Pac-car
Encyclopedia
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.
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 gasoline equivalence. This world record is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.
ETH Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich or ETH Zürich is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the City of Zurich, Switzerland....
(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
Paul Scherrer Institute
The Paul Scherrer Institute is a multi-disciplinary research institute which belongs to the Swiss ETH-Komplex covering also the ETH Zurich and EPFL...
), 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 (CwDrag coefficientIn fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or...
=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 (CFDComputational fluid dynamicsComputational fluid dynamics, usually abbreviated as CFD, is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate the interaction of liquids and gases with...
, FEMFEMFEM refers to a number of things, either as an acronym or otherwise:*Field emission microscopy*Finite element method*FEM *[Front End Module ]*Far East Movement*fem - alternative spelling of femme...
, MATLABMATLABMATLAB is a numerical computing environment and fourth-generation programming language. Developed by MathWorks, MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and interfacing with programs written in other languages,...
and SimulinkSimulinkSimulink, developed by MathWorks, is a commercial tool for modeling, simulating and analyzing multidomain dynamic systems. Its primary interface is a graphical block diagramming tool and a customizable set of block libraries. It offers tight integration with the rest of the MATLAB environment and...
, GESOP)
World Record
In 2005 on June 26, PAC-Car II set a new world record in fuel-economy of 5385 km/l gasoline equivalence during the ShellRoyal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
Eco-Marathon
Eco-marathon
The Eco-Marathon is an annual competition sponsored by Shell, in which participants build special vehicles to achieve the highest possible fuel efficiency. The Eco-Marathon is held around the world with events in Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan, and the USA...
in Ladoux, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. During its third race over 20.6 km the car consumed approximately 1 g of Hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
driving at an average speed of 30 km/h (roughly 18.6 mph). This corresponds to 0.0186 L/100 km gasoline equivalence. This world record is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.