Austrian hyper-miler gets 81.1 mpg in Seat Ibiza Ecomotive
Once upon a time when drivers went driving across multiple countries, it was in pursuit of doing it in the least amount of time. These days, it seems to be just as often that drivers are still going for the least, but now it's about minimizing fuel consumption. After a team of drivers ran over 1,400 miles on a tank of petrol in a Fusion hybrid last week, an Austrian driver took the road in a Seat Ibiza Ecomotive. Gerhard Plattner set out from the Seat factory in Martorell, Spain and traversed Spain, France and Germany ending up in Göttingen.
Along the way, he consumed a mere 12.03 gallons (U.S.) over a distance of 970.6 miles. For the mathematically challenged among you, that comes out 2.9 l/100 km or 81.1 mpg (U.S.). The Ibiza is Seat's B-segment five door hatchback that shares a platform with the VW Polo. The Ecomotive version adds some aerodynamic tweaks, low rolling resistance tires and an optimized 80 hp 1.4-liter TDI four cylinder diesel.
[Source: Seat]
PRESS RELEASE:
FROM MARTORELL TO GÖTTINGEN (GERMANY)
The Ibiza ECOMOTIVE sets a world fuel-saving record of 2.9 l/100 km
• Driving across Spain, France and Germany on a single tank
• Only 45.53 litres of fuel were needed to cover the distance of 1,562 km
• Austrian long-haul specialist Gerhard Plattner set the record
The SEAT Ibiza ECOMOTIVE is undisputedly the most ecological vehicle in its segment after proving its driving efficiency by covering no less than a distance of 1,562 km on a single tank of fuel, resulting in an average consumption figure of 2.9 l/100 km. This incredible feat was carried out magnificently by Austrian Gerhard Plattner, a well-known champion of fuel-saving tests, who got the most out of the Ibiza ECOMOTIVE's qualities.
Gerhard Plattner drove out of the Martorell facilities near Barcelona on board of the Ibiza ECOMOTIVE last Monday 27 April, after both the bonnet and the fuel tank filling mouth had been sealed. The trip began under supervision by the IPMC (International Police Motor Corporation), which was initially planned along a 1,345 km route from south to north on public motorways at a suitable pace.
Plattner drove the Ibiza ECOMOTIVE through Perpignan, Avignon, Lyon, Mulhouse, Freiburg, Frankfurt and finally Göttingen on his way to setting the record. At some points along the way on motorways in Spain and France, Plattner brought the Ibiza up to cruising speeds of 110 km/h.
When they made their triumphant entry in Frankfurt, the SEAT Ibiza ECOMOTIVE had already set the world fuel-saving record for a car in its category, but there was still some fuel left in the tank, so Plattner decided to continue driving until he reached Göttingen, where the chairman of the IPMC removed the seal from the filling mouth and they refuelled the car with the exact same quantity as when the car had left Martorell: 45.53 litres.
A smiling Plattner declared that "setting this record has been incredible. Without a doubt, it has been the most spectacular fuel-saving challenge this year. The pouring rain practically all through the night made driving difficult, but the Ibiza ECOMOTIVE performed to perfection."
The SEAT Ibiza ECOMOTIVE is the leading car in its segment in terms of sustainability and the Spanish brand's most ecological car, thanks to its low fuel consumption figure of only 3.7 l/100 km and CO2 emissions level of 98 g/km.
Optimised streamlining, weight reduction and modifications to the 80 hp 1.4 TDI engine's management have given rise to one of the cleanest cars on the market today. Besides, it is the only model equipped with air-conditioning, a five-door body style and such a low emissions level.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mattias 10:28AM (5/04/2009)
The 1.4 TDI actually is a three cylinder engine.
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Jharlan 11:02AM (5/04/2009)
When can we see one of those on the (US) showroom floor? @$%^*(*^%$#@#$%!
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downtoearth 11:24AM (5/04/2009)
Jharlan:
> When can we see one of those on the (US)
> showroom floor? @$%^*(*^%$#@#$%!
Why should anyone want such a cramped and slow econobox while you can have a much more spacious and much more efficient option?
Hypermilers driving an unmodified Toyota Prius II over 1397 miles got on average 110 mpg
Article: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/08/team_achieves_1.php
If you equalize diesel and gasoline in terms of energy density to calculate the real trip fuel EFFICIENCY, the Prius II result will rise to 126.5 mpg (diesel is 15% more energy dense than gas).
And the Toyota Prius II is a very spacious compact car with its wheelbase as long as in midsize vehicles (Prius = 2700 mm, VW Passat = 2709 mm). Seat Ibiza is on the other hand a very cramped minicar (2469 mm) with a micro boot. Prius is in interior dimensions aspects nearly two classes larger than Ibiza.
And then is the question of power. Toyota Prius II does 0-62 in 10.9 seconds. Not quick, but much better than this unsafe econobox which does 0-62 in 12.9 sec [1] which becomes really dangerous when overtaking.
[1] Source: http://seat.de/ecomotive/ibiza-neu-ecomotive.html
PS.
> The Ibiza ECOMOTIVE sets a world fuel-saving record
What record? In which category?
harlanx6 11:32AM (5/04/2009)
I have nothing bad to say about Toyota or the Prius. I'm pissed we in the US don't get to make the automotive choices the rest of the world does. The Europeans are going to challenge the Prius, and they are going to do it with Diesel hybrid technology. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
Dave 12:54PM (5/04/2009)
"When can we see one of those on the (US) showroom floor? @$%^*(*^%$#@#$%!"
We will see them on US showroom floors when they meet US pollution standards and have comparable purchase and operating costs.
In other words, probably never. Because US tax laws do not subsidize diesel fuel like European laws do. And because gasoline engines are inherently less expensive to build and less expensive to build exhaust aftertreatments for.
Swede 1:25PM (5/04/2009)
downtoearth: Did you just call the Ibiza a "a very cramped minicar"? Shows what you know.
CarsoBlog 5:51AM (6/05/2009)
downtoearth: Nothing like manipulating some data to show Your point... so what that diesel is 15% more energy dense than gas - where did You get this data from??)... You skipped the point where prius actually does less than 50 mpg in normal use... so what that modified prius did 120 miles... modified by students regular small combustion engines made over 400 mpg in this years competition?
we are talking everyday driving... and ibiza (yes it's smaller - but do You need so big cars?) is wayyyyyy cheaper, economical and more "eco" than prius - seat has lower CO2 emission per km (under 100g) than prius (104??)
also as 3peacesweet wrote - diesel engine efficiency is better than gasoline engine (not by 7 % though, but still better)
also You skipped the point of what happens with the environment around nickel mines when producing batteries, and what happens with the batteries when You dump the prius in the junkyard...
so diesels are the best solution for now, unfortunately US market was flooded with hybrid marketing, and don't have much choice now...
wxman 12:19PM (5/04/2009)
@ downtoearth –
Virtually all of the posts you have made in these diesel threads have done nothing but bash diesels and praise hybrids. If you don’t like diesel vehicles, don’t buy one. You have plenty of choices of gas-hybrid vehicles.
The implication that just because you won't buy a diesel vehicles, no one else should have the option of a diesel vehicle either is getting tedious.
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3PeaceSweet 3:22PM (5/04/2009)
I wonder if we will see natural gas dual fuelling in smaller diesel vehicles, it would further cut the CO2 and running costs of diesel engines, and is far more efficient ~42% vs 35% for a spark ignition engine.
Where petrol hybrids have gone for large ICE's and small electric motors, a diesel hybrid would be much better suited to a larger electric motor and smaller diesel engine, which would be very responsive at lower speeds, and cruise quite happily over long distances.
Reply