A complete rework of the T.25 city car produced in 2010 by Formula One car designer Gordon Murray, the three-seater city car would deliver a 34% reduction in primary energy use over its entire lifecycle when compared to a typical city car available in the UK, independent testing has shown.

The Shell Concept Car would also use around half the energy required to build and run than a typical small family car available in the UK and 69% less than that of a typical sports utility vehicle available in the UK.

The concept car weighs just 550kg, with a body made of recycled carbon fibre and a number of the components created using 3D printing. The car uses a modified version of Shell’s Drive App via a smartphone, which provides the driver with real time feedback via an on-screen graphic to show how driver behaviour impacts on fuel consumption.

The 660cc three-cylinder petrol engine delivers fuel consumption of 107mpg at 45mph. In a formal NEDC test it produced lower CO2 emissions than both a typical petrol-powered city car (28%) and a hybrid car (32%).

Dr Andrew Hepher, vice president of Shell’s lubricant research team, said: “Our car may be small, but it’s packed with potential. We want to accelerate the conversation about how we make road vehicles more energy efficient and less carbon-intensive. 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.”