Avion (car)

The Avion is a prototype sports car that achieves over 100 miles per gallon driving on interstate highways in real world conditions.

The Avion is based on a simple concept: fuel economy is largely determined by minimizing drag, rolling resistance and weight and matching gear ratio to the required horsepower. The Avion uses existing automotive components, an existing high-efficiency automotive diesel engine and marries them to a lightweight aluminum frame and highly aerodynamic composite body.

The Avion was an official contender in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. After approval by the prize officials the Avion documented a drive from the Canadian border to the southern border of Washington State, north of Portland, Oregon, averaging 113 miles per gallon at average speed of over 60 miles per hour over 250 miles. The Avion was the first car to achieve the prize goals and the prize officials chose not to award the $10 million prize. Since the subsequent contests rules were written to favor battery-powered cars, the Avion withdrew from the contest.

In 2010, the Avion was driven from the Canadian border to the Mexican border without refueling. This was sponsored by Goodyear Tire Company. The Avion averaged 119.1 miles per gallon using 12.4 gallons of fuel for the entire trip. Thus resetting the 1986 Border to Border fuel economy record at 119.1 mpg real world fuel economy.

History
The Avion was built by Craig Henderson and Bill Green after they graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, where they had studied at the Vehicle Research Institute. The prototype was completed in 1984, and entered the Three Flags Econo Rally driving from the Mexican border to the Canadian border and was displayed in the Expo 86. During the 1986 contest the Avion set a Guinness World Record for at 103.7 mpg.

When the car was designed the plan was to manufacture the Avion in limited quantities as a kit car for the car enthusiast market. The reality of starting a company with essentially no capital, and limited experience, made the task too difficult to start production.

The car was used as a primary vehicle for many years, and participated in many parades and was always a big hit.

The car is now on display at the San Diego Air & Space Museum as of October of 2023.

Although not a commercial success, the Avion proves the seemingly impossible is possible with fuel economy well over 100 mpg.

Vehicle
The car was designed to be manufactured in small volume using existing automotive components as a kit car. It features a lightweight composite body of highly aerodynamic design with butterfly doors attached to an aluminum frame.