Adapting Basic Hypermiling Techniques to the HCH-II - GreenHybrid

tigerhonaker · #1 (**permalink**) 07-09-2006, 12:14 PM

Section I - Setup, Driving Routine, and FE Testing

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid
See This Amazing Vehicle at "Hybridfest 2006" · Slide Show · Next image »

The HCH-II - Honda’s most fuel efficient 4-door sedan

This article describes my personal experience in adapting basic hypermiling techniques to the HCH-II.
More advanced techniques such as FAS , Drafting, and P&G are not covered here but hopefully there will be a future article on these as well. Owners of earlier HCH models might also find some information here applicable to their automobile but this article is really meant to be specific to the HCH-II.

I divided the article into 3 sections for better understanding and readability. I hope you find the same.

Driving the HCH-II involves much more of your senses than driving other non-hybrid and even some hybrid automobiles: Not only are you watching your instrumentation closely, you are also observing the road, timing traffic lights, noticing terrain, listening to the engine and gear train, and feeling the car's actions from the seat of your pants, as well as through your foot all at the same time!

This is a "Very-Detailed" Article and {Written} in (Layman's Terms).
This Article took the Author, Tarabell, and the Editor, Xcel, literally Days and Days to type and Edit for Final Print. It is Very-Long but Extremely Beneficial to {All-HCH II-Owners}.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1306

BTW;

You are getting the Very-Best of information here. Pictures of a Loaded-Up HCH II with After-Market-Alloy-Wheels. Then this Wonderful Down-to-Earth Article on the HCH II. Enjoy All

PCK · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2006, 05:10 AM

Thanks for posting that here it is a very well thought out and written article.

tigerhonaker · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2006, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PCK

Thanks for posting that here it is a very well thought out and written article.

Thanks for the very nice (Comment). It is Appreciated.

Terry

BTW, I will see to it that Tarabell and Xcel also read your Comment.

mickster · #4 (**permalink**) 07-10-2006, 09:30 PM

Great article. Made me understand some ideas and concepts better, and also confirmed some things I wondered about (drag when regen is on)....

BUT!! I do worry about removing the fuse for Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

I forget which Scandinavian nation did the test, but accidents, especially head on collisions are reduced by some 40-60% when using DRL. I have driven with my lights on for 11 years and I feel safer and know I can be seen head on as well as enabling the driver in front of me to see me, especially at dusk and dawn as well as midday in harsh sunlight.

I strongly recommend not making your care unsafe just for a few MPG-the $$ are not worth the risk.

Besides, if you have an accident-and you get the DRL discount on your insurance, and further investigation yields that your fuse was removed, an insurance company could REFUSE a claim and an opposing shark lawyer could use it in a negligence suit. You have every right to modify your car as you see fit-but safety equipment-which is what I consider DRL, is something not to be messed with.

In NY we are required to drive with our lights on if our windshield wipers are on (it's a law on the books for some 20 years) and I can tell you, in the instances I might forget to put them on, I do know that with DRL I am more visible during the rain.

tigerhonaker · #5 (**permalink**) 07-10-2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickster

Great article. Made me understand some ideas and concepts better, and also confirmed some things I wondered about (drag when regen is on)....

BUT!! I do worry about removing the fuse for Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

I forget which Scandinavian nation did the test, but accidents, especially head on collisions are reduced by some 40-60% when using DRL. I have driven with my lights on for 11 years and I feel safer and know I can be seen head on as well as enabling the driver in front of me to see me, especially at dusk and dawn as well as midday in harsh sunlight.

I strongly recommend not making your care unsafe just for a few MPG-the $$ are not worth the risk.

Besides, if you have an accident-and you get the DRL discount on your insurance, and further investigation yields that your fuse was removed, an insurance company could REFUSE a claim and an opposing shark lawyer could use it in a negligence suit. You have every right to modify your car as you see fit-but safety equipment-which is what I consider DRL, is something not to be messed with.

In NY we are required to drive with our lights on if our windshield wipers are on (it's a law on the books for some 20 years) and I can tell you, in the instances I might forget to put them on, I do know that with DRL I am more visible during the rain.

I Agree with you 100 %.

Terry

msantos · #6 (**permalink**) 07-11-2006, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickster

BUT!! I do worry about removing the fuse for Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

I forget which Scandinavian nation did the test, but accidents, especially head on collisions are reduced by some 40-60% when using DRL. I have driven with my lights on for 11 years and I feel safer and know I can be seen head on as well as enabling the driver in front of me to see me, especially at dusk and dawn as well as midday in harsh sunlight.

I agree. Defeating the DRL system is not advisable in Canada as well. If I recall, by law, all vehicles sold after 1989 in Canada must be equipped with DRL in order to meet its safety HWY requirements.

As you said, that was based on several studies completed at the time that showed a measurable benefit to highway safety.

However, for those HCHII owners in countries or regions not bound by such regulations, Tarabell's suggestion appears beneficial primarily for FE purposes.

MS

chesleyn · #7 (**permalink**) 07-18-2006, 10:48 PM

Read the article. 53.6 mpg on this tank. Nice. I also removed my DRL fuse.

ElanC · #8 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickster

Great article. Made me understand some ideas and concepts better, and also confirmed some things I wondered about (drag when regen is on)....

BUT!! I do worry about removing the fuse for Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

Excellent article! As you note, too bad it begins with a bad piece of advice - to remove the DRL fuse.

AndrueC · #9 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msantos

I agree. Defeating the DRL system is not advisable in Canada as well. If I recall, by law, all vehicles sold after 1989 in Canada must be equipped with DRL in order to meet its safety HWY requirements.

As you said, that was based on several studies completed at the time that showed a measurable benefit to highway safety.

However, for those HCHII owners in countries or regions not bound by such regulations, Tarabell's suggestion appears beneficial primarily for FE purposes.

MS

Other studies have, however, found that DRL comes at the expense of pedestrians and cyclists. The problem seems to be that it raises the threshold of visibility and non-motorised traffic has no way of competing.

philmcneal · #10 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 04:12 AM

^^ .2mpg i wonder how much does that translate in Litersper100km... haha oh but its useful when the day is just about to get dark and you don't want to turn on your headlights just yet, just for personal reasons.