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Cool technology from 24 years ago

Back in 1984, two people involved in the Western Washington University Vehicle Research Institute. This vehicle (dubbed the Avion) drove from U.S./Mexico border to Vancouver, B.C. - averaging 103.7 miles per gallon. They are bringing it back onto the road again. From the Bellingham Herald:

Two decades later, Bellingham man puts 100 mpg car back on the road
Craig Henderson has the answer for high gas prices: a sports car that can go from Ferndale to Pike Place Market on a single gallon of diesel.

The Bellingham resident created the Avion with Bill Green in 1984. Two years later, the duo drove the car from the U.S./Mexico border to Vancouver, B.C. - averaging 103.7 miles per gallon and spending less than $15 on the diesel that fueled their drive into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Naturally, they thought someone would be interested in the prototype they built with knowledge they gleaned from studying at the Vehicle Research Institute at Western Washington University.

Not only was the Avion painted in "arrest me for speeding red," as Henderson likes to describe the color, but the lightweight car's fuel efficiency couldn't be beat.

He was wrong about the interest.

"Nobody really cared. Big deal. Fuel was cheap. There was a glut of fuel," Henderson, 51, recalled earlier this week. "Fast forward to today. Things change, don't they?"

They are going after the X Prize. Looks like they might do it -- very cool! Posted by DaveH at October 12, 2008 7:20 PM