Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5
Steady state isn't how you maximize fuel economy in an ICE powered vehicle. Pulse and glide.
You want to avoid minimal throttle positions.
I still don't like the question, because participating in traffic dictates the operating parameters.
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I agree with both points, though I'd add the caveat that everyone will have essentially incomparable driving conditions. We can only set up boundary value problems - most of which we can likely agree are possible edge scenarios which are pertinent to the discussion.
For instance:
Steady state driving at various speeds
Pulse and glide, engine on or off
Idling fuel consumption (and minimizing idle)
Stop and go traffic vs vehicle weight
And then there's a discussion of driving technique, and where it places your vehicle (chosen) and route (also chosen) within these conditions.
The Insight was basically at ~75% load in 5th on level ground, and did not benefit measurably from engine-on pulse and glide. Proper EOC requires a kill switch, which places it as a more advanced driving technique. Neither really applies to automatics.
The MX-5 has a very high compression ratio and runs deep Atkinson-cycle, which pushes the middle of the peak BSFC island much lower in the load range - closer to 55%. It's very easy to drop into fuel enrichment or deep timing retard.
I'm of the opinion that steady-state driving is still pertinent to discuss, even if it's rarely the most efficient technique. My driving isn't always to burn the least fuel, or spend the least money, or make the least pollution, though these are interests of mine.