[larrydag]

These types of articles gloss over what the researchers are trying to perform. To say its a "car" is an exaggeration. They are basically piston engine prototype vehicles. They are testing the limits of piston engine fuel efficiency and that is their main and only objective.

The driving strategy is very different to normal car driving. They do a lot of pulse throttle acceleration where they tap the gas and then coast for as long as possible. They also drive very, very slowly to minimize wind resistance. The idea is to test conditions to optimize fuel efficiency and not for practical every day driving.

That said there is a lot of benefit to the research. They are testing which conditions work best for fuel efficiency in all sorts of designs from engine performance to vehicle body.

Here is a great site to look at DIY improvements to help with fuel efficiency. http://www.ecomodder.com