Last year, on June 26, 2005 the ETH Zurich PAC-Car II , a hydrogen fuel cell car, blazed a new Guinness Book world record for fuel efficiency by achieving an amazing 15,212 mpg. This feat was accomplished at the Shell Eco-Marathon in Ladoux, France during the Michelin challenge.
The Swiss PAC-Car II broke its previous record the year before of an also amazing 9,024 mpg. The PAC-Car II has since been retired.
This year at the Shell Eco-Marathon, an ethanol-powered car took top honors coming in at 8,136 mpg. The ethanol car was developed by engineers and students at France’s Lycee La Joliverie high school.
With this kind of competition between ethanol and hydrogen for being the transportation “fuel of the future”, we will all benefit, in the long-run, from this bit of friendly competition.