How 2 Get 100 MPG ?
#1
05-01-2009, 06:07 AM
How 2 Get 100 MPG ?
How to Get 100 MPG
According to our expert, getting good mileage out of any vehicle goes well beyond maintenance basics like making sure your tires are aired up. He believes that the driver is the key to great mileage. (Drivers control the car, not the other way around.)
Following this advice will help improve the mileage in any car, not just in hybrids.
Here's an insider's guide to getting the most mileage out of your car.
How to Get 100 MPG
A Driving Expert Shows You How to Save Fuel (and Money)
by Rex Roy | AOL Autos
Posted: May 2009 by `Space
Ten Very Fuel Efficient Cars
Ten Very Fuel Efficient Cars
We first met Gil Portalatin -- a 25 year veteran at Ford -- in Los Angeles when testing the 2010 Fusion Hybrid. In a fuel-economy competition against the media, Gil (an engineer by trade) effortlessly triumphed by racking up economy numbers that significantly bested the journalists and EPA estimates. On some runs, Gil's Fusion returned nearly 47 mpg. We immediately wanted to know Gil's fuel economy secrets so we could tell them to you.
To learn Gil's special driving techniques, we visited his group's modest offices in Dearborn, Michigan, the city Henry Ford (founder of Ford Motor Company) put on the map. After a brief interview that covered technical aspects of Ford's new hybrid technologies as well as touching on a running dispute with Toyota, we went for an instructional drive.
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
In case you missed our coverage from the 2008 Los Angeles and 2009 Detroit Auto Shows, teams of skilled engineers in and around Detroit are creating great products. Yes, really. Some would have you believe that Detroit is incapable of engineering a tissue box let alone a competitive modern car, but those people are wrong.
Proof comes in the form of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, a car that demonstrates active minds are working on great cars in Detroit. The crisply styled sedan is rated at 41 mpg city, 36 mpg highway. For the record, the Fusion bests the Toyota Camry Hybrid by 8 mpg around town and 2 mpg on the highway. While hundreds of individuals contributed to the new Fusion Hybrid, Portalatin is the point man for Ford's hybrid vehicles.
According to Gil, whose official title is Hybrid Propulsion System Applications Manager, getting good mileage out of any vehicle goes well beyond maintenance basics like making sure your tires are aired up. Gil believes that the driver is the key to great mileage. (Drivers control the car, not the other way around.) Following Gil's advice will help improve the mileage in any car, not just in hybrids. However, Gil also has special tips just for them.
Tip 1: Easy on the throttle, then glide.
Gil says, "Most people accelerate way too hard from a stop. This wastes huge amounts of energy. You'll get much better mileage accelerating gently up to the speed limit. Once you're at the limit, then you need to glide." By this, Gil means releasing most of the pressure on the accelerator so you're using the bare minimum amount of power to maintain your speed. In most cars, this will enable the automatic transmission to shift into its highest, most efficient gear.
Tip 2: Anticipate traffic.
"I watch people drive and waste gas every day," Gil observed. "Most drivers don't pay attention to the flow of traffic. If you're in traffic, you know you're going to stop again, so anticipate that stop by easing off the accelerator pedal early and coasting as much as you can. Looking way down the road helps you anticipate traffic flow because you can see when traffic lights are going to change and how other cars are behaving." Gil knows that this driving technique won't put you in the pole position at every traffic light, but your mileage will go up, as will the life of your vehicle's braking system components.
Tip 3: Slow down on the highway.
"I drive 50 miles each way to work," Gil explained, "so I've had plenty of time to study and test techniques for getting the best highway fuel economy." The advice is not complex. "People just have to slow down," Gil noted. "Unless you work in an aerodynamic lab, you don't understand how much more energy it takes to push a car through the air at 75 mph than at 65 mph, but it's huge." During our drive, Gil went on to note that most cars have a "sweet spot" of efficiency between 65-70 mph, so you don't have to drive at snail-like speeds to improve your mileage, although driving between 55-65 mph will improve mileage even further.
Tip 4: Drive with the terrain, and drive smoothly.
"It takes more energy to climb a hill than roll down the other side," Gil said, pointing out the obvious. "So when you're on the highway, it's OK to lose a few miles per hour when you're driving up an incline. You can regain the lost speed when you head down the other side." While this tip may seem easy, it requires constant attention. "Some drivers will be better off just driving with their cruise control," he said. "This helps those drivers who are constantly on and off the accelerator. That kind of throttle control kills mileage. A smooth, steady accelerator pressure is much greener, regardless of the speeds you travel."
Hybrid Tip 1: Don't accelerate too slowly.
"This is something that trips up hybrid drivers; in their excitement to use only battery power, they accelerate too slowly from a stop. While super-gentle acceleration keeps the vehicle in electric-only mode, it also drains the batteries quickly, often causing the gasoline engine to come on just to recharge the battery pack." Instead of accelerating so slowly, accelerate with a bit more vigor, and then lift off the throttle. Once at speed (up to nearly 50 mph in the Fusion Hybrid), the gasoline engine will often shut completely off, leaving propulsion to the battery powered motor to maintain cruising speed. This technique yields maximum mileage.
Hybrid Tip 2: Keep the batteries charged.
All hybrids have two fuel tanks; one holds gasoline and the other electrons (the hybrid battery pack). Both "tanks" need to be kept full to go the farthest distance, but the process for filling up on electrons is a bit different than stopping at the gas station. "Coasting and gentle braking are the fastest and most efficient way to recharge your hybrid's batteries," Gil said. "On our Fusion, you can see by the gauges that when you coast or apply the brakes that the hybrid system is using the car's kinetic energy to recharge the batteries. The longer you can coast or gently slow down, the more energy you can store. Keeping the batteries above 50-percent full extends the distance you can run on battery power, saving fuel."
Ford versus Toyota -- The Hybrid Technology War of Words
There's a rumor going around that Ford is using Toyota-patented technology in their hybrid vehicles. The insinuation is that Ford is incapable of engineering their own competitive hybrid, so they are using Toyota's. According to Gil -- and this represents the official Ford Motor Company stance -- the rumor is completely untrue.
"When we started developing our hybrid system, it was the normal course of business to do a patent search," Gil explained. "We realized that some of our ideas might infringe on Toyota's hybrid patents. We contacted them. It just so happened that Toyota was developing some diesel engine technology that might infringe on existing patents owned by Ford. The companies decided to allow the patent infringement as kind of a trade."
Post your thoughts/Comments/Opinions/Suggestions
Thanks, & we wish U a Safe/Happy Day on your
`Highways of `Life
4-Sure
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
In case you missed our coverage from the 2008 Los Angeles and 2009 Detroit Auto Shows, teams of skilled engineers in and around Detroit are creating great products. Yes, really. Some would have you believe that Detroit is incapable of engineering a tissue box let alone a competitive modern car, but those people are wrong.
Proof comes in the form of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, a car that demonstrates active minds are working on great cars in Detroit. The crisply styled sedan is rated at 41 mpg city, 36 mpg highway. For the record, the Fusion bests the Toyota Camry Hybrid by 8 mpg around town and 2 mpg on the highway. While hundreds of individuals contributed to the new Fusion Hybrid, Portalatin is the point man for Ford's hybrid vehicles.
According to Gil, whose official title is Hybrid Propulsion System Applications Manager, getting good mileage out of any vehicle goes well beyond maintenance basics like making sure your tires are aired up. Gil believes that the driver is the key to great mileage. (Drivers control the car, not the other way around.) Following Gil's advice will help improve the mileage in any car, not just in hybrids. However, Gil also has special tips just for them.
Tip 1: Easy on the throttle, then glide.
Gil says, "Most people accelerate way too hard from a stop. This wastes huge amounts of energy. You'll get much better mileage accelerating gently up to the speed limit. Once you're at the limit, then you need to glide." By this, Gil means releasing most of the pressure on the accelerator so you're using the bare minimum amount of power to maintain your speed. In most cars, this will enable the automatic transmission to shift into its highest, most efficient gear.
Tip 2: Anticipate traffic.
"I watch people drive and waste gas every day," Gil observed. "Most drivers don't pay attention to the flow of traffic. If you're in traffic, you know you're going to stop again, so anticipate that stop by easing off the accelerator pedal early and coasting as much as you can. Looking way down the road helps you anticipate traffic flow because you can see when traffic lights are going to change and how other cars are behaving." Gil knows that this driving technique won't put you in the pole position at every traffic light, but your mileage will go up, as will the life of your vehicle's braking system components.
Tip 3: Slow down on the highway.
"I drive 50 miles each way to work," Gil explained, "so I've had plenty of time to study and test techniques for getting the best highway fuel economy." The advice is not complex. "People just have to slow down," Gil noted. "Unless you work in an aerodynamic lab, you don't understand how much more energy it takes to push a car through the air at 75 mph than at 65 mph, but it's huge." During our drive, Gil went on to note that most cars have a "sweet spot" of efficiency between 65-70 mph, so you don't have to drive at snail-like speeds to improve your mileage, although driving between 55-65 mph will improve mileage even further.
Tip 4: Drive with the terrain, and drive smoothly.
"It takes more energy to climb a hill than roll down the other side," Gil said, pointing out the obvious. "So when you're on the highway, it's OK to lose a few miles per hour when you're driving up an incline. You can regain the lost speed when you head down the other side." While this tip may seem easy, it requires constant attention. "Some drivers will be better off just driving with their cruise control," he said. "This helps those drivers who are constantly on and off the accelerator. That kind of throttle control kills mileage. A smooth, steady accelerator pressure is much greener, regardless of the speeds you travel."
Hybrid Tip 1: Don't accelerate too slowly.
"This is something that trips up hybrid drivers; in their excitement to use only battery power, they accelerate too slowly from a stop. While super-gentle acceleration keeps the vehicle in electric-only mode, it also drains the batteries quickly, often causing the gasoline engine to come on just to recharge the battery pack." Instead of accelerating so slowly, accelerate with a bit more vigor, and then lift off the throttle. Once at speed (up to nearly 50 mph in the Fusion Hybrid), the gasoline engine will often shut completely off, leaving propulsion to the battery powered motor to maintain cruising speed. This technique yields maximum mileage.
Hybrid Tip 2: Keep the batteries charged.
All hybrids have two fuel tanks; one holds gasoline and the other electrons (the hybrid battery pack). Both "tanks" need to be kept full to go the farthest distance, but the process for filling up on electrons is a bit different than stopping at the gas station. "Coasting and gentle braking are the fastest and most efficient way to recharge your hybrid's batteries," Gil said. "On our Fusion, you can see by the gauges that when you coast or apply the brakes that the hybrid system is using the car's kinetic energy to recharge the batteries. The longer you can coast or gently slow down, the more energy you can store. Keeping the batteries above 50-percent full extends the distance you can run on battery power, saving fuel."
Ford versus Toyota -- The Hybrid Technology War of Words
There's a rumor going around that Ford is using Toyota-patented technology in their hybrid vehicles. The insinuation is that Ford is incapable of engineering their own competitive hybrid, so they are using Toyota's. According to Gil -- and this represents the official Ford Motor Company stance -- the rumor is completely untrue.
"When we started developing our hybrid system, it was the normal course of business to do a patent search," Gil explained. "We realized that some of our ideas might infringe on Toyota's hybrid patents. We contacted them. It just so happened that Toyota was developing some diesel engine technology that might infringe on existing patents owned by Ford. The companies decided to allow the patent infringement as kind of a trade."
Post your thoughts/Comments/Opinions/Suggestions
Thanks, & we wish U a Safe/Happy Day on your
`Highways of `Life
4-Sure
Last edited by Space; 05-01-2009 at 06:33 AM.
#3
05-01-2009, 09:16 AM
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Henderson, NV
Posts: 6,996
I have heard so many people talking about "Drive this way. Drive that way". Let him try to pull that crap back home and see if he doesnt get shot at for driving like that. I understand that the way you drive reflects on your mileage, but most of us here are doing the opposite. We are trying to see how to get more performance out of our cars. Either by a supercharger or turbo.
Gas mileage? What gas mileage. If i want to drive a 6th Gen with a V8, or a 4th Gen with a big block, its my choice. Otherwise, lets shut this site down or rename it I Drive A Prius .com and brag about the size of our batteries instead of track times.
just my 2 cents.
Gas mileage? What gas mileage. If i want to drive a 6th Gen with a V8, or a 4th Gen with a big block, its my choice. Otherwise, lets shut this site down or rename it I Drive A Prius .com and brag about the size of our batteries instead of track times.
just my 2 cents.
#4
05-01-2009, 09:26 AM
Monte Of The Month -- September 2009
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: providence, RI
Posts: 1,614
i don't have much to say about gas mileage, while it might be nice to get the mileage hybrids get i have never gotten any more than about 20+/- mpg in any car i've ever had. honestly i think the mileage in my monte is better than what i got out of my little corolla, so i can't complain.
#5
05-01-2009, 11:15 AM
J.J.,
I understand your point, and that's why I posted in the
Off Topic Thread.
I have not 4-gotten the $5 a gal price of `gas, and
it's starting to climb back `up slowly.
I don't think the price of gas will remain low.
I don't believe that a few posts on MPG is a reason
to shut down this site.
I think the article had some sound advise.
You can make some of the member's happy some of the time, but not all of the member's happy all of the time.
The future & govenment regulations are mandating
higher MPG's for all new vehicles.
Not my choice, but it's a fact.
my 10cents : )
I understand your point, and that's why I posted in the
Off Topic Thread.
I have not 4-gotten the $5 a gal price of `gas, and
it's starting to climb back `up slowly.
I don't think the price of gas will remain low.
I don't believe that a few posts on MPG is a reason
to shut down this site.
I think the article had some sound advise.
You can make some of the member's happy some of the time, but not all of the member's happy all of the time.
The future & govenment regulations are mandating
higher MPG's for all new vehicles.
Not my choice, but it's a fact.
my 10cents : )
#6
05-01-2009, 11:26 AM
Monte Of The Month -- August 2009
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Highland, IN
Posts: 5,827
#8
05-01-2009, 12:15 PM
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Henderson, NV
Posts: 6,996
I've done $5 a gallon when i lived in SoCal. And that never stopped me from going to the beach every chance i could. 
I guess as long as i could afford it, i'm still going to drive my MC and enjoy every mile.
I guess as long as i could afford it, i'm still going to drive my MC and enjoy every mile.
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