Shell Unveils City Car Concept

After three years in the making, Shell recently unveiled their micro-sized city car concept. Designed by Gordon Murray, the man responsible for the latest Formula One race car, Shell's offering is the latest in an ever-expanding city car segment, which include models like the BMW i3 and Smart FourTwo. Murray's design can carry three people, while averaging an astounding 89 mpg.

The fuel economy numbers are what make this car so groundbreaking. While it averages 89 mpg, it has the potential to get as much as 107 mpg. It weighs 1,200 lbs and, while Murray might design F1 race cars, this car's little three-cylinder engine makes 43 horsepower can power it from 0-65 mph in a hair under 16 seconds.

As mentioned above, the vehicle's roof flips forward to allow access for three occupants. The driver is seated in the center of the vehicle, while two passengers sit in the rear to the driver's left and right. The driver would also be able to utilize Shell's Drive App from their smartphone, which would provide them with real-time graphics concerning things like fuel consumption.

The colorful body is also made from recycled (and recyclable) carbon fiber, which takes the idea of an environmentally-friendly car to the next level.

As of now, the car remains a concept and there are no plans to begin producing it in the near future. But that doesn't mean that developing this car was a complete waste of time.

"In the coming weeks and months, we look forward to sharing our research insights from this project with engine designers, car manufacturers, academics and other experts across the automotive sector," said Dr. Andrew Hepher, Vice President of Lubricant Research at Shell.

Shell's city car concept might be just that - a concept. But it also appears to be a springboard into what "green" cars can potentially become in the future.