Supercar -- Taking a look at the up to 80 mpg goal

To develop technologies for increasingly energy-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles, the federal government and the U.S. Council for Automotive Research formed the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) in 1993. One of the goals of the program is development of a prototype passenger car, called "supercar," by the year 2004 that meets the goals stated below. Institute researchers in the Engine and Vehicle Research Division are engaged in various supporting projects for the PNGV program. Develop a vehicle with fuel efficiencies up to three times today's comparable vehicle, and:

• Comply with Clean Air Act requirements at time of production
• Maintain affordability of today's Chevrolet Lumina, Chrysler Concorde or Ford Taurus
• Meet safety standards of the day
• Carry six passengers with a comfort level equivalent to comparable vehicles
• Be able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 12 seconds
• Have a luggage capacity and load carrying capacity (six passengers and 200 pounds of luggage) of comparable vehicles
• Have a metro-highway range of 380 miles
• Achieve 80 percent recyclability

Source: U.S. Council for Automotive Research

Published in the Summer 1996 issue of Technology Today®, published by Southwest Research Institute. For more information, contact Joe Fohn.

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