I took my wife's car over to the auto parts store tonight.
Her fuel gauge was low, so I filled up the tank on the way home.
I was really suprised at her fuel economy on this last tank of gas. It was only 23 MPG, usually it is close to 30.
Is something wrong with the car? I don't think so. I think CARPOOLING is hurting her fuel economy.
Recently, she started carpooling with a co-worker. The co-worker lives about 3 miles away. They always meet at the co-worker's house (it's in the right direction for work) and take turns driving to make the cost of gas fair.
That means that HALF THE TIME, my wife drives 3 miles (on a cold engine) and parks. Then she is back there at the end of the day (with the engine cold again) and drives 3 miles home.
A while back, I used the ScanGauge to check on the fuel economy on short trips. On trips that short, with a cold engine, the car gets 12 miles per gallon. That in itself is a good reason not to run to the grocery store just to get ice cream.
I think that the short drives to the co-worker's house are killing her fuel economy, BUT THAT'S NOT A BAD THING. She is only USING HALF AS MUCH FUEL in total! (Because she is only driving half the time!)
I think this contradiction is similar to when METROMPG said how bicycling was hurting his fuel economy.
Remember, it's HOW much gas you use total, that you pay for at the pump.
Yep, our fuel economy is going down....Yet so is our cost of gas!
Once the Electro-Metro is finished to the point of being safe and street legal, she can use that to drive to the co-worker's on days when the co-worker is driving. On those days she will use ZERO gas to go 50 miles round trip for work.
-Ben