Dave Edmonson Story
Twenty-five years ago, Dave Edmonson, Apple Valley, Minnesota, launched the Freeway, a car that got upwards of 100 miles per gallon, making it much more gas-efficient than the other cars of that era. He designed the car as a project for his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Minnesota. “The Freeway took off when we had lines for gas in 1979,” Edmonson said. “Everyone else was doing the same thing, so I did a design project on a one-person car.”
Edmonson’s son Chris and Jim Rostis scheduled a meeting of the owners
Edmonson’s son Chris and Freeway-enthusiast Jim Rostis planned a reunion for car owners and former employees to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the car’s production.
“I’ve done research for more than 15 years trying to track down all 700 [cars].”
The plan was to meet in mid-afternoon after lunch, followed by a road rally through Burnsville followed by a group that will head back to dinner in the park.
In 1982, Dave Edmonson said the shop closed when the economy went sour and gas prices dropped, causing orders for the car to dwindle. The car’s body is fiberglass with a frame of tubular steel. The gas efficiency came from the car’s aerodynamics and light weight – 600-650 pounds without a passenger. The 16-horsepower engine helped produce speeds of up 65 miles per hour.
The car’s two wheels in front were responsible for steering, while the one in back drove the car. There are no gears, just stop and go.
From a story by Lonny Goldsmith in the Brooklyn Center Sun Post, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
