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Old 11-01-2013, 12:23 PM   #21 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,530

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 62.14 mpg (US)
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thread split

Quote:
Originally Posted by cbaber View Post
It would be interesting to see the EPA tests and how they are done. Obviously the M/T is not being driven to it's full potential.
I did a bit of searching on this, and the short answer is: when the EPA lab tests a manual transmission, the test driver has to follow prescribed shift points, and they're not optimized for best fuel econony.

So in the real world, it's relatively easy for a manual transmission ecodriver / hypermiler to beat the city/combined EPA rating, sometimes by significant amounts. (Like 41% over, in the case of the 5-speed Mirage!)

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Admin note...

See more: I split the interesting discussion about EPA testing & manuals into a dedicated thread...

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ing-27416.html

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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
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