220.7 mph: Biofuel-powered car breaks speed record

220.7 miles per hour is the new world record for a street car in the standing mile, achieved by the E85 Viper owned by Karl Jacob. The record proves power and performance do not have to be sacrificed for environmental responsibility. The 1,200-horsepower E85 Viper rocketed from a standstill to 220.7 MPH in one mile, taking 27.41 seconds at the Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport in Oscoda, Mich. The previous standing mile record was 217.85 MPH held by a gasoline-powered street car. The event was attended by members of the press and Michigan State Representative Joel Sheltrown.

"Going green does not have to mean going slow," said Jacob, owner and entrepreneur. "We built this car to break the world speed record and bring attention to the importance of renewable fuels. These fuels decrease our dependence on oil and reduce overall emissions. As we’ve demonstrated, E85 enables us to go green and go fast."

To build the car, Jacob tapped Ron Misjak Jr. of Chicago-based SVS, an aftermarket vehicle modification company specializing in computer-controlled engine management. During the vehicle's conversion from a stock Dodge Viper SRT-10, Jacob and Misjak realized E85 was not only a viable source for a high-performance vehicle but could provide optimal performance, too. The Indy Racing League, which includes the Indianapolis 500 race, has also taken notice of this revelation, switching completely to ethanol fuel beginning with the 2007 season.

"We are pleased to see such support of this clean, renewable fuel in the great state of Michigan," said Michelle Kautz, deputy director of the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition. "We thank Mr. Jacob for his outstanding efforts and are proud to have him as a member of our coalition."

The attention the record-breaking E85 Viper brings to E85 couldn't come at a better time, as gas prices are also setting record highs. As of July 9, gas prices were on average $0.08 higher than they were a year ago, at $2.98 per gallon of regular unleaded, according to AAA. Not surprisingly, the number of E85 stations is also on the rise. Currently, the E85 Viper can fill up at about 1,100 of the nation's 170,000 filling stations. That number will increase to between 1,500 and 2,000 by year's end, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), the ethanol industry's Washington-based lobby. This production will likely ramp up even further given President Bush's goal of reaching an E85 production target of 35 billion gallons per year, up from the current five billion gallons.

In addition to its modified engine and renewable fuel, the E85 Viper gets its power from a side-mounted twin turbo system created by SVS. The car has a host of other performance modifications, from the drivetrain, to the exhaust, to the interior gauges and heads up display, all the way down to the brake pads. The car took one year to build but only 27.41 seconds to break the world record. Karl has been chronicling the E85 project at www.e85viper.com where you can see pictures and video of the world record run.