With my continued gas savings I bought this! (2001 Insight) - Page 28 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

cowmeat · 10-03-2016, 11:23 AM

Yeah, it was a fun ride, and if somebody buys it and drops an IMA battery into it they're in for the coolest Insight ride out there!

Here's Ron Burgundy's replacement

I'll start a thread for the Volt (I named it "High Voltage" in the garage) when I get a chance. I'll also have to figure out how to track it on the fuel log!

MetroMPG · 10-03-2016, 11:47 AM

Nice. Is it all silver or is there a bit of green in it?

I would just do an MPGe calculation on the electricity used, and add it to any gas used.

cowmeat · 10-03-2016, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Nice. Is it all silver or is there a bit of green in it?

It's got some green in it, I figured green was an appropriate color for a hypermiler driving a plug-in hybrid! Goes pretty nicely with the HYPRMYL tag

I haven't figured out how to use the instrumentation yet, but as soon as I do I'll fill out the fuel log

Daox · 10-03-2016, 12:44 PM

Any plans to do mods?

cowmeat · 10-03-2016, 01:15 PM

Not immediately, I'll spend some time just getting used to the new driving techniques required for one of these before I do any mods.

Yesterday on the way to work I put it in "mountain" mode, which force-charges the big battery. When I left the house I had no battery reserve, and by the time I got to work it told me I had enough juice to drive 11 miles in EV mode. I turned that 11 miles into nineteen miles of EV mode and almost made it home on the battery

I did the same thing this morning, I'm gonna try to go all the way home in EV mode tonite. I haven't set up my charger at house yet, but I'll probably to it tonight, so tomorrow should be in EV mode

The shortest route from my house to work is right at 20 miles, so I'm pretty sure I can make 40 miles of EV a day (manual rates it at 33 miles), and I'll be able to do my daily commutes back and forth without ever using the gas if I plug in every night.

MetroMPG · 10-03-2016, 04:13 PM

Very fun. Post the link to your new thread in this one so people can follow through to the next chapter.

I really like the green+silver.

cowmeat · 10-03-2016, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Very fun. Post the link to your new thread in this one so people can follow through to the next chapter.

Here's the link to my new Volt's thread over in "Hybrids". Hopefully I'll learn a lot of cool stuff to share with you guys! It's been fun chronicling all the ups and downs of the Insight, I'm sure there's going to be plenty more with the Volt.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post524030

Joggernot · 10-04-2016, 09:25 AM

I've never driven an EV, so here is my dumb question. Does the manual give instructions on how to get the best mpg? Do you get better driving suggestions from this forum or possibly the EV forums? I know there are special techniques for the Prius, are the special techniques for the Volt?

Ecky · 10-04-2016, 11:42 AM

I can't speak for EVs in specific, but every vehicle is unique, and those with more unique drivetrains tend to be more unique in how to drive them for best economy. My brother has been averaging upper 30's in his Insight, whereas I'm regularly getting trips over 100mpg, and it's only a parallel hybrid.

Some rules that apply to gas engines will not apply when driving on electricity, but many still will; I imagine conservation of momentum and keeping speed down are still key. Also, any time you fire up the gasoline engine, you're burning gas. :P

I imagine most of the complexity for eeking out every bit of economy will be in the interplay between gas and electric, those trips where the battery alone isn't quite enough.

cowmeat · 10-04-2016, 01:19 PM

Quote:

I imagine most of the complexity for eeking out every bit of economy will be in the interplay between gas and electric, those trips where the battery alone isn't quite enough.

As I'm finding out daily!

Last night I drove home through yet another rain storm so I didn't quite make it home on EV. Got about 16 miles out of the 12 it said I had. That was with lights on, wipers at full speed and the ac set to eco mode.

This morning on the way to work I put it in "mountain" mode again to give the big battery some charge, I'll see how I do tonight. If it's not pouring tonight when I get home, I'll hook up the charger and see what this thing can do on a full charge!

I don't anticipate that I'll use any gas once I start charging it nightly, since my daily commute is about ten miles over the 35 miles it says I can get in EV mode. I assume I'll make the 35 mile stretch to the 42-45 miles I drive daily without any trouble.