100+ hypermiling / ecodriving tips & tactics

[neilzero]

I just read the 108 tips, and got an idea from the pulse and coast tip: Most vehicles power two wheels, so the remaining pair could each have a tiny electric motor which switches on under some conditions, plus a temporary manual off and an on button for the driver, if he wants to bother. You are starting up cold, so the electric motors help until things get warmed up. You let up on the accelerator, the electric motors run, possibly the main motor shuts off = slightly assisted coast. You step on the break = all motors off, except at some speeds the electric motors shift to regenerative breaking and/or the transmission down shifts. You reach the crest of a hill = possibly a web-cam type camera can determine that: Main motor off, electric motors on so you can maintain speed on a slight down hill slope. You are making a turn: one motor on full power to reduce tire scrubbing. The tiny motors' battery is low: The tiny motors run regenerative braking when ever the speed is appropriate. Typically we charge this battery at home, so we have a plug in electric partial most of the time. A diode can supply charging current to the main battery if it is low and while cranking. The driver can push the on button to get slightly increased acceleration. If you have to push your vehicle, the iiny electric motors make it slightly easier to push. Likely there are lots of other possibilities. Neil

[neilzero]

Tango Charlie says "never downshift" I rarely try down shifting as my attempts are jerky and thus hard on the clutch and other parts. Do vehicles use more fuel down shifting than idling in neutral?

[FatCat0]

I don't know if these have been discussed before (don't want to go through all 33 pages :X), but I have some problems seeing two of these (62 and 107) as good ecodriving tips.

62) Parking tactics: orbit to bleed momentum
If you find you have too much momentum after reaching your preferred parking spot, continue coasting further down the row or "orbiting" a spot until you can roll to a stop in position without touching the brakes.

(The extent to which you might continue 'orbiting' depends on whether your engine is on/off and whether you're driving a manual or automatic. Also, it depends on traffic in the lot, obviously.)

This is entirely true if your goal is to get as much distance as possible out of every drop of fuel. However, isn't the real goal of ecodriving to get where you're going with as little fuel as possible? Orbiting to bleed momentum will at best lead to the same amount of fuel consumption, and if your engine is idling or ANY of your instrumentation is on it will increase it.

Think about it: If I pull into a parking lot going 20 mph, see a spot right at the entrance, use my brakes and park I've only used a few seconds-worth of idling gas. Yes, I got rid of momentum to the brakes (thus reducing my MPG ever so slightly), but I've arrived at my destination using roughly the amount of fuel it took to get me into the lot. If I bleed momentum and putt around the lot while my car winds down, I've used maybe a minute or more of idling time or even just running the fan, lights, wipers, etc. If I kill the engine as I get into the lot either way uses the same amount of fuel, the latter simply lets me move farther, but for no other purpose than touring the parking lot.

107) Listen to slower music
Leave the speed metal at home. Fast paced music can make a driver more impatient, more agressive and likely to speed. At the same time, slower paced music is more relaxing and tends to promote a more sensible driving style while also reducing stress.

This is an entirely subjective tip. For some people I'm sure this is entirely true, but the blanket statement of "faster = more aggressive, slower = more efficient" is plain wrong. My music and my driving are two separate entities, and I'm sure the same is true for plenty of others.

Just my $0.02. I got a number of tips from this list that I'll definitely be employing, but those two stuck out as imperfect to me.

[Intrigued]

LOL! Oh, no you don't. Those have been cussed and discussed enough... :-)

[FatCat0]

Has a verdict been reached? The latter, again, is subjective so it's not really a bother but I can't see how orbiting is EVER a useful tip, unless you're trying to beat an MPG record which, again, has no place among ecodriving tips in this case (as weird as that sounds).

[Intrigued]

Originally Posted by neilzero

I just read ... Most vehicles power two wheels, so the remaining pair could each have a tiny electric motor which switches on under some conditions, plus a temporary manual off and an on button for the driver, if he wants to bother. You are starting up cold, so the electric motors help until things get warmed up. ... The tiny motors run regenerative braking ... so we have a plug in electric partial most of the time. ... The driver can push the on button to get slightly increased acceleration. If you have to push your vehicle, the iiny electric motors make it slightly easier to push. Likely there are lots of other possibilities. Neil

Yes indeed. Electric motors on the wheels. They are still in design phase, but I've signed up for their newsletter and twitter feed, and also have signed up to be a dealer, although I don't qualify at the moment...
Poulsen Hybrid

[Intrigued]

Originally Posted by FatCat0

Has a verdict been reached? ...

Verdict??? Nope. Too many Judges and not enough Indians.

...or was that too many Chiefs and not enough turtles...

[FatCat0]

Originally Posted by Intrigued

Verdict??? Nope. Too many Judges and not enough Indians.

...or was that too many Chiefs and not enough turtles...

Where about in this thread could I find that? I can't even imagine an argument for orbiting (again, assuming you're looking at least fuel use, not highest MPG).

[hackish]

Sadly I get pissed off every time I read this site. There is a lot of advice flying around that is poorly researched or just plain wrong. Saving fuel does not always mean you're creating less of an environmental impact. Case in point I was doing some research into the pulse and drive and while it might have made some tiny fuel difference on some cars it led to a magnitude more pollution.

Seriously, listen to slower music? Maybe if you turned the radio off it would save a few ml of fuel because there is less electrical load on the car. Carpooling, using a bicycle or public transit are a less convenient but far more effective way to be eco-friendly.

I wish there was funding available to actually research some of these things so definitive scientific results could be presented.

[Kodak]

Originally Posted by hackish

Case in point I was doing some research into the pulse and drive and while it might have made some tiny fuel difference on some cars it led to a magnitude more pollution.

You have a point about the pulse and glide. I know that your point was documented in a previous thread, but it's a few pages back by now.

I think that the list serves to provide users with as many avenues as possible to save fuel - it's ultimately up to the driver to decide which techniques to embrace and which to reject.

If it's scientific results you're after, some users have submitted ABA data to back up their arguments, but not every mod or tactic has its own proof.

If my radio is on, it's always rock and roll. I only change the channel when I ride with friends with other tastes.