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Shell Eco-Marathon: 4,414 Km on One Liter of Fuel

The first day of the Shell Eco-marathon’s 2010 edition has seen a new all-time record being set, one that pushes the boundaries of fuel efficiency higher than it was ever imagined.

Team Polyjule Polytech Nantes from France managed to register an astonishing performance as it posted the equivalent of 4,414 km on a singe liter of fuel, using a hydrogen-powered vehicle.

The previous record was set by ETH Zurich of Switzerland, who registered a figure of 3,836 kilometers on a single liter of fuel in 2005, also using a hydrogen prototype vehicle.

"Believe it or not, the car broke down yesterday on the fifth trial run, so we're ecstatic to have been able to pull together the combined efforts of all of the team members not only to get the car back up and running but to smash the previous record so emphatically!," said Pauline Tranchard, the team’s leader.

The team, which consists of students coming from Polytechnique de Nantes, a third-level engineering school, and Lycee La Joliverie, a second-level institution in the same town, has focused on enhancing its vehicle’s electronics monitoring system. This is used to minimize the prototype’s energy loss, an important contribution to this year’s achievement.

This year’s edition of the Shell Eco-marathon started one day ahead of schedule, as the unfavorable weather forecast for today forced race organizers to ask the teams to go on track yesterday (Wednesday, May 5), in order to allow them to use the maximum numbers of attempts possible. Unfortunately, racing has been postponed, but the sun forecast for tomorrow means that the teams will probably be able to re-start their activity.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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