Coffee-powered car for land speed record

Chris Taylor

2011-08-04 2:54 PM

A revolutionary eco-car powered by coffee will attempt to set a new world land speed record.

Members of Teesdale Conservation Volunteers (TCV), also known as Rotters, will use the science behind gasification to propel their green vehicle to speeds in excess of 80mph.

Their vehicle, a modified 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco, will be powered by the burnt coffee left behind in coffee pods and beans.

The group has already had a taste of success. Last year it made the headlines when it was awarded a Guinness World Record for the achieving the longest journey by a coffee-powered car. However, last time TCV received the help of BBC One’s science show, ‘Bang Goes The Theory’. This year it won’t be so lucky.

Nonetheless, Martin Bacon, who heads up TCV, told DarlingtonAndStocktonTimes.co.uk that he was confident with his invention and the technology behind it.

“Gasifiers are renowned for being slow,” he admits, “but we want to prove that with a bit of engineering they can go quite fast.

“We needed to use an old car because modern engines have sensors on that we can’t work around. After doing the first car and breaking the world record we thought we would have a go at another one and take it a bit further.”

According to TeesDaleMercury.co.uk, coffee is an excellent choice of fuel for the experiment. Gasification is the process that converts organic or fossil-based materials, such as coffee, into energy.

Should Mr Bacon’s record breaking attempt be successful, he hopes more people will take alternative fuel sources more seriously.