14-Year Old Drives Car 1,980 Miles On One Gallon of Gas

By Nic Halverson | Thu Jun 30, 2011 08:34 AM ET

I don't know what you considered a 'monumental feat' when you were 14 years old, but for me, a 10-mile, cross-town bike ride to the swimming pool was a substantial achievement. Turns out that was a pretty wimpy feat, compared to what Sam Chapman-Hill just did.

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The 14-year-old recently won the annual Mileage Marathon Challenge at Mallory Park, the famed motor sports speedway in Leicestershire, England. Chapman-Hill's winning vehicle in the 20-team competition boasted a sleek aerodynamic design, weighed just under 100 pounds and achieved 1,980 mile-per-gallon efficiency. See video here.

Another driver, 11-year-old Kitty Foster, finished her race in a vehicle that used a Cambridge Design Partnership oxygen concentratorand micro-diesel engine to reach 1,325 miles per gallon.

The cars were developed to promote eco-friendly vehicle concepts in engineering and technology to college students, as well as young students like Foster.

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To create Foster's car, Cambridge Design Partnership used previous elements from its own lightweight oxygen concentrator that was originally developed to deliver oxygen to injured soldiers. That system relied on a micro-diesel engine which designers used to power this new, remarkably fuel-efficient vehicle.

Foster's car also features low friction tires to increase gas mileage and 'Go' real-time tracking device that allows the team to optimize the vehicle's systems.

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“When I told my parents how far this car could go on a gallon of fuel they were absolutely amazed!” Kitty told Business Weekly. “Actually, it wasn’t too hard. The Go system helped me use as little fuel as possible. It monitored the car’s performance which helped us know when to stop the engine and start coasting.

“The GPS information made a big difference and added 150 mpg. The whole car was great fun to drive. It’s good to see cars getting more environmentally friendly, and I’m really pleased we’ve done so well in the challenge," she said.

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