Hey HCH Drivers!

In the Honda_Civic_Hybrid yahoo group, the following was posted:

Yikes!

Hey, Steve (Hot_Georgia_2004)! You're pretty close!
Maybe you can beat it sometime this summer!

I know I'm going to try to. :lol:

jinno

 

Wait a second. It looks like buzz70 broke 60 MPG
on a tank with his Voltswagon.

Wow!

 

Hi All:

___Have you seen Rick Reece’s 01 Prius numbers on its last tank? Oh my god!

___The Prius drivers should be watching for his explanation of load technique in that particular automobile. I can imagine it will only be a short period of time and the load display will be available for the 04’s as well …

___Good Luck

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

 

Hi
I just filled up today and almost hit 59MPG.
I managed my tank average above 60 for 5 days. Then, due to conditions beyond my control (Don't we all HATE those!) and both my daily commutes yesterday & today required 100% freeway 68-75MPH commutes.
I'll take the 58.9 as it continues to improve.

Thanks for noticing and that illusive 60MPG "Prize" tank is right around the bend.
Steve

 

I've had my 2003 Civic Hybrid for almost 2 years now, and by looking at my tank data, you'll see that it's only gotten better so far.

This past winter, the mileage was up about 2-3 mpg than the previous year. The summer mpg was about the same -- 2-3 mpg higher. This year, looking at my charts, I'm about where I was last year -- so I should see my overall mileage still go up some.

I know that many people on the Yahoo forums state that they don't like to drive as far as I do on a tank of gas, but it's always been my rule to drive until the low fuel light comes on, especially in this car. I usually have about 1.75 gallons left when it comes on, which is at least 80 miles to go in this car. I figure, the less I have to fill up, the better, because I pollute more when I fill up the car, with all that vapor escaping.

I've had good mileage out of this 5-speed pretty much right from the start. I've driven the CVT as well, but I'm convinced that the 5-speed does better in mpg for two reasons:

1) The auto-stop is much more controllable, and easily attained even after a creep;
2) It's much easier to keep the car in lean-burn mode due to a lower strain on the engine than the CVT.

All other things being equal, and having driven both in the same areas around town, the 5 speed seems to do better because of this.

Mark

 

I hardly ever drive my 2004 HCH on the highway... so I've been averaging about 44-45 mpg in the past three months since I bought my car.... my commute to work is short (I try to ride my bike a lot because it only takes about 4 minutes to drive from my house to my office). I can't always bike, especially in Texas where it's so hot out.

My question is, for all of you getting such good mpg, I'm assuming that's highway driving, correct? Is it all the stoplights that are killing my mpg, or am I doing something wrong? One time when I filled up and drove on the highway I was at 49. something, but the minute I went back to city driving it dropped to 47 then 46 then 45. I've never seen it go over 50 though, much less 60.

 

Hi SteveJust:

___A 4 minute drive in an all-urban environment? You are doing great to receive what you do! The real high mileage comes from the highway drivers doing some distance after warm up and a great overall setup.

___Since you have a multitude of information available to you from the various FCD’s, the next time you are out on a very flat portion of highway with no wind and a warmed up automobile, drive 50 mph for a stretch and see where your instantaneous is. Drive 55 mph for a stretch after that and see where it is. And so on and so on. High pressure in the tires will help tremendously here. Leave the advance techniques and setup in the tool box for the moment and just see what she is capable of on the highway in case you were concerned. I believe Hot-Georgia_2004 sees short bursts of 70 - 80 mpg on the Instantaneous at 50 + mph himself with his CVT base HCH. I am sure he will chime in within the hour to provide additional feedback.

___Good Luck

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

 

Thanks Stevejust.
WOW what a long post this turned out to be! Sorry about that.

4 Minutes I would guess about 2 miles.
I think you are doing pretty good for 45MPG over that distance, given many stop lights along the way. If you are not doing this already try to time the lights if possible so you don't have to stop: if you have to stop on a decline leave a space or two in front of you and begin rolling before the car in front does, accelerate gradually etc.

My drive to work:
Leave house at 4:20PM
Over all trip is 50 hilly Miles from rural N. Georgia into Atlanta.

22 miles on country highway 45-55MPH limit, first 11 miles several Kfeet incline, the rest of the way is a gradual decline. At 22 miles I jump onto a moderately busy I85 freeway into Atlanta. All the way is some larger hills with a few "monster" hills.
2 miles from work I exit onto one of the worst traffic intersections of the city at 5:15PM. 5 stoplights (On somesevere inclines) usually drop my average MPG by 1 or 1.5.
Arrival MPG is typically 59-61 working the A/C load if I must going downhill only.
MPG is typically 60-62 without the A/C.
Highway speeds are typically 38-55MPH and freeway is 52-65MPH.

Today was running very late and had to take freeway all the way.
Working the A/C load only occasionaly and always downhill got me 56.3MPG.
This is driving 60-72MPH all the way.

Trip home:
Leave work at 2:00AM and jump right onto an almost deserted freeway.
First 30 miles to the exit is a gradual incline of several thousand feet. A real MPG battle.
I typically exit the freeway and have around 55MPG onto generally flat 12 miles broken up with constant hills. (Does that make any sense?)
Only here I get a chance to get some lean burn. My last 11 miles are pretty much constantly gradual decline and keep it in high leanburn (+100MPG or more) most of the way home. 3 miles from home begins a mile long valley which begins 4 MONSTER hills...these things likely total 1 to 1.5Kfeet over 2 miles. They usually lower by 1MPG.

Since by this time it is 3:05AM the roads are abandoned. I pass the only stop light in town, gradually make my speed to the limit (35MPH), turn my engine off, reboot the car and roll 1.5 miles right up into my subdivision. After a BRIEF restart for a very short burst of power I roll up the road, through the gate and down the hill right into the parking cover.
Typically get 60-62MPG on arrival.

Stevejust,
My driving situation is vastly different than yours and I think you are doing good.
In my own situation I am still finding more bad habbits and techniques, shortcuts to improve performance and MPG together: Only recently took the HCH out for some MPG performance tests.
Not sure if those will help but the tests were all ran on a slight incline on only a 1/2 mile strip of highway.
If you are really serious about improving your MPG numbers the next time you drive try to notice EVRERY thing you do while you are doing it and ask yourself if there is any way to conserve. Watch your instant FCD it will tell you how you are doing.
Read carefully the article driving for efficiency which was written myself but the bulk of the more valuable lessons I recieved from Wayne. (Thanks). The only thing I would change there is accelerating technique given my testing data.

For Waynes question:
On a flat road, zero wind and at least 80's temp my HCH will sustain
50MPH at 84MPG (80 +1bar).
60MPH at about 64MPG
70MPH at about 54MPG.
80MPH at about 44 MPG

42-48MPH seems to be it's MPG "Sweet spot".
THanks

 

Thanks for the inputs. I'm now keeping it pretty steady at 45 mpg with the ac on in stop and go traffic. I think that might be the best I can hope for given the kind of driving I typically do...

I guess I'll just try to ride my bike more and drive less.

 

I want a 60 MPG tank.
I raised the tire pressure from 32 to 40 when my current tank was half full.
BTW I got 63.5 on my Tues commute.

I have 59.4 for the tank now with about 60% of the tank consumed.
It is Thursday and I'm worried.
I get great MPG on my commute Mon - Fri.

It is the weekends with all the short trips that wrecks my MPG.
Maybe I'll get a bike.
Would that be cheating?

This is nuts.
This car has made me into a total weirdo.
Get a bike!?!
Really!