04-28-2009, 11:39 AM
|
#1 (permalink)
|
Batman Junior
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,530
Thanks: 4,078
Thanked 6,978 Times in 3,613 Posts
|
Hypermile a Ford Fusion hybrid: average 21 mph over 1446 miles = 81.5 mpg (US)
Ford organized an eco-driving "demonstration" (and charity fund raiser) to promote the Fusion hybrid over the weekend and managed to go 1446 miles on a single tank of fuel.
They succeeded in demonstrating that the pulse and glide driving technique and very low average speeds can return great fuel economy.
Their goal was to beat 1000 miles on a tank of gas, which they handily did:
- Passed the 1,000 mile mark after 47 continuous hours, according to Ford (avg. speed of 21.3 mph / 34 km/h - my calc.)
- Finished at 1,445.7 miles after 69 hours, for a total of 81.5 mpg (US) / 2.9 L/100 km, according to Jalopnik (avg. speed of 20.95 mph / 34 km/h - my calc)
Wayne from CleanMPG was on hand as a driver and tutor to the team of drivers who took shifts behind the wheel (including a NASCAR racer who headlined the event).
Congrats Ford, Wayne and NASCAR dude!
(I hope Ford also publicises the average speed of the event. No holds barred fuel economy stunts can be fun and educational and produce spectacular numbers, but I'm a firm believer in providing full disclosure / context. Otherwise they verge on being misleading to Joe Public.)
|
|
|
Today
|
|
|
Other popular topics in this forum...
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 12:03 PM
|
#2 (permalink)
|
Master Novice
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SE USA - East Tennessee
Posts: 2,314
Thanks: 427
Thanked 616 Times in 450 Posts
|
Don't let that average speed mislead you too much. They were doing this as a loop in downtown Washington DC and Alexandria VA - back and forth from Mount Vernon to DC. 21mph is actually not far off from what you would aggregate in typical driving. I doubt they passed anybody, but I don't think they were unsafely slow, either.
I grew up in the DC area and I can tell you, there are a lot of places where hitting 21mph can be a heady rush of progress, especially at rush hour - which these guys hit at least three times. And on weekends, traffic heading into Mount Vernon can be pretty darned tough, too.
I missed my ride to rowing practice one day. We rowed on the Potomac. My ride left five minutes before I got there, I leapt back onto my bike and pedalled like fury. I rode from Falls Church VA to the boathouse on the Potomac, and I beat them by five minutes.
Traffic in DC is tough. 21mph isn't as slow as you might think.
__________________
Lead or follow. Either is fine.
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 12:08 PM
|
#3 (permalink)
|
Batman Junior
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,530
Thanks: 4,078
Thanked 6,978 Times in 3,613 Posts
|
No, no - I didn't mean to imply anything about safety or whether or not they went with the flow of traffic or not.
I just like the speed figures included with events like this so the general public (at whom the event was aimed) has some context for understanding the results. (In other words, so they don't get mad when they only get 30 mpg in their Fusion hybrid going 80 mph down the interstate. )
The context you give is just the kind of info we need to get a better picture of what happened.
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 12:58 PM
|
#4 (permalink)
|
Dartmouth 2010
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hanover, NH
Posts: 6,447
Thanks: 92
Thanked 122 Times in 90 Posts
|
The blackfly would've wooped on that
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 01:07 PM
|
#5 (permalink)
|
Manic Rabbit
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 134
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
interesting....
Audi in 1994 was able to put 1750 miles (2800km) on a single tank, with an Audi 100 TDI... at a fuel consumption rate of 2.8L/100KM (83.99 MPG)
__________________
-Edward
Driven on Colorado roads, where NOTHING is flat
Present City 3x / Highway 4x
Goal: 4x / 5x
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 01:46 PM
|
#6 (permalink)
|
EcoModding Apprentice
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 121
Thanks: 38
Thanked 19 Times in 12 Posts
|
Of course this is not the typical drive, but I see two good things out of this.
- If the average driver tries a few of the techniques
- It's great publicity for Ford
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 01:51 PM
|
#7 (permalink)
|
Dartmouth 2010
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hanover, NH
Posts: 6,447
Thanks: 92
Thanked 122 Times in 90 Posts
|
It is good publicity for Ford . The Fusion Hybrid is a pretty nice ride.
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 02:03 PM
|
#8 (permalink)
|
Manic Rabbit
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 134
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
ya.. but its still a F.O.R.D.
__________________
-Edward
Driven on Colorado roads, where NOTHING is flat
Present City 3x / Highway 4x
Goal: 4x / 5x
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 02:07 PM
|
#9 (permalink)
|
EcoModding Apprentice
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 121
Thanks: 38
Thanked 19 Times in 12 Posts
|
GM and Chrysler need publicity like this.
|
|
|
04-28-2009, 02:25 PM
|
#10 (permalink)
|
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,587 Times in 1,554 Posts
|
GM and Chrysler need vehicles capable of doing this.
|
|
|
|