U of M Team Takes On "Super Mileage" Challenge
MARSHALL (WWJ) - How's your gas mileage? Are you getting 1,000...2,000...3,000 miles per gallon?
That's what they're shooting for at the University of Michigan. A team of young engineers will show off their hand-built car in a "Super Mileage" competition. And with the price of gas eating up more of your paycheck, the collegiate teams entered in this year's challenge could be the envy of metro Detroit commuters.
Spokesman David Coons says they're shooting for about 3,000 miles per gallon.
"We've come up with how we're going achieve our goal of 3300 miles per gallon and then we engineer to that. So as long as all of us meet our goals, the body meets its weight requirement, the engine meets its fuel consumption requirement, we will reach that goal," says Coons.
Though Coons says you won't go very fast in these one-person pods.
"It's pretty slow. It's only about 15 miles per hour, maximum about 25 miles per hour. So over the course of the race it's about ten miles, they measure the fuel consumption which is an isooctane, just regular fuel that's all. And they calculate and extrapolate out your fuel usage," says Coons.
About 30 collegiate teams are entered in this year's competition. The teams represent schools from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Pakistan.
They'll hit the track in Marshall, Michigan, today and Friday.
