50 mpg? - GreenHybrid

pcrickman · #1 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 10:28 PM

How are you getting 50+ mpgs? Traffic and hills make it very hard to get this. I almost have to "coast" around town. If I step on the gas - it goes way down.

JJanney · #2 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:02 AM

How long have you had the car? What is your driving style? I easily achieve more than 60+ mpg on my daily commute. I kept 54.4 mpg today on the highway on a 70 mile trip. It is all about how you actuate the pedal.

livvie · #3 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:19 AM

Well... it's easy to achieve that in FL. Try doing that in New England where the smallest of hills is a mountain in FL.

zadscmc · #4 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:20 AM

Check your tire, pressure, too.

I run my 2004 HCH MT, Bridgestones at the sidewall max of 44. It makes a big difference. I can regularly get 60+mpg in the Spring through Fall.

gonavy · #5 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:26 AM

coast coast coast. keep your foot off the gas unless you must a) speed up or b) maintain speed. If you know there's a stop in 1/4 mile, take your foot off and glide. The people behind you will get the picture in a few seconds when they realize there's a red light ahead. And once stopped, avoid 'creeping' up just to fill a few carlengths of space.

With the proper techniques that you can learn from reading here, you can actually get better MPG from hills than onflat in some cases.

I'm in an Accord, and regularly punch my commutes over 42mpg. And no I don't shut the engine off to glide, either. It stays in gear all the time.

lkewin · #6 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:27 AM

Polly, Hang in there and don't give up. Lots of factors in addition to driving with a light foot on the peddle, involved in getting top mileage. Air temperature (warmer is better), terrain (flat is better) , average trip length (longer is better, as computer limits battery change and assist until battery is up to temp) tire pressure (higher is better), amount of stop-n-go and a host of other factors. You are having the same issues I am having, as you drive on hilly terrain. I would bet you can keep your instantaneous MPG in the 60-70 range when it is warm and you’re cruising on fairly flat highways? JJanney is from FL, so has a lot of the above in his favor.

sri_gondi · #7 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:42 AM

Hey,I have 2006 HCH and I run around 60 miles every day for my work and I always run the car on cruise control at 60 miles per hour and I got 49 MPG with both downtown and highway traffic.I am in Boston,MA.I havent done any tricks to get this MPG it just came by itself.I try to use the cruise control as much as I can as It would be less effort for me.

kenny · #8 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:56 AM

Actuate?

Huh?

JJanney · #9 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenny

Actuate?

Huh?

Does press work better for you? I can keep my I-MPG gauge above 50 most times with minimal pedal effort.

sri_gondi · #10 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 10:07 AM

Kinda a relaxing to use cruise..thats it.when I am in a good mood i use the pedal most of the time maintaing the required speed.