FuelVapor Alé: Vancouver - San Francisco on One Tank
by Warren McLaren, Sydney 
on 05.14.07
Somehow we seem to have overlooked the Alé to date, though just noticed that the eagle eyes at Hugg spied it ages ago. Anyhow, it's designers reckon this strange fish-like beastie can currently attain 92 mpg (2.56 litres/100km). But that’s not good enough to take out a share of the multi million prize pool in the X-prize, which want production ready vehicles to achieve 100 mpg (2.35 litres/100km). So Fuel Vapor Technologies of Canada are looking for investors to help bring their prototype to the next stage: Production. They already feel they have the engine bit pretty much sorted. Computers eke out the extra performance fuel economy by automatically determining when the engine in not in high demand and closing off the fuel injectors so the engines purrs alone on vapours alone, at a ratio of 20 part air to one part gasoline. (Most car engines are said to be about 14.7:1). “The “alé” runs on regular gasoline, and easily achieves the level of “super low” emissions with a 30% reduction in CO2. Even more impressive is the fact that all the data to date has been gathered without a catalytic converter.” But will it break the 100 mpg barrier and will people want to buy it? ::Fuel Vapor Technologies, via ::Futuresheet.
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Well, there's nothing special with the MPG results of a small Honda engine in an ULTRA-AERODYNAMIC car (let's say motorcycle !). I always keep in mind the 2000 Volkswagen Lupo 3L : 4 STANDARD places, 2 doors, 4 wheels and 3L / 100km available at your VW dealer in europe. After I had a 2000 VW jetta TDI burning 5L/100km @ 80mph (130kmh) and can TOW A TRAILER, The manufacturers will have hard time impress me with a less than pratical FUEL EFFICIENT hybrid.
I agree with Luc. This is yet another vehicle with no purpose. If you want a superefficient vehicle with little to no utility, get a motorcycle, which funtionally this vehicle is. By the way, the most efficient motorcycle ever built got 256 mpg using 1982 technology.
the other thing : they should start caculating MPG at 70mph rater that a non realistic 55mph. None of the actual hybrid cars will stand up to reputation for MPG when they are driven in real world conditions.
This "fuel vapor" talk won't hold up in the real world.
Running really lean has bad side effects on an engine, and if you have to warranty it would be a deal breaker for a manufacturer. Why do these type of efforts always have shady marketers?
This thing would get good mileage since it's light and aero, so why not leave at that and not try to squeeze a few more mpg to get headlines you can't live up to?
Warren, it's "eke out", not "eek - a mouse!".
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You're so correct. Gawd. Did I really write that? How embarrassing. I'd better go fix it. Thanks, W.
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Sure. Everything looks weird until gas prices get past $4.00! Then after that, you won't care if you are driving a smart car!