Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG
Sounds to me like they're saying 70 mpg @ 61 mph = success.
Somehow I don't think that's too much of a stretch for a TDI with tall gearing. They probably aren't going to have to Aerocivic the crap out of the thing to meet that goal. |
A stock rabbit at 61mph requires about 18-20hp, so with a 90hp@4000rpm ALH, that's ~40hp peak at 1800rpm, and half of that is around 220-230g/kWh, so ~225g/kWh. That's ~3350g/hour of diesel fuel per 61 miles, and at 7.3lbs per gallon of diesel or 3300 grams if we're using not crazy units, they should hit at least 60mpg@60mph with just the TDI swap/taller gearing. Going with LRR tires should add a few mpg, so they wouldn't need to do much in terms of aero to see 70mpg@60mph.
If they had researched CA emissions laws instead of just assumed they had to have emissions tested they could've used a Scirocco and probably hit 70mpg@61mph right off the bat. CA doesn't require emissions test for diesels, they could've followed the letter of the law and spent a couple hours at the state ref in order to update it from a 1980 something emissions spec gasser to a 1990s or 2000s spec diesel, w/ no emissions testing required. I suppose knowing what they're doing instead of winging it would've gone against the spirit of the project.