Shell worked with Gordon Murray Design on the body of the three-seat Concept Car and with Geo Technology on the three-cylinder gasoline engine design. The greatest engine design focus was to minimize friction between any moving parts — which means most of them. Shell customized lubricants for the low friction engine, just as it had previously designed a lubricant for Gordon Murray Design’s T.25 city car in 2010.
Weighing just over 1,200 pounds, the vehicle is small enough to fit on top of a ping pong table. The Shell Concept Car is a three-seater (driver in front, two passengers in back) intended primarily for city use. The vehicle’s flip-up front allows passenger and driver access. Previously referred to as “Project M”, The Shell Concept Car has its own website with design specifications and the full story of the three-way collaboration.
The car isn’t just a design exercise. Shell stated that it would achieve a 34 percent reduction in energy use during its lifespan, compared to city cars typically driven in the U.K., where it was introduced. In sustained speed fuel consumption tests, the three-seater measured 89 mpg at 70 mph and 107 mpg at 45 mph.
There’s a theme of threes with The Shell Concept Car — three collaborators, three seats, and three cylinders. While this particular car isn’t intended for production, it’s a clear message that the oil industry is investing in continuing design improvements to enable petroleum-powered engines to stay in the game.
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