Fastest Bio-fuel Powered Car-world record set by E85 Viper
[July
16] OSCODA, Mich.--220.7 MPH is the new world record for a street
car in the standing mile, achieved by the E85 Viper owned by Karl
Jacob. The record proves power and performance do not have to be
sacrificed for environmental responsibility.
The 1200 horsepower E85 Viper rocketed from a standstill
to 220.7 MPH in one mile, taking 27.41 seconds at the Oscoda- Wurtsmith
Airport in Oscoda, Mich. The previous standing mile record was 217.85
MPH held by a gasoline powered street car. The event was attended
by members of the press and Michigan State Representative Joel Sheltrown.
"Going
green does not have to mean going slow," said Jacob, owner and entrepreneur.
"We built this car to break the world speed record and bring attention
to the importance of renewable fuels. These fuels decrease our dependence
on oil and reduce overall emissions. As we've demonstrated E85 enables
us to go green and go fast."
To
build the car, Jacob tapped Ron Misjak, Jr. of Chicago-based SVS,
an aftermarket vehicle modification company specializing in computer
controlled engine management. During the vehicle's conversion from
a stock Dodge Viper SRT-10, Jacob and Misjak realized E85 was not
only a viable source for a high performance vehicle but could provide
optimal performance too. The Indy Racing League, which includes
the Indianapolis 500 race, has also taken notice of this revelation,
switching completely to ethanol fuel beginning with the 2007 season.
"We are pleased to see such support of this clean,
renewable fuel in the great state of Michigan," said Michelle Kautz,
deputy director of the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition. "We thank
Mr. Jacob for his outstanding efforts and are proud to have him
as a member of our coalition."
The
attention the record-breaking E85 Viper brings to E85 couldn't come
at a better time, as gas prices are also setting record highs. As
of July 9, gas prices were on average $0.08 higher than they were
a year ago, at $2.98 per gallon of regular unleaded, according to
AAA. Not surprisingly the number of E85 stations is also on the
rise.
Currently the E85 Viper can fill up at about
1,100 of the nation's 170,000 filling stations. That number will
increase to between 1,500 and 2,000 by year's end, according to
the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), the ethanol industry's Washington-based
lobby. This production will likely ramp up even further given President
Bush's goal of reaching an E85 production target of 35 billion gallons
per year, up from the current five billion gallons.
In
addition to its modified engine and renewable fuel, the E85 Viper
gets its power from a side-mounted twin turbo system created by
SVS. The car has a host of other performance modifications, from
the drivetrain, to the exhaust, to the interior gauges and heads
up display, all the way down to the brake pads. The car took one
year to build but only 27.41 seconds to break the world record.