Garmin Eco Challenge

[Mcgiiver]

I want to utilize my Garmin GPS as a driving aid to get better mileage using the Eco-Route feature. Somehow it reads speed, acceleration and braking to deliver an efficiency number reading out as a percentage. Seems the highest you can achieve is 99%. Whatever algorithm Garmin uses can be biased by changing the city MPG and Highway MPG in the vehicle profile screen. I am trying to have my unit read out 99 % at 50 mph as that is the slowest speed that my torque converter locks up at and gets me the best mileage without being an absolute turtle. Does anyone have any ideas how the algorithm works and what numbers would get me 99% at 50 MPH?
So far my trials yield the following:

settings city/highway speed range which reads out 99%
22/36 49-53
25/37 47-53
23/37 49-56
23/47 50-57
25/40 49-57
26/38 46-57
20/39 50-57
27/34 43/47

[oldtamiyaphile]

It's pretty dumb. You need to travel at around 50mph, any time you're above/below that you loose points. You can't use the brakes at all if you want a high 'braking score' (even engine braking is too much). You basically have to accelerate at idle and just change up with a manual to get a good 'accel score'.

It completely ignores BSFC, let alone P&G etc.

It was fun when I had a really slow carb'd car as it was the only readout I had and BSFC in that car actually gave a decent score. Once you have real insturmentation, Garmin Eco Challenge become completely pointless. It's consumption figure varies between +/-20% based on what SG or MPGuino say.

[Mcgiiver]

I realize that the Eco Challenge will never be a good substitute for real instrumentation, but that's not going to happen in this car. In my car, with documented trials, BSFC driving does worse than granny acceleration, by a fairly large difference. I do a lot of DWL and some P & G, utilize downhill for accel and let car slow on upgrades. 50 mph seems to be my best number for highway and I am generally not in a hurry. My accel from stops, approximates that of a loaded semi truck. My analyses shows that my 50 mph cruising speed really has little effect on trip time, unless its a very long trip.

[CVTCivic]

I hope you don't mind if I dig up your seven year old thread. I stumpeld across this thread because I was curious what the Ecomodder community thinks about the Garmin EcoChallenge.

A short explanation for all who don't know what that actually is: EcoChallenge is part of EcoRoute, which you can choose since 2010 in GPS satnavs by Garmin. Here you can see how it looks:

https://youtu.be/Tbjmw5BBMYM

The build in satnav in my car is from Garmin and that's why I have EcoChallenge and use it from time to time.
My car is from 2017 but I think still it's not connected to the car and just gets the data from the built in GPS antenna.

Unfortunately that's the reason why it's not very useful like @oldtamiyaphile and @Mcgiiver already said. It's not a useful instrumentation.

Still I kind of like the idea behind EcoChallenge, because it's like playing a game were you can basically win and loose points. And it can be motivating to hypermile your car just to beat the result from your last drive.

Are there any apps around these days which have a similar system? Like collecting points for doing hypermiling, loosing points when flooring and when braking hard?

[SDMCF]

Originally Posted by CVTCivic

Are there any apps around these days which have a similar system?

I recently got a DriveLooper device. This has a similar score. I have only driven a couple of short trips with it so far. My score was 77 & 78 I think. I have not yet really understood the device and documentation seems lacking.

I also have a Garmin GPS so I will check if that has the EcoChallenge app and compare that with the DriveLooper.

The DriveLooper device plugs into the car's OBD port and connects to my phone via bluetooth. It displays current fuel usage, revs, speed, trip distance, trip time and (on some cars but not mine) which gear is engaged. I bought it on impulse because it was on offer for, I think, 10 euro in a local store.

[CVTCivic]

Originally Posted by SDMCF

I recently got a DriveLooper
I also have a Garmin GPS so I will check if that has the EcoChallenge app and compare that with the DriveLooper.

That would be great, I'm very curious.

[SDMCF]

My GPS (a Garmin SmartDrive 61) does not seem to have the Eco Challenge app.

I have used the DriveLooper device a bit more. When driving there is a screen that displays, in an easily readable "dashboard" layout:
- Speed (KPH)
- RPM
- Litres per 100 km fuel usage - either instant or average for the trip
- Gear engaged (though I have not seen this actually work)
- Trip score (seems to be value out of 100. I get high 70s to high 80s).
- Trip km
- Trip driving time (hours, minutes, seconds).

There is also a screen that is basically text, so of more use at the end of the trip. This shows:
- Litres per 100 km fuel usage average for the trip
- Total litres fuel used on the trip
- Average CO2 emissions (g/km)
- Total CO2 emissions for the trip (Kg to 2dp)
- Average speed (KPH)
- Top speed (KPH)
- Trip start time (hh:mm:ss)
- Trip end time (hh:mm:ss)
- Trip duration (hh:mm:ss)
- Engine braking (count - it was 2 on my last trip)
- Stops (count)
- Idle duration (time)
- Heavy accelerations (count)
- Heavy braking (count)
- Average engine RPM

There may be a way of changing the display to miles & gallons but I have not checked that.

Anyway I guess some of this is useful information but the trip score seems to be a gimmick, at least from what I have seen so far. Rather like average fuel usage for the trip, it changes too rarely/slowly to be of any real use other than as a feel-good rating. I don't think you could use it to see the effect of any changed driving behaviour during the trip.

The device is quite good and amazing for the money I paid, but the user interface is a bit clunky and difficult to use.

[CVTCivic]

Thanks for the detailed review.

Originally Posted by SDMCF

My GPS (a Garmin SmartDrive 61) does not seem to have the Eco Challenge app.

I think your Garmin device is too new. They don't put it on newer Satnavs anymore, since they found out it wasn't working that good anyway.

Originally Posted by SDMCF

My GPS (a Garmin SmartDrive 61) does not seem to have the Eco Challenge app.

The device is quite good and amazing for the money I paid, but the user interface is a bit clunky and difficult to use.[/QUOTE]
Sounds similar to Garmin EcoRoute / EcoChallenge

I'll see DriveLooper sounds better than the Torque Pro Fuel Efficiency App (also needs an OBD2 plug)