80 Miles Per Gallon, 400 horsepower Fox Body Mustang

If you think 80 miles per gallon and 400 horsepower don't go together you better think again because Doug Pelmear, a 48-year-old electronics engineer and master mechanic from Napoleon, Ohio has done just that with his 1987 Ford Mustang. Mr. Pelmear created his Mustang and more specifically the technologically advanced engine to compete in the $10 million Progressive Automotive X Prize: a "race" to find an affordable, marketable automobile that gets at least 100 miles per gallon. The Progressive Automotive X Prize is sponsored by the X Prize Foundation. Read more about Doug's Mustang after the jump... Article: NAPOLEON, Ohio - Doug Pelmear has lots of secrets beneath the hood of his black 1987 Ford Mustang on which the only outward hint of individuality is a series of stickers. But looks can be deceiving. Mr. Pelmear's 21-year-old pony car has enough technological innovation to quadruple the classic Mustang's original gas mileage while almost doubling its available horsepower. That's 80 miles per gallon and 400 horsepower, folks. And the 48-year-old electronics engineer and master mechanic is not done yet. The third-generation automotive tinkerer hopes that next year his Mustang - more specifically its engine - will help him win the $10 million Progressive Automotive X Prize: a "race" to find an affordable, marketable automobile that gets at least 100 miles per gallon, or its equivalent. "I'm an optimist, and I think people need to know there is hope out there," Mr. Pelmear said. "That's why I decided to enter the X Prize race. I could have sold this [technology] off, but then people might not have seen it. "It's not about the money. Our country really needs this." The Progressive Automotive X Prize is sponsored by the X Prize Foundation to focus attention on and improve technology for real-world fuel economy. Private teams compete in two categories, mainstream and concept, and compete against one another in a staged race that will judge performance, fuel economy, and marketability. There are no official entrants yet, but scores of teams have signed letters of intent to participate in the races, scheduled for 2009. What radical technology did Mr. Pelmear introduce? His patents are not fully in place, but he said it mostly is a matter of electronics and precision. "We redesigned a lot of different things on the [engine] block," the engineer said. "It's still a rod-and-piston engine; it just has a lot more electronics on it." Mr. Pelmear said that traditional gas engines operate "at a very low efficiency, like 8 to 10 percent, and our engine is like at 38 percent efficiency." He said he could greatly increase even that number if his car used traditional gasoline instead of a mix of gas and 85 percent ethanol, which burns hotter but releases fewer hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. His engine also would be more efficient if he had sacrificed some of its 400 horsepower or 500 foot-pounds of torque, but Mr. Pelmear said his design is intended for "real-world" uses, not the laboratory. "I'm not the highest-miles-per-gallon vehicle entered in the X Prize, but I think I'm the more consumer friendly, more down to earth, more conventional," he said. Mr. Pelmear's Mustang is entered in the X Prize's "mainstream" competition against other modified pro- duction cars. According to the X Prize foundation, he will compete against several dozen other vehicles from around the world. Source: ToledoBlade.com

By scott mims #1, Posted: 7/2/2008

Precision fuel metering under high pressures I'll bet,humm....why won't the big auto makers incorporate the same practise? Look what an old hot rodder with limited resources can accomplish.
By Bill C #2, Posted: 7/2/2008

80 mpg and 400 hp... ok, and my Dad lived to be 185 years old, and grape nuts mixed with christmas tree tinsel is cited for the reason for his longevity...GIMEE-A-BREAK...PAHLEEZE
By Mark F #3, Posted: 7/4/2008

I attribute my Engineering degree for thinking critical about this article. While reading I notice the sentence "He said he could greatly increase even that number if his car used traditional gasoline instead of a mix of gas and 85 percent ethanol". To me this is like comparing the distance a potato gun can shoot if propane is used versus hair spray. Or in a biological analogy, comparing apples and oranges and saying that one of them is better because it produces more sugar. I believe that the claim that he is getting 80 MPG could very well be correct, however it is not 80 MPG on a gasoline driven engine. The claim is misleading. However, this still might be a viable option in the future, but until a economical and environmental analyses of ethanol based fuel is complete it is unknown to which is better, for both cost and environment. Even if he is getting 80 MPG!! Mr. Pelmear said that 'he could get even better mileage with a gasoline driven engine with his new technology' So why has he not done it?? Something to hide perhaps??
By kenny #4, Posted: 7/9/2008

a traditional engine can run off of 85% ethanol
By Dyno #6, Posted: 7/21/2008

Very curious to see exactly how he accomplished this.
By Mark F #7, Posted: 7/24/2008

Water Hybrids. Haha, In order to create energy out of water (ie hydrogen) you must separate the molecule. This is done by electrolysis. And as it sounds in the name, electrolyses requires electricity. Electricity is the best (highest quality) of energy available. Therefore, using electricity to breaking hydrogen and oxygen via electrolysis does not make any sense, because you will need to uses (for all intensive purposes) 4 kJ of electricity to convert 2 kJ of water into hydrogen and oxygen which only deliver 1 kJ of energy to moving the car. (I stress these values are arbitrary but the principle applies). This whole time you could have deliver 4 kJ of energy from electricity to rive the car, even if only have of it is converted from electrical to mechanical energy. Point is It doesn’t make sense until there is a better way to convert water into hydrogen.
Aside: Electricity is primarily derived from coal (in Canada anyways, I would assume the same for most countries).
By DONNYMAC #8, Posted: 8/2/2008

I think if this guy has the secrets into getting 80 or 110 MPG, If he would like to make the money and help out, Get these Semi trucks getting better MPG most of your large trucks get 5 to 8 MPG, Even if he could get them to get 20 hell even 15 MPG Then groceries, well everthing you buy at the store, could be shipped cheaper, meaning less price, and not only that, We could be less depended on oil. Thank bout that. But love the Idea. I hope We get to see these cars hit the Market.
By fast401 #9, Posted: 11/10/2008

I think it's about time that an invention of this magnitude be made available to the public once the bugs are worked out. It seems that if something that benifits the general public it is soon bought and it is never heard about again (ie Moody Mobile). Get your patents and enjoy the cash and let the OPEC people swim in their oil.
By CougarKing #10, Posted: 11/17/2008

With all the other great shade tree mechanics that have developed high mileage carbs or water as fuel technology you'll probably find Doug Pelmear die suddenly from an "accident" or just be "missing" one day. Then you'll never see this Mustang again.
By chris smith #11, Posted: 12/4/2008

well etahnol is great i converted my 600 horsepower mopar motor in my mustang and with it being 13.5 to one turbo blue is outta the question i was paying 7.50 a gallon and thats 110 octane e85 is like 107 octane and cheaper then regular gas now plus with it burning hotter and chemically cooling the motor down considerabley i sit in my garage at idle for 30 min and i hit maybe 150 on the temp gauge so there great advantages to e85