Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - How about we start our own Eco-Decatholon or whatever its called.

Nerys · 06-20-2010, 05:55 PM

OK you know how the gas company (shell is it?) has this eco decatholon thing where people try to go as far as they can on a gallon of gasoline?

great right. Kids making these amazing cars that go thousands of miles on a gallon of gasoline.

One problem. While I commend the kids on PHENOMENAL RESULTS the results are largely useless and shell knows it. In fact I think they intentionally designed the event to appear as if they are "doing something" while in reality it does absolutely NOTHING.

because not one thing or hardly ANYTHING you can do to do well in this event can EVER actually be used in a normal consumer automobile.

-----------------------

What I want to do is show these scammers (shell NOT the participants) up for what they are. A sham.

I want to start out OWN ECO event where we have rules that ACTUALLY make sense.

What do you guys think?

the basic rules would be as follows (up for discussion of course this is just a concept)

average speed must be 45mph. Driving style must be COMPATIBLE with real life driving environments.

You must use a commercially available vehicle.

Modifications must be transparent overall to the driver. IE anything you do the average CONSUMER must be able to do with in reason and minimal training.

you are permitted to do things manually if you can reasonably describe an automated way of doing it (for example Engine off is fine and you don't have to build a machine to do it for you since we can reasonably estimate HOW this would be done automatically)

This prevents people without money from having issues. IE all they have to do is reasonably describe a complicated process.

I would prefer the use of modern cars but older cars are fine as long as the ideas or modifications used can be adapted to modern cars.

IE a way to increase the the efficiency of a carburator would not be a valid alteration or mod since we do not use carbs.

a mod that would not work on modern cars for safety or legal reasons would also not be valid.

remember the idea is REAL WORLD improvements IE things that can actually be applied to real world cars.

Lets have the kids "have at it" with that kind of an event. IE results no matter how small that could ACTUALLY WORK that could actually be used. Instead of motorized bicycles that while are amazing can NEVER actually help us (and shell knows this thats why they sponsor it they get the glory without actually having to DO anything)

What do you guys think? can we as a group do something like this? find sponsors actually get a REAL event working.

06-20-2010, 05:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
Nerys Grrr :-) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Levittown PA Posts: 800 Cherokee - '88 Jeep Cherokee 90 day: 19.44 mpg (US) Ryo-Ohki - '94 Geo Metro Xfi 90 day: 50.15 mpg (US) Vger 2 - '00 Plymouth Grand Voyager SE Ninja - '89 Geo Tracker 90 day: 30.27 mpg (US) Thanks: 12 Thanked 31 Times in 25 Posts	How about we start our own Eco-Decatholon or whatever its called. OK you know how the gas company (shell is it?) has this eco decatholon thing where people try to go as far as they can on a gallon of gasoline? great right. Kids making these amazing cars that go thousands of miles on a gallon of gasoline. One problem. While I commend the kids on PHENOMENAL RESULTS the results are largely useless and shell knows it. In fact I think they intentionally designed the event to appear as if they are "doing something" while in reality it does absolutely NOTHING. because not one thing or hardly ANYTHING you can do to do well in this event can EVER actually be used in a normal consumer automobile. ----------------------- What I want to do is show these scammers (shell NOT the participants) up for what they are. A sham. I want to start out OWN ECO event where we have rules that ACTUALLY make sense. What do you guys think? the basic rules would be as follows (up for discussion of course this is just a concept) average speed must be 45mph. Driving style must be COMPATIBLE with real life driving environments. You must use a commercially available vehicle. Modifications must be transparent overall to the driver. IE anything you do the average CONSUMER must be able to do with in reason and minimal training. you are permitted to do things manually if you can reasonably describe an automated way of doing it (for example Engine off is fine and you don't have to build a machine to do it for you since we can reasonably estimate HOW this would be done automatically) This prevents people without money from having issues. IE all they have to do is reasonably describe a complicated process. I would prefer the use of modern cars but older cars are fine as long as the ideas or modifications used can be adapted to modern cars. IE a way to increase the the efficiency of a carburator would not be a valid alteration or mod since we do not use carbs. a mod that would not work on modern cars for safety or legal reasons would also not be valid. remember the idea is REAL WORLD improvements IE things that can actually be applied to real world cars. Lets have the kids "have at it" with that kind of an event. IE results no matter how small that could ACTUALLY WORK that could actually be used. Instead of motorized bicycles that while are amazing can NEVER actually help us (and shell knows this thats why they sponsor it they get the glory without actually having to DO anything) What do you guys think? can we as a group do something like this? find sponsors actually get a REAL event working.