Pac-car

Pac-Car II is the world's most fuel-economic vehicle. It was developed as a student project at ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology). Based on a group of students and an experienced teamleader, the goal was to build a vehicle that uses as little fuel as possible. By using hydrogen fuel-cell, developed at ETH/PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute), as power source, pure water is the car's only emission. Clean mobility completed therefore the educational and energy saving aspects of the project.

Facts

• Excellent aerodynamics (Cw=0.075, Af=0.254m²)
• an extremely lightweight construction of the body (total mass of 29 kg, carbon fibre materials)
• low rolling resistance of Michelin's Radial Tyres (Cr=0.0008)
• highly efficient powertrain (almost 50%)
• use of simulation and optimization tools (CFD, FEM, MATLAB and Simulink, GESOP)

World Record

In 2005 on June 26, PAC-Car II set a new world record^[1] in fuel-economy of 5385 km/l gasoline equivalence during the Shell Eco-Marathon in Ladoux, France. During its third race over 20.6 km the car consumed approximately 1 g of Hydrogen driving at an average speed of 30 km/h (roughly 18.6 mph). This corresponds to 0.0186 L/100 km (15,200 mpg_-imp; 12,600 mpg_-US) gasoline equivalence. This world record is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.^[2]

Notes

1. ^ http://www.paccar.ethz.ch/news/index
2. ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20060720152322/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=43581

External links

• Pac-Car II Website
• Measurement and Control Laboratory ETH Zürich
• Bundesamt für Energie
• Ruag
• Esoro
• Tribecraft