This is a discussion on 100 MPG in 400 Horsepower Mustang? within the Automotive Blogging News forums, part of the StangNet News & Announcements category; CarDomain Blog
By John Coyle
Editor
When we had out Bullit Mustang test car, fuel efficiency was the last thing ...
When we had out Bullit Mustang test car, fuel efficiency was the last thing any of the editorial staff was thinking about. But inventor Doug Pelmear claims that after some engine modifications, his '87 Pony is getting 100MPG. Other than the fact that it runs on ethanol, there are no specifics, so I think I'm going to side with the skeptics over at Jalopnik and wait to see some proof before I freak out about this supposedly revolutionary car. Fortunately, Pelmear will be at SEMA, so I might get a chance to talk to him in person next week. Stay tuned.
I have trouble believing anyone saying they're getting 100MPG, seeing as there is a 10 million dollar prize for the first person that comes up with a producible car that gets 100MPG. I'm sure there's a few people out there, but not with anything mass producible yet.
Neil Young is working on a '59 Lincoln. The goal of the car is to get 100MPG, and while you're driving, it's storing energy. When you come home, you actually plug your house into the car and the house runs off the energy that you've stored from driving. Pretty cool idea. He's up to about 65MPG right now.
Ya....I have a Mustang that runs on air, or french fry grease.....it gets 100mpg too but I cant show anyone and I don't want the million dollars because the big oil companies would kill me and steal it.....
MPGe does not stand for Miles Per Gallon Ethanol.
It means Mile Per Gallon Equivalent.
Hopefully Doug will chime in and explain it.
Remember... this is the man that invented the Valley Girdle Pro.
this is just one more hurdle.
Making a buttress in the lifter valley is no new thing, you can just look at it and think "there should be more material there". Making that product doesn't show us that he can make a car with 100+ mpg. Lots of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. That means a lot of school.
Take a look at a book called "Ethanol can be a Gas" by David Blume. Ethanol work differently than gas. Everyone compares thermal energy when talking about gas engines. But when you compare mechanical energy vs. thermal generation you find that a gas engine is only 15% efficient. A Diesel is 35% and Alcohol is 40+. With a high compression engine and less air intake, yes I said less, Alcohol becomes very efficient. Alcohol caries a large amount of its own oxygen. Best performance is said to be with 180-185 proof. This is because the moisture in the alcohol turns to steam. Steam expands to 17k more volume than water. It also burn cleaner and your oil will stay cleaner. The current design of engines don't benefit from Ethanol because they are to low in compression. This guy’s engine is probably around 14:1 compression and running a lot of ignition advance with a small intake. Do some research and you'll find plenty on how to build an Ethanol engine. I would still like to see the numbers after testing.
David Pimental, a leading Cornell University agricultural expert, has calculated that powering the average U.S. automobile for one year on ethanol derived from corn would require 11 acres of farmland, the same space needed to grow a year's supply of food for seven people.
Adding up the energy costs of corn production and its conversion into ethanol, 131,000 BTUs are needed to make one gallon of ethanol. One gallon of ethanol has an energy value of only 77,000 BTUS.
Thus, 70 percent more energy is required to produce ethanol than the energy that actually is in it.
Every time you make one gallon of ethanol, there is a net energy loss of 54,000 BTUs.
Mr. Pimentel concluded that "abusing our precious croplands to grow corn for an energy-inefficient process that yields low-grade automobile fuels amounts to unsustainable subsidized food burning".
Yeah and why is this some super secret engine? Why are there no photos taken of the engine compartment? It's as if this guy doesn't want anyone to see what's down there.I've seen these so called breakthrough technologies on various products,electronics,pharmaceuticals etc throughout the years,and most of the time the claimant of said item is telling fibs or selling us BS.If you can't prove it,then why should we believe it? I'm not saying this Mustang isn't running the numbers that he claims (or states),but if i'm to believe such a thing exists,i'll need to SEE proof.Getting a Mustang built up to 400 HP is nothing new.But getting it to run 400 HP AND get such high mileage out of Ethanol,well it just sounds too good to be true.You know the old saying,if it seems too good to be true,it most likely is.What also gets me is that he was very short on his words in his post.Lack of information + in a hurry.I want to see facts and much more details.Make enough sense ?
I apologize if this comes off a little too negative.If he really does have a car that does what he says it does....then HOLY **** I'm shocked and amazed and a big congrats to this guy for his hard work.But with the current advances in technology and the current state of the automobile engine....the saying goes as usual "I'll believe it when I see it"
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100 MPG in 400 Horsepower Mustang? 
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