layer`, she noted. “We felt it described the vehicle`s bladelike lines and sharp styling.
“The design begins with a 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model using SolidWorks software. Then comes extensive design reviews. Finally, the whole project ends with the complete manufacturing of the vehicles done entirely on the Cal Poly campus by students,” she stated.
Cal Poly joined more than 1,000 high school and university students from throughout North and South America who designed and built 113 vehicles to compete in one or both of the event`s two types of vehicle classes: Prototype and UrbanConcept.
The teams can use either internal combustion or e-mobility energy sources, which include diesel, petrol, ethanol, FAME, solar, hydrogen and battery electric technologies.
ANI