Quote:
Originally Posted by fatman57
Interesting, do you think it is because of the air, so at higher altitude with less air the pumping losses are less?
However, since above 40 MPH most loses are due to wind resistance this could account for it...?
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You get better mileage at higher elevations because the thinner air reduces the amount of air drag on the car and also because the engine's throttle has to open more (for reduced pumping losses) to produce the same horsepower. Its very similar to the effect that higher outside air temps have on mileage. There's a term called "density altitude" that pilots use to calculate the effect that the combination of altitude and temperature has on the performance of their aircraft.