SCHERERVILLE | First things first: No, this story of Luke Schroeder's lightweight, aerodynamic, hyper-mileage vehicle is not going to help you with gas pump prices this summer.
But the technology the new Valparaiso University engineering graduate is tinkering with may eventually translate to greater fuel efficiency for the family sedan.
On Wednesday, Schroeder and his VU team hit the track at Illiana Speedway to test drive the one-person vehicle that looked like a rogue jet engine on wheels.
"Don't take it above 40 miles an hour," Schroeder advised driver Jessica Lange.
"I don't intend to," said Lange, her 5-foot-3-inch frame squeezed into the car's plexiglass nose. Her seat was a thin foam pad against the frame.
"Keep it under Mach I," team member J.D. Groff threw in as Lange headed off on a circuit, the engine puttering like a go-cart's.
Between runs, the team adjusted the fuel pump battery, throttle positions, wheel toe-in and other systems in preparation for their appearance at the Society of Automotive Engineers Supermileage competition on June 7-8 in Marshall, Mich.
Teams there will aim for the best mileage over a 9-mile run.
Team Crusader, as Schroeder dubbed the VU group, did a complete makeover of last year's entry. The new vehicle sports an aluminum frame, thermo-formed plastic shell, carbon fiber front wheels and an on-board computer to regulate the flow of the special fuel, iso-octane, to the 3 1/2-horsepower engine. At about $95 a gallon, the fuel should be getting pretty good mileage.
The VU team is looking to double its mark of almost 500 mpg at last year's competition. Even if successful, they will still be far below last year's winning mark of more than 3,200 mpg.
"Ideally, it would be nice to win," Schroeder said, but the real purpose of the competition is as an engineering learning experience.
Lange said the concepts of fuel efficiency could eventually be applied to real world vehicles. In the meantime, the Valparaiso resident said she wouldn't mind using the experimental vehicle for her ride.
"It's really fun to drive," she said. "Yeah, I could drive this around. The speed limit in Valpo's only 30, so I'd be fine."
