Hey gang I wanted to talk about the California Commuter car designed by Doug Malewicki back in the day.
While this car is only a single seater and is a reverse trike design it did break a world record actually 2 in fact for MPG at highway speeds. One record was for gas and the other for diesel.
The data below was quoted from the official website and can be viewed here =
The California Commuter - World Record Holding 155 MPG Freeway Legal Car!
"Gasoline Record
The 157.192 MPG at 55 MPH gasoline record was set on November 20, 1980. Malewicki drove the California Commuter from Los Angeles to San Francisco where the machine was featured at the San Francisco International Auto Show. Just 2.87 gallons to travel 451.3 miles! (Note that a 20 MPG vehicle would use a little over 22 gallons to drive the same distance!)"
"Diesel Record
The 156.53 MPG at 56.3 MPH diesel record was set on November 30, 1981. A year later, Doug drove the California Commuter from Anaheim, California to Las Vegas, Nevada where it was featured at the SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association). This time Guinness people were on hand to document the run, so with their help we also obtained accurate average speed data. The mileage for a diesel should be better than for gasoline - except driving to Las Vegas involves climbing two long mountain passes for a total of 7,993 feet of elevation gains. Just 1.68 gallons of diesel to travel 263.4 miles!"
If we study this vehicle we can see some important characteristics.
#1. reduced size and weight
#2. reduced engine sizing
#3. reduced frontal area
#4. Tear drop shaped
#5. 3 wheel platform
Simply taking this vehicle and creating a mild hybrid design one would be able to possibly exceed the 1 liter fuel economy mark! plans are available for this do it yourself build project on the website link I provided. Other possibilities can easily be explored and implemented as well.
This vehicle is being updated and improved upon as I write this post. They are building an electric updated version that will have 25% decrease in coefficient of drag to further increase mpge. This can be viewed here at this link =
eCC - Totally Green. Cutting Edge.
There where also initial plans that never got of the idea list to make a three passenger version and can be viewed here =
C2C Pumpkin Seed
Now I know that 157mpg is a ways away from 235mpg however again I want to point out this was with no hybrid technology like we see in the VW XL1 or with highly optimized aerodynamics like in the XL1! The other point I want to point out is that the vehicle had a top speed of 80mph and these tests were at normal driving speeds not the 10-15mph eco marathon speeds. With modern materials, current aerodynamic knowledge, and engine technology there really is no reason why 1 liter performance options can not exist in our modern fast paced world. In fact the improved electric version of the California Commuter is estimated at having better than a 400 mpg equivalency while going at highway speeds!
The last point and maybe the most important of them all is the technology to achieve 1 liter fuel economy is here now and does not cost an arm and a leg to have!
GH
