Hello I am new here. I have an 03 HCH with 61,000 miles. I think I have fairly good driving technique, but reading more here, I know there's room for improvement. Where can I learn more about Hypermilage driving. I always use CC, even when climbing hills. I maintain my cruse speed up hill, and cancel CC to coast down hill. Should I cancel out of CC before the hill and let my speed slow down while climbing? I drive a lot of cross country and I find the biggest factor in MPG is wind direction. The difference in a tail wind or head wind can be more than 10 MPG!

Has anyone made any performance or instrumentation mods to their hybrids? I haven't, but I would like to see instrumention that measures wind speed and GPS ground speed, then calculates a delta, kind of like in an airplane. Also it would be interesting to see a cluster of volt and amp meters that show actuall IMA battery volategs and charging current.

I think manufactores should install Smart Cruise Controll in their Hybrids. The CC would be interfaced with GPS road mapping and radar proximity sensors. The CC would adjust speed for traffic (like some high end cars do now), adjust speed for elevation changes (that it knows in advance from GPS road map data), and adjusts speed in relation to wind speed and direction. Perhaps there could be a dash button to switch between regular and smart CC mode. For example if you're driving in a lot of trafic you may not want the speed to be varying with elevation change.

see all you guys later

-Eric

2003 Honda Civic Hybrid
1999 Acura NSX Alex Zanardi Edition #02
1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo

 

Your cruise ideas are pretty cool. GPS is also very cool but not very reliable in all weather and road conditions. GPS works great out in the open but it does not work well at all in big citys or anywere else stuff gets in the way.Well that is entirely up to you. Cruise work great on flat roads or when you want to keep a certain speed but it is not the best for max mileage. The ultimate mpg way to climb hill is not very practial when driving in traffic or if you are at all in a hurry. Here it is anyway in case you can use parts of it:

Ultimate hill climb method

Get a runing start so you can climb as much of the hill in top gear as you can. lose speed to the hill so you barely make it over. Shut the car off completely (reboot) before you get to the top so you are going like 5mph as you crest the hill. Let the downhill speed you back up with the car off.

I use this method going home from work at midnight when there is no traffic.

 

Yes.
Performance mod:
My Dunlops are rated at 51PSI and that's where I keep them.
I just had my 40K maintenance along with the software recall done and saw my MPG drop by 6-7 over the past couple of days since the work was completed.
Then I realized that I forgot to request my tire pressure to the dealer ....and upon checking sure enough the rascals under inflated them to only 32PSI.

Which brings me to my instrumentation mod:
A good, reliable, accurate tire pressure gauge.

You're right about the wind...Tropical storm Dennis came through and since then have had 10-30MPH headwind durring the day, and windless nights back home.
Oh, how I hate that !!

Anyway glad to have you in the community and lots of us are willing to help with your questions.

 

Just for you: http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd355.htm

 

OMG I just saw this. Drool! What a fantastic car!!! I've got a Vette so it is pretty hard to make me drool for a car but you did it my friend.

Is that NSX the bomb or what?

 

It's a very fun car to drive. High reving engine and amazing handling. I also get 26 mpg highway. Is your Covette the Z06 model?

-Eric

 

No but it looks like one. It is a 2000 Hardtop that predates the Z06. It has 345 hp and it is rated 27 mpg highway, not bad as well. I almost hit 40 mpg using hypermile techniques for one tank.