Ford worker builds DIY 125 mpg aero-trike
The green-conscious tinkerers over at Ecomodder have a new hero today: user HyperRocket, who is apparently a Ford Motor Company fuel economy technical expert who wanted to really maximize fuel economy with a small vehicle. He started with a 250cc Kawasaki Ninja drivetrain and added a bullet-shaped enclosure, two seats and as much safety equipment as he could. The result is a road-legal, two-passenger, three-wheeled vehicle than can get up to 125 mpg when driving at 65 mph. The entire package weighs just 505 pounds and has a drag coefficient of just .16. Wow.
After putting 3,200 miles on the trike, HyperRocket wants to sell it. Why? So he can get to work on a plug-in hybrid version, of course. The trike is currently listed on eBay for $15,600. Thanks to Ben for the tip!
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[Source: Ecomodder, eBay]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dave 8:22PM (5/08/2009)
I'm surprised the Cd is so low with the front wheels and suspension exposed.
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Mike!!ekiM 9:23PM (5/08/2009)
Interesting, but can a 250 climb hills?
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Scatter 3:08AM (5/09/2009)
This is only 500lb heavier than a ninja so i would say yes
Ernie 7:52PM (5/11/2009)
Wow man. A Ninja weighs only 5 lbs? :)
Perhaps you means 200 lbs, not 500.
MetroMPG.com 9:28AM (5/09/2009)
200 lbs heavier than the Ninja 250 (305 lbs bike ---> 505 lbs trike)
Roughly the same power to weight ratio as a Honda Civic sedan.
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TGNY 8:51PM (5/09/2009)
RV-4 canopy and layout. That thing with a little 40hp (bio) diesel would do 250mpg+ and not use any imported oil at all... You'd use so little that bio-D becomes practical.
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CNCMike 10:03PM (5/09/2009)
Would be interesting to see what this would do with the Yamaha 250 V-Star engine. That bike is already rated at 80+ MPG.
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Mike!!ekiM 11:34AM (5/10/2009)
Wouldn't it have been great if FORD had put this into production. Exxon's board of directors would have had a mass heart attack.
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