you didn't describe the weather conditions, and I take it you were driving at least 80 mph. You had 3 stops. Without the three stops you would have to have driven around 74 mph. If I stay close to 60 mph, my tank stays mid to high 50 mpg even when it is 30-40 degrees. I get over 60 mpg when the temp gets closer to 70. 80 mph is not efficient for ANY car. You are still getting nearly twice the average vehicle at that speed. It is all relative (and not your cousin ).

 

Hi Everyone;

A Thought Now that I have read the Post so far I know that I made the right decision on Ordering my HCH ll. That tells me if I want to get on down the Interstate that, guess what it will still get fantasic mileage compared to a Non-Hybrid under the same conditions.

I'm glad this question was ask and you members took the time to answer.

A Sunny day for the Hybrids is what I say.

Terry

No Matter what, they Perform:

 

Im going to throw the normal car into this disscusion. We had a funeral to attend in Mena , Arkansas yesterday. A 415 mile round trip into one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

It was in the mid 40's temp wise for most of our driving time. Very windy. Not a good day for FE. Car was loaded down with 3 adults. With 1600 miles on the odo.

Leave Okmulgee, Ok. heading south on hwy 75. Then east on interstate 40 to Sallisaw, Ok. That was all 4 lane with speeds between 60 and 90 mph. We then headed south on hwy 59. 59 is almost all twisty up and down two lane that takes us thru small towns and local flare. Speeds on hwy 59 range from 0 to 75 mph. Arriving in Mena at 9:15am ready for a 10am funeral, we find out it's at 2pm. Not 10 am as we where told 2 days ago. Nice how nobody called to let us know. Damed x-wifes family!

So with basicly 4 hours to burn before said event. We tool around Mena and go by house's we use to own or live in, check out how the little town has changed. We then make a run up Rich Mt. for a look at Queen Whilimina State Park. A very senic drive but not a FE drive at all. Stoping at vista's so my daughter can snap afew pics and showing her mate the land she spent summers on and other good times in her life. Some of these grades require WOT no matter what your driving. Its very demanding. Speeds are fairly slow at 45 mph or under. Its very twisty with great elevation changes in the road. Going and coming. After a good time on the mountain. Its lunch and funeral time.

Time to leave little dixie as we call it. Head north on hwy 71 out of Mena bound for Fort Smith, Arkansas. This section of the trip is 80 miles of two lane hwy with twist and turns and elavation changes that make a disney ride seem tame. Speed limit of 55 mph. Ive seen everything this road has to offer 1k times. I drive it at 60 and 65 mph. Made my one and only two lane hwy pass of the day on 71. Visted with friends. Then made our way across Fort Smith, back into Oklahoma. Got on interstate 40 west and headed home.

This trip returned 36 mpg. Not to start anything. But it would have killed a hybrid. I ran into a prius II owner at the funeral. When they lived in Little Rock they got high 40's mpg. Now living in Mena, they are in the high 30's mpg. They where eyeing my ex civic as a replacement for there prius. They where happy to see barely a half a tank of fuel being used to get to Mena and a Rich Mt. run. And the added extra power thats needed in the mountains. They confessed there hybrid has taken a beating since moving to Mena. And isnt at all suited for the enviroment that they now live in.

It was a very long day

 

Why do people have this idea that hybrids are ONLY good for conditions that give good fuel economy?

A hybrid gets better MPG than a non-hybrid on any route in any weather.

 

Kenny.

That should have been writ large in red letters, it is a basic fact which we all need reminding of, on a regular basis

 

Would you explain that?

I live at the top of an 800 ft hill, two miles from the freeway at zero elevation. The climb has sections with a 20% grade. The HCH handles it just fine. And, with assist applied on the uphill and regen on the downhill, I'm sure I get at least 20% better FE than a comparable non-hybrid without even thinking about it. If I wanted to break the law and climb the hill at 40 MPH the hybrid might not do it. But that's not how I drive, so it's not an issue.

 

This is a area of the country thats very hard on all cars, trucks and there drivers. Google earth Mena, Ar. Its 60 miles of hills in any direction. Basicly 80 miles to a freeway in any direction. I was very impressed with the 36 mpg my ex got on the drive. Talking with the couple that have a prius. They love there car. But they admit its hard on it and the best they see now is 38 mpg. even with assist its hard pulls everywhere. OOO but then theres the coast and regen apsect. It has to be the good. NOT!! Your in the brakes getting around the next curve and there goes your speed,, to just look at another hill or mt. and no matter what you do. Your in the gas again. Straight and near level,, its 80 miles away.

I did not mean to say a hybrid would die there. Or indcate that. The area acclerates wear and tear on all cars and trucks. You see a 100k mile car come out of that area its used up.

 

I disagree that there is no "right hybrid" for those conditions. The right hybrid for those conditions is the one that has the best mileage when driven in those conditions. Though I haven't done any experiments, I would expect the '06 Civic to be best under those conditions for the following reasons:

At very fast speeds, almost all the work involved in driving is overcoming drag. Also, since that sort of driving is steady load for the most part, the electric drivetrain itself isn't as much of a factor as other conditions. The efficiency of the ICE itself is more important as a result.

The Civic has an excellent engine, with a lot of work done on reducing internal friction, which matters when revving higher for long period of time. It also has a very streamlined body. As a result, I would expect it to do best driving at fast highway speeds (read 75mph+) compared to other hybrids, though closest to the Prius which is also very streamlined.

The next most significant load when driving fast is rolling resistance. Pumping up the tires a bit to a level that is still safely within the max sidewall of the tires, but higher than the stock level (which seems mushy and underinflated to me anyway) should make a bigger difference at those fast highway speeds than in other driving conditions as well.

For longer road trips where I drive 75-80 in my '03 Civic Hybrid, I've managed to average in the mid 40s. Driving 60mph yields about 60mpg. This means each hour saved by going 75-80 vs 60 costs about $3.50 in fuel at $2.25 gasoline. As a result, on daily commutes I just go with the flow in the middle lanes. That could be anywhere from 65 to 75 mph. For long trips though, I just pay the price and drive faster, rather than spend so much of the day driving.

 

Okay guys. No holy wars.

 

Application:

Terry

BTW; Thanks for sharing.