View Single Post
Old 08-10-2009, 10:57 AM   #10 (permalink)
ALS
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 113
Thanks: 0
Thanked 22 Times in 16 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by MadisonMPG View Post
Dropping the speed limit to 55 was one of the BEST ideas we've ever had.
If you do any long distance cross country driving the 55 mph speed limit will drive you crazy. I drive long distances for vacation several times a year and I limit my speed to 65 mph for fuel mileage on 70 mph roads. It only adds on about 45 minutes to my 1170 mile trip. 55 mph would add on another 3.5 hours to the trip. That would mean I would have to stop over somewhere instead of being able to drive straight through to my destination.

If your averaging 52 mph on a 2000 mile cross country trip it is going to take you 38.5 hours driving time. Yet at and average of 62 mph it will take you 32.25 hours. That is an additional six hours and fifteen minutes driving.
Two day trip vs a three day trip for the same distance.

Under 100 mile trip the 55 mph speed limit is fine. 100-200 miles, 100kph / 62.1 mph is a good compromise. When you start getting up there over 200-250 miles on a trip the difference between time and fuel mileage gets into the grey area as they say.

I have found that over 250 miles 65 mph is fast enough to get you there in shortest possible time with the least hit in fuel mileage for the added time advantage. Above 65 mph you take too big of a hit in fuel mileage to justify the limited time savings.
  Reply With Quote