U of M Team Says They Have A Car That Can Get 1,500 MPG’s

A team of University of Michigan students is aiming for a fuel economy of thousands of miles to the gallon in a torpedo-shaped one-seater powered by a lawnmower engine.

The U of M Supermileage Team will compete in the Shell Eco-marathon, held for the first time in Detroit April 9-12.

The contest, which started as a wager between two engineers in 1939, has since gone global, attracting engineering students from around the world who aim to design, build and drive the world’s most energy-efficient vehicle.

The Michigan team’s aerodynamic carbon fiber shell is powered by a modified Honda GX160 lawnmower engine. Based on a rigorous computer model and optimization program, the team predicts it will achieve 1,500 miles per gallon.

The U-M team is one of more than 130 competing. In all, more than 1,000 participants from North and South America are expected to race.