I am not debating the validity of the project. My problem is this team claiming to be building "The 500 MPG car" to every newspaper that will listen. When in reality the Ecohawks have no engineering or science behind that claim. Why not say 1000 MPG, or more! Why stop there? This number was created to mislead the public and companies into funding the Ecohawks. VW with all its resources couldn't achieve even half of the claimed MPG. It's hard for me to believe that some students are going to stumble upon it. I encourage somebody to post equations that prove me wrong but until then I can only see this as a deceptive marketing stunt.
The car in the article weighs 639 lbs. The VW bug's bare frame weighs more than that whole car and I’m not even talking about the absurd amount of weight added by converting it to diesel-electric. Also the 235 MPG car in question is not even the same style as what is being built by the eco hawks. They shouldn’t even be compared.
These guys are a fraud. 500 MPG! This is ridiculous. VW has tried this setup and couldn't get over 70 MPG. These students are extremely exaggerating the expected gas mileage of this car in order to get more donations and publicity. Maybe someone should ask them to show what bad calculation came up with 500 MPG.
KU mechanical engineering class works to build a 500 miles per gallon car.
I am not debating the validity of the project. My problem is this team claiming to be building "The 500 MPG car" to every newspaper that will listen. When in reality the Ecohawks have no engineering or science behind that claim. Why not say 1000 MPG, or more! Why stop there? This number was created to mislead the public and companies into funding the Ecohawks. VW with all its resources couldn't achieve even half of the claimed MPG. It's hard for me to believe that some students are going to stumble upon it. I encourage somebody to post equations that prove me wrong but until then I can only see this as a deceptive marketing stunt.
December 3, 2008 at 4:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KU mechanical engineering class works to build a 500 miles per gallon car.
The car in the article weighs 639 lbs. The VW bug's bare frame weighs more than that whole car and I’m not even talking about the absurd amount of weight added by converting it to diesel-electric. Also the 235 MPG car in question is not even the same style as what is being built by the eco hawks. They shouldn’t even be compared.
December 1, 2008 at 8:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KU mechanical engineering class works to build a 500 miles per gallon car.
These guys are a fraud. 500 MPG! This is ridiculous. VW has tried this setup and couldn't get over 70 MPG. These students are extremely exaggerating the expected gas mileage of this car in order to get more donations and publicity. Maybe someone should ask them to show what bad calculation came up with 500 MPG.
December 1, 2008 at 1:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )