UBC engineering students test 200-lb, 214-mpg car before international Shell competition

The UBC Supermileage Team will be testing its ultra-light and super-fuel-efficient vehicle, the “Argo,” prior to an international competition in Houston.

On March 29, the team of UBC engineering students will be up against 130 other teams from North and South America in the urban concept category of the annual Shell Eco-Marathon Americas.

“While we achieved 214 miles per gallon last year, we hope to break 500 miles per gallon this year,” says UBC Supermileage team captain Connor Schellenberg-Beaver, a fourth-year engineering student.

Resembling a Smartcar, UBC’s Argo is a single passenger, four-wheel vehicle with tail lights, brakes and steering wheel. While the UBC vehicle is fueled by gasoline, the competition will see many different energy types including hydrogen fuel cell, solar, electric and diesel.

For more information, visit http://www.supermileage.ca/