I bought my hybrid on the 26th of June and left for an 80 day road trip on the 287th. We did 15,000 miles in the following 80 days, ending with a 2,100 mile binge with no stops longer than 20 minutes.

Want to know how the HCH did? It did great! We drove on some of the interstates with 75 MPH speed limits (at 90 MPH) so sometimes the MPG was pretty poor. The worst tank was 41 MPG and the best was 56 MPG. Keep in mind that we drove the car hard, i'm not personally willing to put my flshers on and be "that guy" just for my MPG. Creating a traffic jam is selfish, silly, and not as fun as flooring it.

Although Colorado is great for the downhills and consequently for tank averages, there were frequent times in that state (and in others) where we could not actually make the speed limit. (Floored, in 3rd going 60 or worse.)

Our 80 day average comes to 48.41 MPG. I don't really know how you could ever do worse than 45 on the highway, as we drove the car at 90 MPH pretty frequently. There were two of us humans, and about 200 pounds of gear.

If you have any questions for me, check out my car stats (I was guessing for most of the "state" fields, I didn't think to keep track of that) and ask me some questions.

Short response: take your HCH anywhere, it's a real car (unlike the insight), it's not ugly (unlike the pirus) and we're saving the plannet. (I realize the hypocracy in being an eco-concious road tripper (let alone one that drives at 90 MPH) but we just graduated college and the road was a-calling.)

Thanks for posting that, great job!
I'm a larger guy, 6 feet 3 inches and 225 pounds.
I don't think I could stay in the car for more then 2-3 hours without an extended streatch break.
But that's just me.

Looking forward to your future achievements to go into the Hyper Miler listt!

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT

Great job with the mileage on your trip. We did a much shorter trip after buying our hybrid in Colorado where we drove to California. It was only about 2000 miles.

We didn't get particularly good mileage (<44 mpg). Maybe it was because we didn't drive as long/far as you did, but we also didn't drive 90 mph or anywhere close to that either.
I wonder what the differences might be. . .

A huge thing is mountain hills, they were great for our MPG. Going up the hill, the worst you can do is about 20 MPG reasonably, or on average, but coming down you get 120+. So if the hill is the same distance down you get an average of 70 mpg on that (at least) -- assuming you let your car charge and don't gas it on the way down.

Another thing, when you're down to 5 or 6 bars it is super stingy on how much electricity you're given. If you have it floored in 3rd gear and it's begging you for 2nd, then let up on the accelerator then floor it again and you'll get another 5 seconds of help, keep doing that. It's an especially good technique if you know where the top of the hill is, if you don't then be more careful.

I bet you all noticed, but there's portions of the accelerator that are for just gas, and then just electricity then gas again. Like when charged fully the first 20% is mostly gas, then the next 60% is mostly electricity then sort of a combo. So, letting way up on the accelerator's not messing too much with how much gas is being flooded but gives it reason to help you out when you re-floor it.

Was too bad we didn't have a sun-roof, by the way. Why didn't honda have that option? Too much wind drag?

Hi Gargamel:

___You came in like a Texas Twister with all the “Insight is an unreal car” stuff … Then again, the Insight is an unreal car. That is in regards to its fuel economy capabilities

___About those mountains and hills, do the math … If you received 20 miles/1 gallon up and you received 20 miles/0 gallons down (infinite fuel economy as if the ICE was shutdown over the same 20 miles down), you have only achieved 40 miles/1 gallon plus the short available coast at the bottom of said hill or mountain. It is not a simple average of the two. College kids … Sheesh.

___If you want your pack to last for 5 + years, might I suggest using it when you really need it instead of what sounds like continuous use while climbing? The smallish ICE is plenty capable to climb every highway here in the states and it would behoove you to use it exclusively for such activity instead. Your fuel economy should improve with this method in mind as well …

___Good Luck

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

Gargamel,
You "simple" equation for the amoutn of gas vs. electricity is off. The pedal works just like on a normal ICE, it is directly connected to the throttle body, more pedal, more air, more power. The car's computer just senses the pedal position and other criteria and decides how much boost to give you.
Cheers,
Steven

PS. Wayne is correct about the mountain thing.

Hidden Views Photography

Yeah, I realized that my mountain equation was stupid as soon as I left my computer. Sorry, that was pretty dumb.

Stevo:
My "simple" equation is pretty correct for 5th gear at 40 MPH fully charged, I realize that it's controlled by a computer, but I do think it's important to realize that at some point the MPG will stay the same and you can get more speed just from the electricity if you want.

First of all, it's not "plenty capable". If I have to floor it in 2nd gear at 40MPH when the speed limit is 75, I consider that a failure. The strategy I introduced helps maintain higher speeds and I developed it as a way to trick the IMA to help more when I know it can. The fuel economy isn't reduced because it's already using maximum gas, just not giving me the assist I want.

by the way, by calling the insight not a real car, i guess i'm just pointing out that it's a commuter car, no road trip car at all. take offense if you want... (plus it's ugly)

Gargamel,
Yes, i understand that it will only go down to 20 mpg or so. That is due to the fact that the assist will keep it over/at that or that is simply the amount of air that the engine moves at WOT (wide open throttle). I was mainly staiting that the gas pedal is not split into pieces of assist/ICE. It is directly connected to the TB and assist is controlled by the computer.
Cheers,
Steven

PS. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Hidden Views Photography