34MPG in a GIANT truck

[RandomFact314]

IDK how many of you listen to the GoHypermiling Podcast but I listened to a recent but a little bit older one and the guy says he was driving some HUGE truck and he was getting 34 MPG and was saying how crazy it is that he has drove cars 1/5 of the weight and cant get that kind of MPG

My question is, whats up with things like this? How do trucks that can tow 6000 pounds get better MPG than my neon?

This happens in other ways to, like how does my fiancee's kia get 25mpg (epa) on a 1.5 L engine with like 400 less pounds than my car and I get 25mpg (epa) on a bigger engine and heavier car?

And that also makes me think "if the crx got 50mpg, and the prius has a 1/2 electric engine, how come they get about the same mpg, how come toyota couldn't have make the prius get 100 mpg easy? I know with all the electronic crap and "modern conveniences" in new cars weigh it down but why cop out? just make another "FE" prius that DOES get 80/85MPG epa....

I know this is more of a ramble than anything but id like to see anyone's responses on any of the topics or any you think of

[bgd73]

I encountered 30s mpg in a ford six diesel, crew cab, jacked up stiff tread... and that was in 1992...and that freakin thing loved 85 mph.

It is part of my doings today, remembering that truck. If gas engines is going to be a hog no matter what.. something is wrong.

It is my reason for my quest of 3 main boxers..witnessing that truck on a 300 mile journey.

I got nearly 3000 pounds, 92mph contently on a low pressure 1781cc with an AWD. It is my best answer. And ya know... nothing is gonna beat it. Much like a diesel.

That truck was no joke.

[MadisonMPG]

Originally Posted by bgd73

It is my reason for my quest of 3 main boxers..witnessing that truck on a 300 mile journey.

[Nevyn]

The truck was a Ford Super Duty F-250 with a 6.7L Diesel. 34.7 MPG. I'll dig up a direct link from cleanmpg.com for you all later today.

[tasdrouille]

Originally Posted by RandomFact314

My question is, whats up with things like this? How do trucks that can tow 6000 pounds get better MPG than my neon?

Because of special conditions under which the driving was done.

[orange4boy]

This happens in other ways to, like how does my fiancee's kia get 25mpg (epa) on a 1.5 L engine with like 400 less pounds than my car and I get 25mpg (epa) on a bigger engine and heavier car?

Apples and oranges. Each engine, drivetrain, body is different in so many respects that you can't really pin it down to one thing usually.

And that also makes me think "if the crx got 50mpg, and the prius has a 1/2 electric engine, how come they get about the same mpg, how come toyota couldn't have make the prius get 100 mpg easy?

In this case there are a couple of biggies:

1) The Prius is a lot heavier. CRX ~1900 lbs Prius ~ 2900 lbs. 1000 lbs more.

2) The CRX uses lean burn but the Prius does not. This is because of emissions, I believe. Lean burn produces a lot of nox which, to get SULV status, the Prius can't have.

There are other reasons but those are the biggies.

I know with all the electronic crap and "modern conveniences" in new cars weigh it down but why cop out? just make another "FE" prius that DOES get 80/85MPG epa....

Like the RS Porsches, all stripped down, only for FE in this case. Seconded!

Having said all that, the Prius is capable of much better FE than EPA as demonstrated by some hypermilers without a PHEV kit. There are even some Japanese hypermilers that regularly get 100+ mpg driving slow using P+G.

[Nevyn]

Here's all the info on the 2011 Super Duty that CleanMPG has:

2011 Ford Super Duty goes head to head with a 10 Ram and 10 Silverado - CleanMPG Forums (this one shows pics - 49 degrees F, 96 mi, 35.0 MPG)

2011 Ford Super Duty Press Launch - CleanMPG Forums

2011 Ford Super Duty leads HD trucks in capability and fuel economy! - CleanMPG Forums

Behind the scenes with Ford’s upcoming 2011 Ford Super Duty - CleanMPG Forums

Studying up on the 2011 Ford Super Duty… - CleanMPG Forums

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by RandomFact314

IDK how many of you listen to the GoHypermiling Podcast but I listened to a recent but a little bit older one and the guy says he was driving some HUGE truck and he was getting 34 MPG and was saying how crazy it is that he has drove cars 1/5 of the weight and cant get that kind of MPG

My question is, whats up with things like this? How do trucks that can tow 6000 pounds get better MPG than my neon?

This happens in other ways to, like how does my fiancee's kia get 25mpg (epa) on a 1.5 L engine with like 400 less pounds than my car and I get 25mpg (epa) on a bigger engine and heavier car?

And that also makes me think "if the crx got 50mpg, and the prius has a 1/2 electric engine, how come they get about the same mpg, how come toyota couldn't have make the prius get 100 mpg easy? I know with all the electronic crap and "modern conveniences" in new cars weigh it down but why cop out? just make another "FE" prius that DOES get 80/85MPG epa....

I know this is more of a ramble than anything but id like to see anyone's responses on any of the topics or any you think of

Random,I don't know if 34-mpg is that big of a deal if they were hypermiling.
When Robert Sikorsky wrote 'How to get More Miles Per Gallon' he described a method of hypermiling in which he could obtain over 200-mpg,and college teams are getting over 7,000-mpg when doing it.
I would presume that during 'normal' driving,his truck returns somewhat less.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by RandomFact314

My question is, whats up with things like this? How do trucks that can tow 6000 pounds get better MPG than my neon?

Next to the previous answers, there's also gearing. And if the truck has a diesel then that helps too (20%).

[ShadeTreeMech]

I agree that the gearing and diesel engine likely made the high MPG figure. And who knows, the guy might have been bobtailing or running empty as the case may be.

It seems most cars are geared way too low for good MPG. My last 3 vehicles reved much higher than required in top gear, which begs the question why? Why gear a vehicle to burn more fuel?

I'd love to have the gearing i had in my LeSabre, where 1100 rpm was 50 mph. Now THATS proper gearing.