VIDEO: Jay Leno explains his biodiesel-powered EcoJet, races a private plane
Jay Leno's EcoJet - Click above to watch the video after the break
In a garage full of ultra rare, highly desirable cars and trucks, Jay Leno's EcoJet still manages to stand out as one of the coolest. Part of the vehicle's claim to fame comes from its ability to run on biodiesel fuel, putting out an impressive 750 horsepower and 700 ft-lb of torque at 48,000 rpm from its Honeywell LT101 jet turbine engine.
Underneath the distinctive carbon fiber skin lies an aluminum chassis that was derived using existing suspension bits from the Chevrolet Corvette. Also in use is a four-speed automatic transmission from General Motors that gets its input from a custom gearbox that reduces engine speed from those aforementioned lofty heights down to 6,000 rpm.
Special carbon fiber brake disks from Brembo paired up with aluminum six-piston calipers were necessary to hold back the engine's 200 horsepower at idle. Inside, Microsoft built the dash, including a full Windows Vista-powered computer that is fully connected to the internet.
As we have come to expect from Leno, the EcoJet does indeed see action on the roads in California, and Jay also finds the time to visit the airstrip for a race against a private jet. Wanna know who wins? Click past the break to watch the video.
Gallery: Jay Leno's EcoJet
[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
john 5:43PM (9/28/2009)
That's quite an impressive car ... but I worry about the computer running Vista ... hope it doesn't "crash" haha
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jpm 7:38PM (9/28/2009)
Haha I was thinking the same thing. I'm sure the windoze vista computer in there is only displaying things, not controlling anything.
Jay D 7:18PM (11/05/2009)
Ha-ha-ha.
Moron.
Mark out West 8:34PM (9/28/2009)
Nice to see Leno do some clean-sheet engineering, but using a turboshaft engine is going to doom it to novelty status. Idling at 60-70% RPM means you're driving around town riding the brake and the fuel economy at idle is atrocious. Maybe he'll switch out the turbine to some advanced turbodiesel later on - keeping that gorgeous bodywork in the process.
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Epyx 10:59PM (9/28/2009)
It was never intended to be anything more than a novelty. It's a hobby car. Jay says so himself in the video.
It is a "lets see if we can" project. It must be so freaking awesome to have the money to support insane hobbies!
Boyprodigy1 11:56PM (9/28/2009)
If we take everything in these comments to be true, then it isn't a green vehicle. Therefore I wonder why i am reading about it.
Geekengineer 10:22PM (9/28/2009)
Sure... it burns biodiesel.
Prodigious amounts of it.
I agree with Mark out West: get rid of the turbine and pop in an advanced turbodiesel. You'd get the same or better overall performance*.
*if you fully consider all relevant factors, including but not limited to: useful acceleration, top usable speed, curb weight, fuel mileage, handling, braking, user-friendliness, ease of maintenance, etc. etc. etc.
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Epyx 10:55PM (9/28/2009)
I think you are missing the point. He wanted to make a turbo-prop car, so he did. He then decided to make it run on Biodiesel because it is a simple addition and why not. Besides Jp4 is expensive and hard to get. Not to mention a jet turbine uses LOTS of fuel.
This is just a hot rod. Jay had a crazy idea and implemented it. Anyone can build a car around a turbo-diesel. Engineering around the inherent problems and drawbacks of a jet turbine is the problem they set out to solve. The green part is a nice plus but I dont believe it was the original intent.
If you are building a crazy jet car, why not make it a green jet car?
Geekengineer 9:49AM (9/29/2009)
Hmmm.... good points.
Make a hot rod built around a freakin' turboshaft, then do a "by the way it can run it on grass clippings".
Why not? It kinda sorta deflects the immediate criticism from the megahippies. Until they read up on a turbine engine's fuel consumption characteristics...
Plus, it's Jay Leno. He's a car guy with a so-so show, but a killer garage. Yeah, let him have his beast cars. At least he's got the resources to preserve some really neat and crazy machines that would otherwise end up in the wrong hands or a junkyard.
Laurens 5:12AM (9/29/2009)
Unless a so called "green fuel" is in oversupply, it will always mean "non green" fuel is used elsewhere. Better to conserve energy.
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Mark Kiernan 8:20AM (9/29/2009)
Is Jay a billionaire? He got a car built for himself. He is a green billionaire also :)
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