What ever happened to hypermiling? http://www.hypermiling.com/ Let's breath some life back into this fad of a couple years ago. I just got a 2009 Chevy Aveo which is supposed to get 34 mpg. I will attempt to see if I can meet and hopefully beat that figure using hypermiling techniques and I'll report back soon. In the mean time, how about you? Are you a hypermiler? Do you have any hypermiling stories, techniques, lessons for the hypermiling world?
well, I'm far too impatient for hypermiling, but Jeremy Clarkson once managed an amazing feat on Top Gear. he drove an Audi A8 4.0 TDI V8 from London to Edinburgh and back on a single filling. that's 800 miles, which means he had to average over 40mpg (that's 33.31 American mpg). I know it doesn't sound like much, but we are talking about a 4 litre engine here. apparently even Audi themselves said that it's impossible, but Clarkson made it. here's a video, well, the first part only, the second seems to have disappeared.. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIHdpmTIrFw"]YouTube- Top gear audi a8 from London to Edinburgh challenge pt 1[/ame]
After 2 weeks of exhaustive research here are the results: The Good : 38 mpg (miles per gallon) of mostly highway driving on a half tank of gas. Hypermiling methods: Keep speed at 55 mph, use the cruise control. The Bad: 20 mpg city. Even with keeping steady and slow on the gas and trying to anticipate light changes it's tough to keep good mileage in the city with this car which is not a hybrid. The Inexplicable: 47 mpg highway: Hypermiling methods: Keep speed at 55 mph, use the cruise control and using the first gallon of a full tank. ** I have no earthly idea why this would be. I made seven separate attempts and mixed up the gas stations I went to try to average out the variations. Logic would dictate that more fuel means more weight therefore slightly lower mileage. Perhaps something to do with the fuel injection system getting a better mixture when the car has a full tank??? Overall for my needs I'm satisfied with the 2009 Chevy Aveo. I have a 40 mile (each way) highway commute so the 38 mpg highway which is better than the 34 mpg the car is rated at serves my needs. The short trips around town...not so much.
After 2 weeks of exhaustive research here are the results: The Good : 38 mpg (miles per gallon) of mostly highway driving on a half tank of gas. Hypermiling methods: Keep speed at 55 mph, use the cruise control. The Bad: 20 mpg city. Even with keeping steady and slow on the gas and trying to anticipate light changes it's tough to keep good mileage in the city with this car which is not a hybrid. The Inexplicable: 47 mpg highway: Hypermiling methods: Keep speed at 55 mph, use the cruise control and using the first gallon of a full tank. ** I have no earthly idea why this would be. I made seven separate attempts and mixed up the gas stations I went to try to average out the variations. Logic would dictate that more fuel means more weight therefore slightly lower mileage. Perhaps something to do with the fuel injection system getting a better mixture when the car has a full tank??? Overall for my needs I'm satisfied with the 2009 Chevy Aveo. I have a 40 mile (each way) highway commute so the 38 mpg highway which is better than the 34 mpg the car is rated at serves my needs. The short trips around town...not so much.
Whatever the fuel pump reads when I fill up having started out with a full tank. So, if your are wondering, yes I actually made multiple trips of around 40 miles where I started and ended the trip by filling up. A little crazy admittedly but I thought I was onto something. I'm still not sure there isn't something to the full tank or first gallon theory. I'll try to develop this theory of the full tank by putting forth something plausible. These are some things I found in yahoo and wiki answers: "If you have more than 1/4th of a tank your car will run the same but your fuel injection will not work as good if under 1/4th at tank cause its not submerged in gas and will overheat. " "Keeping fuel in tank will help keep the electric fuel pump cool as heat will harm electronic components." Anyone else experience better mileage on the first gallon or two?
Interesting, my first guess would have been a non-linear fuel gauge sensor. But if you actually drove around and measured by filling up then. hmm... Send this into MythBusters.