Comments on: Amazing 110 mpg Mustang Runs on Hot Air and Cattle Manure

By: the doctor

the doctor — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:53:58 +0000

a local Toledo news station was allowed to drive the car 103 miles in september, and it took 2 gallons. 50 mpg is not even close to 110 mpg. Based on “entering” the xprize competition he was able to wangle $1.5 million from the Ohio state funded venture capital company Rocket Designs, which admits freely they never verified his claims though they are often quoted as having done so. He has leased his factory building ( not long term) and started hiring people off the street though no machines appear to have been delivered. Revenge Designs is signed as the official installer, you might remember them as building plastic body panels and grills for customizers. Despite his claims of letters of intent for 300,000 engines a year, he is still an operation that shows no signs of capabilities to even do the 20 a week.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:59:55 +0000

I had a very similar comment posted yesterday on my blog post about the HP2g. It was an anonymous post, but I imagine it was the same person. I answered that (summarizing, not to copy from there):
1. Bad to see that so many people get their hopes of for the engine either for themselves or for jobs on impossible premises.
2. Scientific illiteracy speaks ill of our society.
3. There will be money lost by investors or purchasers at some point.
4. I blogged about it partly to demonstrate that there are ways to analyze things using very basic principles to see if they’re possible.

By: Benjamin Jones

Benjamin Jones — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:10:11 +0000

Actually, he has a company and has claimed hundreds of thousands of pre-orders on this “technology” and is claiming to save the auto industry with this car, so it is important to take a critical look at these issues.

By: Anonymous Cyberslueth

Anonymous Cyberslueth — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:01:02 +0000

Why do you care? This guy is not trying to sell anything (to my knowledge) or trying to take anyone’s money is he?

So what if so guy claims this on his own vehicle? How does this impact you, other than to allow you to bash the guy?

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:24:14 +0000

I apologize for the double post above, I didn’t realize my first comment was awaiting moderation. Benjamin, please feel free to delete either one of them if you’d like.

Progressive Automotive X Prize has responded to the claims made by HP2g in their withdrawal statement at http://autoblog.xprize.org/axp/2009/06/piaxp-responds-to-hp2g-claims.html

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 03:11:18 +0000

Pelmear has withdrawn from the X Prize contest for reasons other than “my claims were bogus. See the press release at http://hp2g.com/pressrelease.html.

There’s sufficient data at http://hp2g.com/testdata.html to further analyze the credibility of his claims. I’ve done so at my blog post at http://hp2g.com/testdata.html.

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:21:42 +0000

I did a little write up of the vehicle on my blog at:

http://hamiltonianfunction.blogspot.com/2009/06/amazing-110-mpg-mustang_06.html

Of course, there are links to his site as well as to this EM article. Of interest, he’s no longer entered for the Automotive X Prize, a link to that press release is also provided in the blog post.

By: 110 mpg '87 Mustang - Grasscity.com Forums

110 mpg '87 Mustang - Grasscity.com Forums — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:51:23 +0000

[...] the war going on and everything, there was quite the need then.� And quite a need now. rest is here __________________ The end of all political associations is the preservation of the natural and [...]

By: The GrassCity Gazette - Page 13 - Grasscity.com Forums

The GrassCity Gazette - Page 13 - Grasscity.com Forums — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:23:53 +0000

[...] the savior of his company. Instead, he doesn�t mention until he�s out of a job. The rest is here. __________________ The end of all political associations is the preservation of the natural and [...]

By: robt smith

robt smith — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:14:26 +0000

He’s starting production, 2000 engine order.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090530/BUSINESS03/905300338

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:04:21 +0000

Added to my comment above, the calculations were performed for a speed of 55 m.p.h.

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:01:14 +0000

It’s remotely possible. Using plausible numbers (the best I could find in a half-hour Googling) for frontal area, drag coefficient, and weight along with a reasonable estimate of tire rolling resistance, a “black box” with those properties should be able to get right at 180 miles out of the amount of energy in a gallon of gasoline regardless of where the energy actually comes from. That assumes that 100% of said energy can be used to overcome drag and rolling resistance, so to get 110 MPGe, he’d need to operate at 110/180 or ab out 61% efficiency. Given the vagueness of the data I could find (and I estimated favorably where I had an option) it’s not impossible that 50% efficiency would be sufficient. Such an efficiency, while extremely difficult to achieve, is not thermodynamically impossible.

That all said, I call shenanigans.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:39:48 +0000

I met this individual and his wife yesterday at SEMA… Not only did they look like white trash, they were also some of the most rude and unprofessional people that I ever met! In fact, if they weren’t such jerks about me asking kindly if it was there car and what it had done to it, I wouldn’t even be looking it up right now. They told me that people were lucky that they even let people at SEMA take photos of it. WHATEVER! Wow, some people.

By: 110 mpg Mustang Hoax Runs on Hot Air and Cattle Manure « Planters

110 mpg Mustang Hoax Runs on Hot Air and Cattle Manure « Planters — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:17:51 +0000

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By: Matt Keegan

Matt Keegan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:04:00 +0000

All these different scams out there could end up damaging people’s engines if they fall for them. Water powered cars? Um, not yet. Poop in the gas tank? Sure, go ahead. Hypermiling? Pretty dangerous. I’m for offshore drilling and finding alternative fuel sources. This other stuff isn’t ready for prime time.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:42:58 +0000

I love how everyone pulls the Hybid issue as the
end all of Great Fuel economy… What a croc.
1989 Geo Metro. 1989 Geo City Metro to be exact… Fuel Type: Unleaded. MPG (city). 43. MPG (highway). 51. MPG: if you had it Empty and Drove it like a Hypermiller Grandparent…
75 (granted with a tailwind on the Highway…)

My nighbor in OKC had a Diesel Bug (Newer) that when she Hypermilled it, could get 60 MPG
or better. I haven’t been sold on any of the hybrids yet. Most are ugly, and the ones that are just like the reg. models, are not that much more fuel efficient.

Bio diesel gets better and better every day…

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:22:06 +0000

I wrote to Doug and asked him specifically about the MPGe question and how the motor will be marketed. Here is the answer I got from a “Business Developement VP”:
Hello Dave: Thank you for your interest in the HP2G. I’ll see if I can help you. First, the reason that we use the term MPGe is because the HP2G runs on E-85 fuel (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) because it runs cleaner. Because we run E-85 fuel and not standard gasoline, we have to classify our fuel economy as MPG equivalent. We get 80 MPG on E-85 fuel which equates to 110MPG of regualr gasoline. Second, It is our intention that the engine gets to market as a complete engine with its designe and performance specifications intact. The engine will fit any 8 cylinder capable vehicle. If you have an 8 cylinder vehicle our engine will fit into it. I hope this helps. Makr Schintkey, VP Business Development

By: Fabian Ramirez

Fabian Ramirez — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:35:07 +0000

I think i iknow what technology he is using, it runs on Bull Sh!+

By: Ricky

Ricky — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:15:34 +0000

I love how so many commenting folks are such experts in engine mechanics… Has reading comprehension gone right out of the door? The method the particular gentleman used to increase his cars mpg rating, has been used before… The car was a 1984 caprice classic, and with its 305 Chevy small block it achieved 85mpg… The idea was sold to chevy in 1992 for $3.5 million dollars… And what do you know, it was NEVER heard about again… Attempts to make offers to Ford motor company were met with court papers from Chevy… How do I know all of this? Because the guys name was Daniel D#$@$%, my uncle… If this guy with the 110mpg isnt carefull, he might just end up having a “heart attack” or commiting suicide…lol

By: brad

brad — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:32:04 +0000

I’m still somewhat skeptical about his claims, but I do see how huge advances could be made.

For one, if there is no emissions testing he could have removed some parts.

another big example (that ties into the 1940s) would be the use of a stirling engine, or similar device, to recapture heat energy and drive things like the alternator and water pump. That would remove a lot of load from the engine itself.