Avion 100 MPG Plus

Students at Western Washington University have developed some experimental vehicles that not only look exciting but also provide possible answers to our energy crunch.

"They are lightweight, have excellent streamlining, and have highly efficient engines," says Bill Green, engineering technician of the university's Vehicle Research Institute. Such basic characteristics are hardly secrets for gaining efficiency. But the results of three working projects, all called Viking cars, are startling.

Last summer Viking IV averaged 87.5 mpg on a cross-country rally from Bellingham, Wash., to Washington, D.C. The all-aluminum monocoque two-seater weighs 1,300 lbs. and is powered by a 1,500-cc VW Rabbit diesel that is turbocharged. Tests at the GM proving grounds and at the Transportation Research Center of Ohio showed 90.4 mpg at 40 mph, 103 mpg at 35 mph, and 73 mpg at 70 mph-all while meeting 1980 California emission standards.

The project, directed by Prof. Michael R. Seal, head of the research institute, has only two full-time technicians and has involved about 35 students since the first experimental vehicles were tested in 1969. Until this year Detroit showed little interest, but there were lots of contacts from Japanese companies and engineers, particularly Subaru, Mazda, Honda, and Datsun, who have donated parts, engines, and know-how. While the designs are intriguing, they are not entirely original. The unusual double-top cockpit shape, which cuts frontal area and improves streamlining, originated in the Abarth Fiat coupes of some years ago. The idea, however, is to improve on previous designs. "When designing a suspension upright for a Viking car, for example," says Professor Seal, "we looked at Lotus, Honda, Renault, and Subaru parts. The Lotus part, made from cast aluminum, weighed less than half. We decided to make our upright from cast aluminum, cut down the dimensions, and change the design to suit our suspension geometry.

"The new parts are fitted and tested by driving at high speeds over rough roads and by sliding the car sideways and hitting curbs. When a new upright breaks, the part is analyzed and the patterns modified to provide more metal in the vulnerable area."

For safety, the chassis structure is designed for crash-situation loading rather than merely for normal driving requirements. The calculated crash forces are such that the occupants could survive a 50-mph frontal crash. "Dummies have already survived sled tests at 41 mph," Seal reports.

Streamlining has also taken interesting directions. At 50 mph, about half the total road load is due to aerodynamic drag. Since this drag is directly proportional to frontal area, the Viking is low and narrow. Even with race-car reclining-seat positions, the lower limit for roof height is about 42 inches. So the Viking II has a dip in the roof line between two occupants to further reduce frontal area. But most streamlined bodies provide excessive lift, which reduces stability. The usual method to reduce lift is to fit an under-bumper air dam that restricts airflow under the body.

"We think a better solution is arrived at if the underside of the car is placed about seven inches from the road between the front wheels," says Seal. "The smooth underpan slopes upward toward the rear bumper so that the whole body shape is somewhat like a wing flying at a negative angle of attack. If the airflow can be persuaded to split at the windshield center line-and the air passes along either side of the cab instead of over the top, lift will be reduced."

The Vikings' remarkable performance has been achieved with virtually standard power plants. These include a Subaru 1,600-cc engine, a 1,300-cc Mazda rotary engine, a 1,500cc VW turbo diesel, and an 1,100-cc Isuzu two-cycle diesel. In the future the Viking V will be fitted with a 1980 Subaru 1,600-cc engine and five-speed transmission; the Viking VI will get a 1981 Subaru 1,200-cc engine and transaxle. Also in the future, Detroit may be involved: Ford has offered a new Escort engine for Viking VII.

This latest project will use compressed natural gas. "We believe this fuel will see increasing use in motor vehicles in the next decade," says Bill Green. "We plan to use a high-technology carbon-fIber-wound aluminum gas tank feeding the modified Ford Escort engine, and anticipate better than average performance and, 72cent-per-mile economy."

Viking IV and V cost about $28,000 each including labor of the two technicians but not that of the 35 students. Two Viking crash cars cost about $50,000 each, Green estimates. All of this is remarkably little compared with what major auto companies spend for such projects. The payoff, so far, has also been remarkable.