What does a 359 mpg car look like?

A tiny red car that is also the most fuel-efficient vehicle in Sweden is on its way to the US to go on display at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, DC.

The Baldos II, designed and built by engineering students at the Luleå University of Technology, demonstrated a mileage of 152.2 kilometres per litre (359 miles per gallon) during a test run this past January. That’s about five times the mileage offered by the next most efficient car, making the Baldos II the most fuel-efficient vehicle ever approved for street use in Sweden.

Weighing just 155 kilograms (342 pounds), the one-seater can reach a top speed of 35 kilometres per hour (21.75 miles per hour) and features a hybrid drive train with an internal combustion engine (powered by ethanol) and an electric motor. In addition to its weight, size and drive train, another contributing factor to the vehicle’s fuel efficiency are the design choices made by the Luleå engineering team. The shape is designed to reduce wind resistance, the exhaust is analysed to ensure that every drop of fuel is used, and the roll resistance is “so low that a small dog could pull it forward.”

The name “Baldos” means “ice floe” in the indigenous Sami language. The name was chosen to represent how the car’s gentle movement echoes the almost frictionless motion of ice travelling on the surface of cold water.

Upon arriving in the US, the Baldos II will be a feature in the Swedish Embassy’s autumn show in the House of Sweden. The exhibition, “Shaping Tomorrow’s World — Infrastructure & Intelligent Mobility,” is scheduled for 30 September through 5 December.