That's only theoretically possible at a walking pace. I can break it down for you if you like. The short version is that it requires 67,200 Btu/hr to maintain 60 mph in a 1980's vette, a gallon of gas contains 126,000 btu's and the thermal limits of steel or even ceramics only give you a maximum possible efficiency of 37% for the engine itself, not including drivetrain losses. Fun with physics
The problem is again that you are not breaking the gasoline down into vapor....did you even read the articles about Ogle? And physics is being rewritten all the time.....otherwise we would be sailing off the edge of the world. DD
The state of the fuel doesn't significantly alter the energy it contains, so the calculations hold. Dynamic pressure (only depends on speed and not the type of vehicle) at 60 mph is around 18.6 pounds per square foot. (at 70 mph 25.3 psf). The frontal area (from GM) is 19.0 square feet, the aerodynamic coefficient of drag is 0.330. The aerodynamic drag coefficient is relatively constant at different speeds. So, for the at 60 mph, the Aerodynamic drag is 19.0 * .330 * 18.6 or about 116.7 pounds. (at 70 mph it is about 158.9 pounds, and at 40 mph, 51.9 pounds). The Tire Resistance drag is (at 60 mph) around 0.015 of the vehicle weight, and is dependent on the type of tires, their inflation, temperature, speed and other things. Since the Corvette weighs around 3200 pounds, this gives about 48 pounds at 60 mph. This makes the Total Drag as 116.7 + 48 or 164.7 pounds at 60 mph. Thrust times speed gives ft-lb/sec, and simply by dividing by 550 (the number of ft-lb/sec in one horsepower), we can get horsepower. In the case above, at 60 mph (88 ft/sec), we have 165 lb * 88 ft/sec / 550 or 26.4 horsepower. Convert to BTU and you get 66253/hr. 66,000 BTU's per hour is the power required to move the vette, and if you use 100% of the energy in a gallon of gas 126,000 btu's you'll consume .5 gallons of fuel per hour @ 60 mph= 120 mpg. This means engine to tire must be 83% efficient to get 100 mpg. That doesn't mean that you'll never see a 3200 lb car get 100mpg, but it means it's thermodynamically impossible for an 80's vette to have done so.
I'm sorry, not engine to tire, but fuel in the tank, to the road surface must be 83% efficient. Modern, fuel efficient engines are around 22%.
