Filling your car with fuel can be costly.
Even though petrol prices have tumbled in recent months, a trip to the pump will see your bank account taking a serious beating.
Fuel companies have long been painted as greedy villains who are getting rich off our love of motoring.
So it might come as a shock to discover one major fuel giant is actually working hard to reduce the amount of petrol we plough through.
Shell’s Eco-marathon is a unique, global competition that challenges teams of engineers to push the boundaries of energy efficiency on the road.
Using the latest tech, these futuristic cars are now capable of driving hundreds of miles on a single litre of fuel.
In fact, the current record holder managed to drive the equivalent of Helsinki and back on this tiny amount of petrol.
These incredible cars are light enough to be picked up with one hand and use cutting-edge aerodynamics to reduce drag and friction from the road.
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This means they can glide around the track without the need for constant power from the engine.
Daily Star Online was lucky enough to take a drive in Shell’s latest concept car to see just how far you can really get on litre of fuel.
Squeezing into this hi-tech contraption certainly isn’t like taking a seat in a luxury motor and you need to fold your body like origami to get inside.
The almost flat driving position is also about as comfortable as lying on a bed of nails and to make these vehicles as light as possible, only the essential steering, brakes and throttle are included.
Although this doesn't sound like a motoring dream this car is actually a huge amount of fun to drive.
To get the ultimate efficiency your driving style needs to be smooth and the engine has to be switched off as much as possible – this means you have to hit the throttle, build up speed, then coast until car begins to run low on momentum.
It actually takes a huge amount of time and skill to get the perfect balance of throttle and coasting power.
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We performed three laps of iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and each time our efficiency improved dramatically.
In fact, by our last run we managed a consumption of 506mpg – a standard road car will average 35-40mpg.
Although you’re clearly not going to be seeing these concepts on UK roads anytime soon this technology is already being fitted to some production cars.
Manufacturers are already using the idea of coasting to improve fuel efficiency and it could become more mainstream in the future.
Other forms of power are also being tested during the event with the Imperial Racing Green team from Imperial College London stepping up to the plate with their hydrogen prototype vehicle.
The team are committed to sustainable mobility and their unique approach to the design of their fuel cell may give them the competitive edge.
Max Marlow-Naylor, Team Principle, said “Shell Eco-marathon 2016 is an incredible opportunity to compete directly against other engineering universities from across Europe. In our first year we hope to debut with the most competitive car from the London area, as well as showcase innovative technologies developed at Imperial College on a global stage”
The Shell Eco-marathon kicks off at the Make the Future London festival on June 30 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, London.
The event free and open to the public with visitors getting the opportunity to meet some of the brightest minds who are developing technologies to help tackle the global energy challenge.
Fans can register for tickets here.