Toyota Eco Spirit Gets 104 MPG IN YEAR 2002! ... Where is it TODAY? LINK

[Blackhatjack]

So in Year 2002 Toyota had already created the Eco Spirit automobile which got 104 MPG according to European testing.

Here we are 6 years later, and WHERE IS IT? Check out the link below.

If oil goes back up to $100-200/barrel, this car could make a huge difference.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article814928.ece

October 20, 2002

Toyota smashes fuel economy record

by ray hutton

"Tucked away on the Toyota stand you will find a cheeky little coupé that looks sporty but whose raison d’être is fuel economy, the lowest exhaust emissions and ease of recycling. The ES3 — the initials stand for Eco Spirit — achieves 104mpg in the official European fuel consumption tests, a record for a four-seat car.
Some months ago I drove this prototype and not only is it even more economical than the special “3 litre” (three litres of fuel for every 100km travelled, or 94mpg) versions of the Audi A2 and VW Lupo that sell in Germany, but the Toyota is more lively and responsive and would be very acceptable as an everyday car.

The ES3 has a 1.4 litre turbocharged diesel engine and CVT (continuously variable transmission). The engine cuts out when the car stops, automatically and instantly restarting when you touch the accelerator to move off again. Energy that would be lost from braking is used to charge the car’s battery, and the body panels are made from biodegradable plastics. You will see more of these things in future Toyotas."

[EOTE]

1. That's very cool, but I think the author has his math a bit wrong.

According to my math, the "3 litre" standard nets around 79 mpg, not 94 mpg. If 3 liters of fuel nets 100km, then a gallon (3.8 liters) should net 126.6 km. Seeing as there are .62137 miles per kilometer, 126.6 * .62137 = 78.7 mpg. Or is my math wrong somewhere?

[SidDithers]

4. Maybe an imperial gallon?...

1 imperial gallon = 4.55 litres.

Works out to 94.24 mpg.

Sid

[wuushew]

5. No

its 76 mpg American and 94 mpg Imperial

http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/fuel

[nykym]

13. Can't see the forest for the trees

either way its about 50 more or 60 miles Km better than what we're getting today!

anymore hairs to split.

[EOTE]

7. That works, but I've never heard of anyone using an imperial gallon when referring to MPG. NT

[SidDithers]

8. Well, it is a British article :)...nt

Sid

[EOTE]

9. Do the British use MPG as a standard for fuel economy? NT

[SidDithers]

10. No idea...

I'm guessing they, like most of the rest of the world, use l/100km. But it wouldn't surprise me if they used imperial gallons rather than US gallons.

:shrug:

Sid

[qwertyMike]

11. Yes

But Britain and the rest of the world are officially Metric now. The exceptions are the USA, Burma and Belize

[EOTE]

12. If they're metric, why would they use MPG as a standard?

Considering that both miles and (standard) gallons have little meaning to metric countries.

[Dead_Parrot]

15. Britian isn't fully metric

It's a bit of a mix - milk and beer comes in pints, distances and speeds are in miles and mph, a lot of food is marked in both. Fuel is now sold by the liter, but it's a fairly recent change and people still think in mpg for fuel economy.

[Bill219]

2. Just from reading the entire article

seems like the Prius is a relative of that car as it uses much of the same technology

[EOTE]

3. A big difference is that the Prius uses conventional gas and not diesel.

I understand why they went that route, but if the U.S. would get over its fear of diesels, we'd be a lot better off. Modern diesels are quiet and clean and have boat loads of low end torque while getting far better fuel economy than their gas burning counterparts. It's high time we start making more diesels.

[flvegan]

6. That review would have been better if Jeremy Clarkson had done it.

[Greyhound]

14. K&R, I'd buy one.

[alfredo]

16. Reborn as the Toyota IQ

Spirit


IQ