Esentepe, Turkey spent only eleven months to research, develop and build the vehicle they call Settar, according to team member Ahmet Hakan Hirca.

“Our team members are undergraduate students who are volunteers and from different faculties,” said Hirca. Team members from the school collaborated on the car’s design, body and powerplant.

At 45 mph, the three-wheeler can get 279 miles out of the hydrogen equivalent of one liter of gasoline. That works out to about 891 mpg, not too shabby for an urban commuter car built entirely by students in under a year. Most of that efficiency is due to lightweight aramid fiber construction.

Last may, the team took seventh place in the Hydrogen Urban Concept category. They’re already entered in the upcoming Eco Marathon and after more testing and R&D, the folks behind Settar are hoping for an even better showing.

Even if they don’t win the competition, however, Hirca says the team has their sights fixed on a higher goal: convincing the public and automakers that such vehicles are possible. “We produced it to make the prototype of a future car,” he said.

Photo: Sakarya University

Authors: Keith Barry

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