FuelVapor Technologies has developed a prototype car that, it claims, is one of the highest mileage cars in North America.
Created by inventor George Parker, the new concept car - the 'alé' (alay) uses a new 'fuel vapour technology' coupled with an aerodynamic design and use of lightweight materials.to achieve not only high mileage, but low emissions as well.
The alé sports a three-wheeled configuration: two in the front that drive and steer the vehicle, and one in the rear.
The car’s fuel vapour system allows the engine to run on 'fuel vapours' rather than liquid fuel. The majority of petrol engines today run 14.7:1 – (14.7 parts air to 1 part petrol). The company’s proprietary fuel vapour system, on the other hand, allows the alé to run on a ratio of over 20:1 without compromising performance.
According to the company, textbooks say that this ratio should be impossible to achieve, as a standard engine would not start or run on an air/fuel ratio this low. Yet, it claims, with a ten gallon tank of petrol, the alé can travel from Vancouver BC to San Francisco, California.
Not only does the alé have high mileage capabilities, but it accelerates from 0-60 in five seconds, and will pull over 1.7gs in hard corners on street tyres.
The company is currently looking for investors who would like to join it to take the car into production. Currently, plans are for limited production of the alé to begin in 2008.
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