Hi Lakedude:

___Let me pass to you a short story and another side of the coin … Do you remember my little test drive in the brand new (non-hybrid) 04 Accord w/ Auto EX-L w/ NAVI last September? If not, here are the highlights:

EPA City/Highway/Combined 24/34/29: 15 miles city/13 miles highway - less then 20 miles on the odometer - 40 #’s in the Michelin’s - low 70 degree temps.

Result: 28 miles with a 44.3 mpg average per the FCD.
EPA combined: 29 mpg/Hypermiled combined: 44.3 mpg.

___Did you receive 52% better then combined (44.3 mpg vs. 29 mpg) in an ~ 50% City/Highway drive or even if compared to straight highway (44.3 mpg vs. 34 mpg and this was not a pure highway test drive), 30% better then EPA estimates on your first tank in your HCH? Do the math and you will have a better understanding. We both know the tricks to hypermile hybrid’s and non-hybrid’s alike. The AH pilots amongst us (except for 1 ) do not just yet and it is not because they are not trying, just lack of experience, unknown setup, and a lack of great weather and temps. Hopefully the AH with NAVI pilots will use their included FCD’s to learn from the Instantaneous’ as we have learned from our own game gauge equipped automobiles with either the rudimentary Average or the much more advanced Instantaneous’ we both have honed our skills on.

___As it stands, I am not entirely happy about either the AH’s or the Escape HEV’s tank over tank performances to date but lets give the AH and Escape HEV owners some time to both learn and advance as we did. Given the temperatures we are experiencing around the country; hopefully we will see improvement in the very near future. After all, without my game gauge experience in the MDX or your own in the Vette(s), do you really think we could jump behind the wheel of an AH and hit hypermiler like averages just by driving like we used too?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net