Fuel Vapor alé

5. Fuel Vapor alé

Fuel Vapor Technologies (Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada) /// 92+ mpg /// $30,000-$100,000 /// fuelvaporcar.com

Six middle-age guys working out of a small garage have already built three prototypes of this three-wheeler, and they claim it can hit nearly 100 mpg today. Does that mean Canada could soon be the birthplace of the most efficient gasoline vehicle ever? “Basically, we’re going one step beyond fuel injection—no liquid gas enters the engine,” FVT head of business operations Todd Pratt tells PM. He says the vapor production is still being tweaked, but FVT is confident enough in its so-called alé vehicle to use it as a basis for a hybrid version that will compete in the X Prize.

How it Works

The central component is a fuel conversion system that vaporizes gasoline before it enters the alé’s engine—an idea developed more than 25 years ago by FVT founder George Parker (the company is officially just two years old). The result, when combined with a narrow, aerodynamic fiberglass body on a three-wheel chassis, is an astonishing 92 miles per gallon—not to mention a 0-to-60 time around 5 seconds. FVT intends to design a series hybrid that shares the body of the current gas-only alé, with a small onboard generator that utilizes the vapor technology to charge lithium-ion batteries for extended range.

Bottom Line

If the new hybrid model can significantly increase the alé’s fuel efficiency when it hits the road within the next two months, FVT could have a serious contender on its hands. The company’s production plans remain under wraps and development partners unnamed, but our instincts tell us FVT has the technology to secure the $1 million these garage tinkerers think they need to get certified.