Hybridfest article

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07-23-2007, 03:53 AM

bwilson4web

Engineering first

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Join Date: Oct 2005

Location: Huntsville, AL

Posts: 5,613

Hybridfest article

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/new...4?OpenDocument

Quote:

Mileage mania: Saving fuel is goal of 'hypermilers'

By Elisa Crouch
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

07/23/2007

He once cared more about getting places fast, but Dan Callahan now is obsessed with squeezing as many miles as he can out of a gallon of gasoline.

Callahan, 43, a marketing executive in Clayton, drives his 2003 Civic Hybrid slowly — as in never over the speed limit. For city driving, he keeps the air conditioner off until he can't stand it. He takes his foot off the gas midblock if there's a red light ahead. He's always looking for the most downhill route.
. . .

Perhaps we'll see some technical content in the magazine articles.

Bob Wilson

07-23-2007, 04:57 AM

Sledge

YA RLY.

Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Saginaw, MI

Posts: 610

Re: Hybridfest article

Where were all of you guys? I was there. I even passed a few of the MPG Contest drivers on my way to the hotel (and still got a 54+ tank)

07-23-2007, 08:09 AM

bwilson4web

Engineering first

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Join Date: Oct 2005

Location: Huntsville, AL

Posts: 5,613

Re: Hybridfest article

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sledge

. . . I was there. I even passed a few of the MPG Contest drivers on my way to the hotel (and still got a 54+ tank)

So what was the driving route like this year? I understood last year, just about everyone got over 100 MPG.

http://www.prleap.com/pr/86684/

Quote:

The winners in the six divisions:

Division 1 (Honda Insight)
William Kinney of Kennewick, WA 168 MPG, (223% over EPA estimate of 52 MPG) driving a 2005 Honda Insight.

Division 2 (’04-’07 Toyota Prius)
Jerad Parish of Madison, WI, 110 MPG (139% over EPA estimate of 46 MPG) driving a 2005 Toyota Prius.

Division 3 (Civic Hybrid, ’00-’03 Toyota Prius)
Michael Beres of Free Soil, MI, 63 MPG (62% over EPA estimate of 41 MPG) driving a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid.

Division 4 (Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h, Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid, Chevy Silverado Hybrid)
Gary Gattis of Jupiter, FL, 60 MPG (100% over EPA estimate of 30 MPG) driving a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid.
. . .

What happened to the other two divisions or were there really just four?

Did you compete?

The three news reports from the event found with Google and Yahoo appeared to focus on just the driving contest, the drivers and made mention of just hypermiler driving techniques. They read as if it were just "Hyperfest."

Perhaps next year someone might enter a Hummer as a corporate entry from "CNW Artetting" with a driver "Spin Payola". The 'driver' could protest any Toyota awards by holding up a copy of "Dust-to-Dust" and claiming "this proves I won!" . . . too subtle?

Bob Wilson

07-23-2007, 10:56 AM

Sledge

YA RLY.

Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Saginaw, MI

Posts: 610

Re: Hybridfest article

Nah. I didn't compete. I'm too much of a leadfoot to get really high MPG. If I get mid-50's, I'm happy

I talked to a few of the drivers and many stated it was much more difficult than last year.

07-23-2007, 11:32 AM

msantos

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Join Date: Jun 2006

Location: Winnipeg, MB

Posts: 1,191

Re: Hybridfest article

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

What happened to the other two divisions or were there really just four?

Did you compete?

Bob, according to Linda there were no cars for the other divisions. Only Insights, Prius and FEH were entered into the competition.
Next year I may enter and change that depending on whether I go to HF2008 on the Prius or HCH-II.

Cheers;

MSantos