HCH II City FE
#1
10-05-2006, 11:05 PM
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: King Arnold's Domain
Posts: 60
HCH II City FE
To those HCH II owners who use their vehicle primarily for short trips of 10 miles or less, what is your average FE? Thanks.
#4
10-06-2006, 08:10 AM
Re: HCH II City FE
These are my summer & fall mpgs:
My commute is 6.1 miles over a 45 mph speed limit road (hilly terrain, 2 stop signs, 3 lights & a 15 mph school zone). I usually average 52 to 54 mpg during non-school hours. Slowing down for the school hour 15 mph lowers my mpgs to 48 mpg. Stopping and slowing down for short commutes is killer on mpgs.
On perfect driving conditions (only 2 stops & all green lights) I have averaged as high as 65 mpg driving to work (60% downhill 40% uphill) and 56 mpg back home (40% downhill & 60% uphill).
The uphill & downhill slopes on my commute seem to be almost perfectly offsetting. I do not coast downhill, I try to maintain the same pedal pressure for the downhill descents as I do for the slight uphill ascents. As a result, I am usually speeding downhill and then falling back to the speed limit for the uphill climbs. At no point do I try to drive below the speed limit to maximize my mpgs. Rather, I use my downhill momentum to minimizes gas consumption for my mild uphill climbs.
My commute is 6.1 miles over a 45 mph speed limit road (hilly terrain, 2 stop signs, 3 lights & a 15 mph school zone). I usually average 52 to 54 mpg during non-school hours. Slowing down for the school hour 15 mph lowers my mpgs to 48 mpg. Stopping and slowing down for short commutes is killer on mpgs.
On perfect driving conditions (only 2 stops & all green lights) I have averaged as high as 65 mpg driving to work (60% downhill 40% uphill) and 56 mpg back home (40% downhill & 60% uphill).
The uphill & downhill slopes on my commute seem to be almost perfectly offsetting. I do not coast downhill, I try to maintain the same pedal pressure for the downhill descents as I do for the slight uphill ascents. As a result, I am usually speeding downhill and then falling back to the speed limit for the uphill climbs. At no point do I try to drive below the speed limit to maximize my mpgs. Rather, I use my downhill momentum to minimizes gas consumption for my mild uphill climbs.
#6
10-06-2006, 08:41 AM
Re: HCH II City FE
Originally Posted by SodaGuy
To those HCH II owners who use their vehicle primarily for short trips of 10 miles or less, what is your average FE? Thanks.
40 - 55MPG would be the typical range.
For many of us driving a hybrid, the most enjoyable aspects of the vehicles performance is seeing the trip computer MPG go higher and higher. Using the instant MPG display, for most drivers, it naturally changes your driving habits. I drive 100 miles daily with the split being 45 % of driving hwy and 55% city. When there is limited or no traffic, I find it easiest to milk higher MPG on the city portion of my trip. When there are drivers behind me, I tend to accelerate a little faster and make sure I drive at least the speed limit - this simply consumes more fuel...
Regardless of how you drive (or end up driving after buying a hybrid), you will always get significantly more MPG than the same (or similar) non-hybrid vehicle.
#7
10-06-2006, 09:12 AM
Re: HCH II City FE
EricT,
Stop & Go's for short trips are a killer on gas mileage for the HCH II. Does'nt matter how frugal you are on the gas pedal. Each time you stop you will expend a lot of gas to get started again. On my short 6.1 mile commute, each stop typically reduces the current average by 2-3 mpg. So on a 10 mile trip with 10 or more stops, it would not surprise me if you only averaged 35-37 mpg. You unfortunately drive under the worst conditions for a HCH II owner (true city driving). You might do better with a Prius, they can start from a dead stop using only battery energy.
Stop & Go's for short trips are a killer on gas mileage for the HCH II. Does'nt matter how frugal you are on the gas pedal. Each time you stop you will expend a lot of gas to get started again. On my short 6.1 mile commute, each stop typically reduces the current average by 2-3 mpg. So on a 10 mile trip with 10 or more stops, it would not surprise me if you only averaged 35-37 mpg. You unfortunately drive under the worst conditions for a HCH II owner (true city driving). You might do better with a Prius, they can start from a dead stop using only battery energy.
Last edited by Gobbles; 10-06-2006 at 09:17 AM.
#8
10-06-2006, 09:51 AM
Re: HCH II City FE
SodaGuy,
I am in the Sacto area too, but my commute is mostly highway (I actaully live up the hill toward Placerville and only commute to Rancho Cordova). Any time I do have to venture downtown (at rush hour), my mpg takes a hit. Right now, with our cooler weather, my mpg is getting better because I no longer have to use the A/C, so you will enjoy those benefits as well. When it heats up again next year, you may get lower mpg. If you are commuting downtown in traffic in the heat, you will have a tough time getting out of the 30s. If traffic isn't too bad (or it isn't too hot), you could be in the low-mid 40s. Still, you are definitely getting better mileage than prior to getting the hybrid. Also, a lot depends on your driving style, as others here have noted.
Shawn
I am in the Sacto area too, but my commute is mostly highway (I actaully live up the hill toward Placerville and only commute to Rancho Cordova). Any time I do have to venture downtown (at rush hour), my mpg takes a hit. Right now, with our cooler weather, my mpg is getting better because I no longer have to use the A/C, so you will enjoy those benefits as well. When it heats up again next year, you may get lower mpg. If you are commuting downtown in traffic in the heat, you will have a tough time getting out of the 30s. If traffic isn't too bad (or it isn't too hot), you could be in the low-mid 40s. Still, you are definitely getting better mileage than prior to getting the hybrid. Also, a lot depends on your driving style, as others here have noted.
Shawn
#9
10-06-2006, 10:37 PM
Re: HCH II City FE
My commute is about 6-7 miles one way. Speed limits are about 40MPH on the roads I drive (2-3 lanes per side, large avenue roads with medians, flat as a pancake terrain), I have at least one left turn light and 10-12 normal traffic lights, half of which are usually green for me.
I usually get in the 40mpg range (lowest if 38mpg if I just happen to hit almost all the lights) with A/C blasting 78F inside in 100+F outside weather. It's been cool lately and without A/C I'm usually in the middle 40's and have gotten 50mpg one or two times if I got lucky on the lights (my best was 56mpg almost hitting no lights but there was enough traffic to keep almost a steady cruise at 35MPH).
I usually get in the 40mpg range (lowest if 38mpg if I just happen to hit almost all the lights) with A/C blasting 78F inside in 100+F outside weather. It's been cool lately and without A/C I'm usually in the middle 40's and have gotten 50mpg one or two times if I got lucky on the lights (my best was 56mpg almost hitting no lights but there was enough traffic to keep almost a steady cruise at 35MPH).
