What were your ecomodding highlights of the year? (2021)

[MetroMPG]

Since we're quickly approaching the end of the year, I wondered what were your efficiency or ecommodding-related highlights?

I had a busy middle of the year.



Above: I removed all the mods from my cheap Mirage #2 and sold it. In May, I recorded a best tank in that car at 71 MPG US = 3.3 L/100 km.



Then I bought an even cheaper Mirage #3 and re-installed my suite of ecomods on it (not shown in the pic).



Last big highlight was I scratched an itch I've had for a long time and snapped up a super cheap 2008 Honda Fit and threw a few mods on it. I totally understand why Fit owners love their cars, but I was honestly slightly disappointed in its fuel economy performance.

What we really need is something like a Mirage drivetrain in a Fit, or Fit chassis dynamics in a Mirage!

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What were your 2021 efficiency highlights?

Bought a new vehicle? Any new mods? MPG record?

Post a link to the relevant thread if you posted about it already.

[freebeard]

Highlights? Probably a new record for minimum miles driven. I used to do road trips out of state, IIRC I didn't leave the county this year.

I'd have to check the paperwork, but I paid off the XFi in this year; and the Superbeetle is no longer out in the rain in Coburg. It's in the carport and I rent a parking space from my neighbors for the XFi.

In the month of December I renewed the tags for the SuprBee and Dasher, and (for an additional $12) I swapped the plates so the Pacific Wonderland orange-on-blue plates won't go when I sell the Dasher. When I get a battery, then it's ready for sale.

For my Christmas present to myself, next week I will get the Stove Tec Firefly. If I wind up living in a car, that will be key. FireFly Lantern (Dual Biomass Lantern/Cookstove)



This is the Aprevecho Research Center (Cottage Grove, OR) rocket stove productized.

[redpoint5]

Same, haven't really driven anywhere the past 2 years. I've done a few work trips in the company car, but personal driving is hardly anything.

I've gone the opposite direction and go on about a 10 mile truck drive with my daughter about twice a week. Haven't gone through a full tank yet, so I'm still getting a baseline fuel economy. Might do some mods once that's done.

[MetroMPG]

I suspect this year will be close to a record for minimum distance as well. Pandemic effects, plus my dad's health problems since August have kept me close to home.

EG. I haven't even run a full tank of gas through Mirage #3 yet.

I haven't checked all the odometers, but I'll be doing that at year end for tax purposes so will soon know for sure.

[Autobahnschleicher]

I managed to get better flow atachment on the rear window of my car, reducing its aerodynamic drage to a noticeable degree.
I'm not quite happy with it yet as I still get some seperation, so further itterations will be required.
Next year I will probably try a few different itterations of different vortex generators and a seperation edge on the rear bumper/engine bay cover to further reduce aerodynamic drag and decrease rear end lift

Sadly my fuel economy at 160 km/h is still bad, as I noticed on a recent trip where I had to make up time because the battery was dead after not driving it for a while and jumpstarting it with an 18V powertool battery...

[ncsteve]

I finally sold my 99 Saturn SW2 and bought a 2018 Kia Rio S. I really loved that Saturn, especially after I rebuilt the engine and cured the oil burning. Went from 40mpg hwy to 50 mpg with the Kia though!

[MeteorGray]

My fuel-burning also has been cut to virtually nothing, thanks to the infected bat the Chinese Commies dropped in the punch bowl at the 2019 Christmas party.

But I did one ecomodding thing that saves fuel: I fashioned a throttle control inspired by Julian Edgar's throttle stop idea that he discussed using for aerodynamic testing in 2020. My contribution to his idea was to modify the device so that it not only allows a steady throttle at a target speed, but also allows variable speeds above and below the stop for normal vehicle control. I use a suitable spring to achieve this. The simple device saves fuel by enabling me to keep the throttle extremely steady at any target speed on the highway, it also saves me potential tickets via the same dynamic.

The speed-control device is more fuel-efficient than factory cruise control because it allows me to hold the throttle at the set value even on roads that have elevation changes. This allows me to trade speed going up the hills for fuel savings when traffic conditions are OK, and it allows me to gain a bit of speed going down hills for a similar fuel-savings effect.

I attribute Julian Edgar's idea for inspiring the device. I still miss his contributions to the forum.