Thread: EcoSpeak
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Old 02-04-2008, 11:38 PM   #1 (permalink)
elhigh
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EcoSpeak

Somebody asked, and it looks like a valid question:

What do all the acronyms mean?

Wayne Gerdes started this, he's big into efficiency, apparently with his syllables too. TLAs (Three-Letter Acronyms) appear to be a serious fashion with ecoheads. But I digress.

In no specific order
AD = Aerodynamic Drag
AS = Auto Stop. A hybrid feature that shuts the engine off automatically
FAS = Forced Auto Stop. Like above, but forced by the driver. Also applies to non-hybrids, but the TLA is the same.

FE = Fuel Efficiency
ME = Maximum Efficiency
SG = ScanGauge. A device that reads info from the engine control module and can provide real-time fuel usage data. Super-handy for driving habit alteration.

DWB = Driving Without Brakes. No, not really! But drive as if you don't have brakes. Ease up on acceleration, start permitting coast-downs from way, way out. Using brakes means throwing away energy you've invested in getting the car up to speed.

EOC = Engine Off Operation. Continued driving after FAS. You're still moving, but the engine is now merely a passenger.

BS = Bump Start. Starting the engine by popping the clutch in gear.
ICE = Internal Combustion Engine.
DFAS = Draft-assisted Forced Auto Stop. Extending EOC by coasting along in the wake of a leading vehicle. Highly Dangerous, not recommended

P&G = Pulse and Glide. Engine on, pulse to an upper boundary speed, engine off (or shift to neutral) and glide to a lower boundary speed. This is a proven effective technique for maximum FE, but maddening to other traffic.

FCD = Fuel Consumption Display. Like a ScanGauge, but factory-installed.
MPG = Miles Per Gallon. You already knew that.
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary. The cliched and oh-so-true warning from the EPA that their mileage ratings were, in fact, bogus. Not so much the case anymore, and around here, they're wrong the other way: they're too low.

That's all I've got for now. If anyone wants to tack any on, go nuts.

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Last edited by elhigh; 02-11-2008 at 03:06 PM.. Reason: Clarification
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