Energy News  
Couple To Drive Round The World With Only 50 Fill-Ups

by Staff Writers
London (AFP) Jan 17, 2006
A British man and his Australian wife set off Tuesday from London in a bid to drive round the world by filling up on petrol less than 50 times in a bid to promote fuel efficiency.

John, 45, and Helen Taylor, 50, drove off in their Volkswagen Golf FSI 1.6 aiming to shun pacy driving, sudden acceleration and sharp breaking on their 70-day road trip across 25 countries covering 28,970 kilometers (18,001 miles).

"We like to show people that in these hard environmental times they can save fuel," Helen Taylor said before leaving for a voyage that will involve up to 14 hours driving a day.

Though equipped with a standard-sized petrol tank, the car will use a new fuel economy petrol by Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, the main sponsor.

The fuel helps to reduce friction within the engine through a new viscous friction improver, giving increased engine cleanliness and efficiency, according to the challenge's website.

Some of the fuel has already been transferred to depots along the route, while the rest will be flown out to other points of their journey at a later date.

The journey began at 10 am (1000 GMT) at Waterloo Place in London, passing by the Reform Club, where Phileas Fogg's fictional journey began in Jules Verne's novel "Around the World in Eighty Days."

The pair, who already have 34 fuel economy driving achievements under their belt, will have travelled across Europe, Asia, Australia and America by the time they return to London in late March.

"Helen and I are confident that by implementing some simple driving tips for fuel efficiency and using Shell's most advanced fuel, we will be successful in setting a strong record," said John Taylor.

The couple will be accompanied by a crew travelling in two Volkswagen Passat estate cars, including an independent witness, a videographer, a writer and two mechanics.

Equipment in the vehicles includes a GPS tracking system, satellite phones and a plethora of computer equipment as well as safety essentials.

The only breaks in their journey will be when they fly between continents and stop at their home in Melbourne, Australia, to attend their daughter's wedding.

Updates on the couple's mileage and fuel consumption, as well as logs on their progress, will appear online at www.fuelchallenge.com.

Source: Agence France-Presse

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


China's Developing World Energy Strategy

Beijing (UPI) Jan 13, 2006
A big part of China's efforts to put its affairs in order before lunar new year celebrations is focused on energy security issues with other developing nations.







  • Couple To Drive Round The World With Only 50 Fill-Ups
  • China's Developing World Energy Strategy
  • Europe Debates Nuclear Energy
  • China's Race For Energy Resources Only Just Heating Up

  • Australia: China Must Sign Safeguards To Get Uranium
  • India Enters Into Nuclear Talks With Japan
  • India Hopeful Of Getting International Civilian Nuclear Cooperation
  • World Opinion Against The Building Of New Nuclear Plants: IAEA

  • What Is A Cloud
  • Getting To The TOPP Of Houston's Air Pollution
  • Scientists Seek Sprite Light Source

  • Deforestation Threatens Brazil's Pantanal Wetland
  • Nobel Laureate Blames East Africa Drought On Deforestation
  • Indonesia Faces More Disasters Unless Government Reforests
  • ESA Presents Space Solution To Montreal Forest Conference

  • "Doomsday Vault" To House World's Seeds
  • Growing More Good Oil From The Sea
  • WFP Ends Food Aid To China Urges Asian Giant To Donate Globally
  • French Court Decides Activists' Destruction Of GM Crops Was Justified

  • Eclectic Koizumi Tries Electric Sedan
  • GM Hires Russian Nuclear Scientists To Develop New Auto Technology
  • Japan Creates The World's Fastest Electric Sedan
  • Motorists To Pay 'Congestion' Charge Over Broader Swath Of London

  • US Air Force Rates F-22A Raptor "Mission Capable"
  • Wedgetail Aircraft Delivered To Boeing Australia
  • Northrop Grumman To Provide New Air Data Inertial Reference Units To Lufthansa
  • Air Force Slates F-117 And B-52 For Cuts F-22 Raptors

  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program
  • Boeing-Led Team to Study Nuclear-Powered Space Systems

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement