A different kind of research in motion; the 60 mpg cargo van

This photograph of a proto-type VW cargo van was taken in rural Arkansas recently as it was being put through its paces by a secretive test crew of Volkswagen engineers and computer types from Research in Motion.

      
There's an interesting story behind this proto-type. Seems the engineering guys in Germany had a great idea to build a cargo van based on a diesel-powered new Beetle. The project was cancelled soon after by head office, but the engineering team wasn't prepared to let it die.

One of the engineers spirited the engineering drawings to a friend at RIM in Canada. Soon enough the cancelled cargo van had a clique of believers. According to the original design specs this was a vehicle that could deliver well over 60 miles per gallon while delivering three tons of freight.

That's about a 300% improvement in fuel efficiency over the most fuel efficient cargo vans on the market. Imagine New York to Los Angeles on fifty gallons of fuel. Not in your Prius hybrid but in a cargo van!

The RIM techies retained legendary hot-rodder Dave Robinson to build the proto-type you see here. Robinson is better known in street racing circles as a builder of super-reliable yet ultra-powerful Dodge and Chevy race motors.

He had a different kind of challenge here. How do you get three tons of freight through the mountains and still keep your 60 mpg fuel economy. German engineers made numerous trips on their own dime to help coax the project to fruition.

Rumor has it that they and Robinson have more than succeeded, and that the design team is now aiming for 75 miles per gallon.

You'll be hearing more about this one.