xcel
10-28-2008, 12:26 PM
Fuel economy of “over 200 miles per gallon” could be possible with the next version. (http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/home-built-car-averages-113-miles-a-gallon/)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Avion_on_the_road.jpgNick Kurczewski – NY Times – Oct. 27, 2008
Avion on the road… Who wouldn’t like to drive this for a day or two ;)
I am a bit late on this one but News is slow and it looks like a heck of a lot of fun :) -- Ed.
“We thought we were going to be rich and famous,” said Craig Henderson, co-creator of the Avion, a streamlined coupe that averaged 103.7 miles a gallon — in 1986.
“Oh, we were famous,” Mr. Henderson added, with a chuckle. “For about two weeks!”
More than two decades later, Mr. Henderson and the Avion have been granted another shot at fame and fortune. On Oct. 11, he drove an updated version of the Avion through Washington state — a total of 263 miles and he said the car averaged 113.1 miles a gallon…
While speaking on the phone from his home in Bellingham, Wash., a few days after the drive, Mr. Henderson was in high spirits. He pointed out that there was no technical trickery or special driving techniques (such as coasting in neutral (http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/going-hyper-over-mileage/)) used during the drive. He said the mileage was achieved with a small diesel engine and a very lightweight body. “Anybody can hop into the Avion, keep it at a steady 60 miles per hour and get better than 100 miles per gallon,” he said…
The current engine is a 3-cylinder diesel taken from a Smart Fortwo. The engine is mounted behind the passenger compartment and feeds power to the rear wheels via a 6-speed semi-automatic transmission. To increase fuel economy (and improve handling), weight has been kept to a minimum. The Avion weighs only around 1,500 pounds, roughly half the weight of most compact family cars… http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/home-built-car-averages-113-miles-a-gallon/
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Avion_on_the_road.jpgNick Kurczewski – NY Times – Oct. 27, 2008
Avion on the road… Who wouldn’t like to drive this for a day or two ;)
I am a bit late on this one but News is slow and it looks like a heck of a lot of fun :) -- Ed.
“We thought we were going to be rich and famous,” said Craig Henderson, co-creator of the Avion, a streamlined coupe that averaged 103.7 miles a gallon — in 1986.
“Oh, we were famous,” Mr. Henderson added, with a chuckle. “For about two weeks!”
More than two decades later, Mr. Henderson and the Avion have been granted another shot at fame and fortune. On Oct. 11, he drove an updated version of the Avion through Washington state — a total of 263 miles and he said the car averaged 113.1 miles a gallon…
While speaking on the phone from his home in Bellingham, Wash., a few days after the drive, Mr. Henderson was in high spirits. He pointed out that there was no technical trickery or special driving techniques (such as coasting in neutral (http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/going-hyper-over-mileage/)) used during the drive. He said the mileage was achieved with a small diesel engine and a very lightweight body. “Anybody can hop into the Avion, keep it at a steady 60 miles per hour and get better than 100 miles per gallon,” he said…
The current engine is a 3-cylinder diesel taken from a Smart Fortwo. The engine is mounted behind the passenger compartment and feeds power to the rear wheels via a 6-speed semi-automatic transmission. To increase fuel economy (and improve handling), weight has been kept to a minimum. The Avion weighs only around 1,500 pounds, roughly half the weight of most compact family cars… http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/home-built-car-averages-113-miles-a-gallon/