Students Build Hydrogen Vehicle That Gets 1,336 MPG
Turkish students at Sakarya University have built a hydrogen car that gets 1,336 mpg. Well, sorta.
Called the SAHİMO, the vehicle’s current range is about 353 miles on a quarter gallon of fuel (568 kilometers on 1 liter). It travels such an obscene distance with so little fuel due to the vehicle’s uber-light weight: it weighs only 240 pounds (110 kilograms). The car’s made up of 90-percent carbon fiber.
I assume the size and weight limit it to holding only a liter of fuel. I couldn’t verify this as their site is in Turkish and mine is a little rusty.
The SAHMO won third most efficient vehicle in Europe’s 26th Shell Eco Marathon. And their next goal is to conquer the inaugural 2009 Global Green Challengee–an evolution of the World Solar Challenge competition in Australia–this October. About twenty electric, hybrid, alternative fuel and low emission production and prototype vehicles will compete in the race.
Melemez, a fourth-year student in the engineering department at Sakarya University, says “We are hoping to raise our record from 568 kilometers on one liter of hydrogen up to a full 1,000 kilometers on one liter, and we believe we can do it.”
A 3,000 kilometer trek across the Australian Outback on just 3 liters is quite ambitious but I really hope they can pull it off.
But before you think about running out and buying one, the car did cost $170,000 to build.
The 40-member group that developed the SAHIMO hydrogen car is the Sakarya University Advanced Technologies Implementation Group (SAITEM). Today’s Zaman reports that the team hopes to work on a non-piloted aircraft next and is already trying to get support from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).
Source: Inhabitat
Btw, if you’re interested in joining the first mailing list dedicated to bulk purchasing electric cars, check it out (you can also get cheap solar there too).
This is only the beginning. Yes, there will be hydrogen fueled cars available to all of us in the future, but they are mondo $$$$$$ simply because the technology isn’t readily available for mass production. Plus, where the hell would you fuel the thing? It’s not as if there are hydrogen stations everywhere.
well it would have to be heavier, just to deal with wind. at that weight say here in the midwest when wind can gust 50-75mph everyday. I can so see this blowing over, granted alittle more fuel, but still cheaper and clean compared to gas
Note they said the entire vehicle weighs only 240 lbs. I assume that means that it is only a one person vehicle, as even two average sized adults would combine to weigh more than the car itself.
Yes, high milage is significant and noteworthy, but imagine what a telephone pole will do to this car in a collision even at normal road speeds. The few people who would be able to afford this vehicle can probably expect a nearly 100% fatality rate in any type of auto accident.
It is never enough to fix only part of the problem.
They will kill this one just like the electric car! LOL
Uncle B, how would you solve the food problem, if once you solve the food problem today, 20 years later you have twice the mouths to feed.
Population grow exponentially = demand for food grows exponentially.
Can you supply this growing demand? for how long?
What are the safety standards? I mean I would hate for my car to get hit by a swallow and end up injuring me…
Plus. Not alot of room for a date is there?
OMG!! This is freakin awesome. This is probably the coolest looking eco concept car I have seen in a long time. Big Oil will hate to see this killer in mass production. At 240lbs there are Americans and Euros that weigh more than this car. Western Society will have to shrink in order for this car to live up to its name. I believe more and more companies need to start looking into hydrogen fuel as an alternative energy source for everyday transportation.
Why do we still invest time towards looking for cars that can run on Hydrogen? It is a self defeating process. Not to rain on anyone’s parade, even though this is quite an extraordinary feat, but we will never adopt hydrogen cars as a means of transportation. Per cubic pound, behind Atomic energy, gasoline offers the most combustible means of energy, noticeably more than Hydrogen. I don’t get why we continue to cover these news topics, further exciting the public when there has been no real advancement towards a smarter, cleaner running vehicle. Besides, doesn’t someone own the patent for a car running on hydrogen? I’m pretty sure I saw more than 10 in the U.S. Patent Website.
Remember if go on vacation you have to take a lot of them to carry your family. Don’t get in a wreck!!
i wonder whats the topspeed on that thing?