Avion (car)
Encyclopedia
The Avion is a prototype sports
car that achieves over 100 MPG. The Avion car is based on a simple concept: fuel economy is largely determined by aerodynamic drag and vehicle weight. The Avion uses existing automotive components, an existing high-efficiency automotive diesel engine and marries them to a light weight aluminum frame and highly aerodynamic
composite body. The Avion was an official contender in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize.
in Bellingham, Washington where they had worked at the Vehicle Research Institute. The prototype was completed in 1984 and set the Guinness world record for fuel economy in 1986 at 103.7 mpg.
The plan, at the time the car was designed, was to manufacture the Avion in limited quantities and sell into the car enthusiast market. But the real price of gasoline fell steadily from 1979 through the 1980s and interest in highly fuel-efficient cars disappeared along with the interest of potential investors.
The dramatic increase in real fuel prices from 2000 to 2008 has renewed interest in automobile fuel economy. The original Avion was taken out of storage and an updated version was entered in the Progressive Automotive X Prize competition. Recent testing, using the original body and replacing the original Volkswagen Rabbit
diesel engine with the Smart Car ForTwo
diesel show 80 MPG at 70 mi/h and a remarkable 114 MPG at 55 mi/h.
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Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
car that achieves over 100 MPG. The Avion car is based on a simple concept: fuel economy is largely determined by aerodynamic drag and vehicle weight. The Avion uses existing automotive components, an existing high-efficiency automotive diesel engine and marries them to a light weight aluminum frame and highly aerodynamic
Automotive aerodynamics
Automotive aerodynamics is the study of the aerodynamics of road vehicles. The main concerns of automotive aerodynamics are reducing drag , reducing wind noise, minimizing noise emission, and preventing undesired lift forces and other causes of aerodynamic instability at high speeds...
composite body. The Avion was an official contender in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize.
History
The Avion was developed in 1979 by Craig Henderson and Bill Green after graduating from Western Washington UniversityWestern Washington University
Western Washington University is one of six state-funded, four-year universities of higher education in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in Bellingham and offers bachelor's and master's degrees.-History:...
in Bellingham, Washington where they had worked at the Vehicle Research Institute. The prototype was completed in 1984 and set the Guinness world record for fuel economy in 1986 at 103.7 mpg.
The plan, at the time the car was designed, was to manufacture the Avion in limited quantities and sell into the car enthusiast market. But the real price of gasoline fell steadily from 1979 through the 1980s and interest in highly fuel-efficient cars disappeared along with the interest of potential investors.
The dramatic increase in real fuel prices from 2000 to 2008 has renewed interest in automobile fuel economy. The original Avion was taken out of storage and an updated version was entered in the Progressive Automotive X Prize competition. Recent testing, using the original body and replacing the original Volkswagen Rabbit
Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada , and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico .The...
diesel engine with the Smart Car ForTwo
Smart car
Smart car may refer to:*Intelligent car, a car with artificial intelligence*Smart , the automobile brand...
diesel show 80 MPG at 70 mi/h and a remarkable 114 MPG at 55 mi/h.
Vehicle
The car was designed to be manufactured in small volume using existing automotive components, including a small automotive diesel engine. A lightweight composite body of highly aerodynamic design is attached to an aluminum frame, and features Butterfly doorsButterfly doors
Butterfly doors or vertical doors are a type of door sometimes seen on high-performance automobiles. They are similar to scissor doors, but while scissor doors move up, butterfly doors also move outwards, which makes for easier entry/exit at the expense of saving space.The McLaren F1, Alfa Romeo 33...
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