What's the most fuel efficient car

[KJ_Lesnick]

What's the most fuel efficient car in the world that is

1: Run under continuous power: No stopping of engines down hills and starting it up when level or going up hills
2: Street legal even if it's only got one person in it

[PR19_Kit]

That's going to be difficult to answer with the current breed of hybrid cars, some of which only run their IC engines when they need to, and the driver has no control over that.

[CSMO]

The Lego car with the Lego motor that runs on compressed air. Adios, Larry.

[Hobbes]

Your #1 rules out most hybrids. It also rules out the VW XL1 prototype, which would otherwise win handily.

Within the rules, a small diesel (VW Lupo 3L, Kia Rio diesel) is your best bet, with fuel consumption around 3l/100 km average.

[andrewj]

Probably a car like the VW Polo 1.2 TDI Bluemotion, up to 80 mpg , simple and efficent and at about the 12K mark , half the price of a hybrid.

Andrew

[wuzak]

That's going to be difficult to answer with the current breed of hybrid cars, some of which only run their IC engines when they need to, and the driver has no control over that.

Like the Volt and Fisker Karma?

Theoretically, if you only do short trips (<30 miles) and recharge at each end the "range extender" ICE would never start up.

[rickshaw]

The Stanley Steamer! 

[perttime]

The world's slowest porsche?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaQB_tgS7f0

[KJ_Lesnick]

It doesn't matter if the engine is combustion, electrical, hybrid; it only matters that it runs all the time.

What car ist he most efficient?

[Hobbes]

Any parallel hybrid can start and stop its combustion engine and its electric motors independently from each other. Going downhill, the ICE is switched off and the electric motor is run as a generator. So no motor runs continuously in a parallel hybrid. Same with a purely electric car. Downhill, the motor won't be powered.

A series hybrid does have a continuous connection between the ICE and driven wheels, unless it's equipped with 'sailing mode' which declutches automatically when you release the throttle. I suspect the only hybrid that qualifies under your rules is the first-generation Honda Insight, which is less efficient than the Lupo 3L.


Even an ordinary ICE will have its ignition and fuel supply switched off going downhill; you'll be engine braking on the way down, generally.

[PR19_Kit]

It doesn't matter if the engine is combustion, electrical, hybrid; it only matters that it runs all the time.

What car ist he most efficient?

It's apples and oranges, there isn't one single answer to the question.

[jcf]

The Stanley Steamer! 

Steamers are in the running for most fuel inefficient. 

[PR19_Kit]

The Stanley Steamer!  

Steamers are in the running for most fuel inefficient.  

My drag racing Hillman Imp would have been a contendor for that trophy perhaps, it managed about 12 mpg with a 900 cc engine.  

Petrol only cost around 5/- per gallon at the time though, that's around 5.5 pence/litre.......

[Hobbes]

Grabbing a random car list: Smart Fortwo D (2.7 l/100 km / 87 mpg) http://www.nextgreencar.com/best-mpg-cars/?rating=MPGComb

[Hobbes]

The Stanley Steamer!  

Steamers are in the running for most fuel inefficient.  

My drag racing Hillman Imp would have been a contendor for that trophy perhaps, it managed about 12 mpg with a 900 cc engine.  

Petrol only cost around 5/- per gallon at the time though, that's around 5.5 pence/litre.......

A couple of years ago, a mileage marathon was ran in the Netherlands. Last place was for two guys in a 1950's Bentley, who managed 50l/100 km