Analysis of the vehicle performance showed that Eta requires less than 198W of pedal power at 56mph, which translates to a 9,544 MPGe highway fuel efficiency. This is the highest per-passenger MPGe of any existing transportation technology at this speed.
“The efficiency of this vehicle seems impossibly high: it’s a powerful example of the massive change we can achieve with existing technology in the near future,” said Aerovelo co-founder Cameron Robertson. “Eta’s performance is a testament to the passion and engineering the team devoted to this endeavour, and showcases what can be achieved when we seek to do more with less.”
Held the week of September 12-16, 2016, in Battle Mountain, Nevada, the World Human Powered Speed Challenge draws designers and athletes from around the world to test their high-tech speed bikes on highway 305 the straightest, flattest, smoothest road surface in the world. The international Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA) sanctions all records.
Eta is made of a fully carbon fibre shell and frame, which supports the rider in a recumbent position. The whole vehicle, without the rider, weighs 25kg. Unlike previous designs for human powered vehicles, Eta doesn’t include a cockpit or windscreen for the ridder to see through. Instead, two screens are mounted inside the shell with images from two small cameras mounted on the shell of the vehicle.
Aerovelo cofounder Todd Reichert powered Eta on its runs at the event where he broke the previous year’s record twice, first reaching 88.26mph, before setting the highest speed of 89.59mph. He added: “It’s an unbelievable feeling to be riding in something that efficient. It cuts through the air with such little resistance, and before you know it, you’re cruising at highway speeds on nothing more than your own power. When you realise that this is the same amount of power it takes to light up a few light bulbs, it’s truly mind blowing.”
