BYU Students Design Ultra-Light Car That Runs On a Lawn-Mower Engine
A group of BYU engineering students have successfully built a car that can travel the distance from to Utah to Michigan (=1353 miles) on a single gallon of fuel. This fish-shaped fuel efficient car weighs a mere 100 pounds and has a tank which holds only 20 grams of fuel and a tiny lawnmower engine that is engaged just enough to get the vehicle to a desirable speed, after which it turns off and lets the vehicle glide along the track. This car took part in this year’s #-Link-Snipped-#, an annual contest that challenges students to create the most fuel-efficient vehicle in North America, and ended up with first position by registering a top mark of 1,331 mpg.
During the competition, every team was given about 20 grams of fuel to race around a 10-mile track. Each car had to average 15 miles per hour during the run, and then afterwards the fuel tank was re-measured to see how much fuel was used. Judges then deduced the mpg capability based on the leftover fuel. To maximize fuel efficiency, the BYU team added ceramic insulation to the lawn-mower engine, and then increased the 8-to-1 engine compression ratio to 14-to-1.They also made the engine fuel injected and modified it to be electronically controlled.
Last year BYU competed in the Super-mileage competition for the first time last year and finished a surprising second place with a final mark of 1,135 miles per gallon.
This year’s team went for gold by focusing on both increased engine efficiency and reduced weight. The 2013 version of the BYU Supermileage Vehicle weighs in at 99 pounds, 22 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Eric Wilcox, who oversaw the weight-loss plan, said they reassessed every element of the car and dropped a few pounds by switching the battery and using their own starter.
The SAE Competition took place June 6-7 at the Marshall proving grounds, Michigan. In addition to their distance run, the BYU vehicle first had to pass an agility test and a strict technical inspection. Then it was off to the track to see just how far the car could go. Although the team recorded the best miles per gallon mark, their overall scores were good enough for another 2nd place finish.
Source: #-Link-Snipped-#
During the competition, every team was given about 20 grams of fuel to race around a 10-mile track. Each car had to average 15 miles per hour during the run, and then afterwards the fuel tank was re-measured to see how much fuel was used. Judges then deduced the mpg capability based on the leftover fuel. To maximize fuel efficiency, the BYU team added ceramic insulation to the lawn-mower engine, and then increased the 8-to-1 engine compression ratio to 14-to-1.They also made the engine fuel injected and modified it to be electronically controlled.
Last year BYU competed in the Super-mileage competition for the first time last year and finished a surprising second place with a final mark of 1,135 miles per gallon.
This year’s team went for gold by focusing on both increased engine efficiency and reduced weight. The 2013 version of the BYU Supermileage Vehicle weighs in at 99 pounds, 22 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Eric Wilcox, who oversaw the weight-loss plan, said they reassessed every element of the car and dropped a few pounds by switching the battery and using their own starter.
The SAE Competition took place June 6-7 at the Marshall proving grounds, Michigan. In addition to their distance run, the BYU vehicle first had to pass an agility test and a strict technical inspection. Then it was off to the track to see just how far the car could go. Although the team recorded the best miles per gallon mark, their overall scores were good enough for another 2nd place finish.
0