I've now got 3,500 miles in 2.5 months of driving my HCHII. I love the car, but the inconsistencies are frustrating me! Seems there are times I can do no wrong... accelerating up a gentle slope at 65 mph, look down and I'm getting 55+ mpg on the instant gauge (for MANY miles)!

Other times, I employ every trick in the hypermiling book... and I look down to see a disappointing 40. My overall average has improved significantly since the first tank, and I'm much better at gauging when things will be "good" or "bad"... but there are still mysterious things occurring!

This weekend our family took a trip to San Diego (120 mi. each way). Mileage coming home was awful (for this car, at least!). Got mid 40's. Never went over 60 mph, drove with load over hills, even drafted a truck or two. Just never seemed to find that HMG (HyperMiling Groove)!

Do others find it to be the same way? Sometimes it's easy to get good mileage, other times impossible?

(NOTE: the inconsistencies I refer to are not wind, terrain, load or A/C specific!)

 

I just drove today from Monrovia, CA to San Diego, CA and got 49.8 mpg. I also know that going back will suck because it will be back to Redlands, CA which will be a 1200 elevation change. Wind and elevation changes make a big difference. Sometimes there is an optical illusion happening where you can be going "uphill" but actually going down and vice-versa.

Jesse

 

I know what you mean. Sometimes I'm really fooled. Maybe it's the big windshield?!

I did have a good "in the groove" morning. Started at 48mpg on the digital display (with about 100 miles on the tank). Got to the office with 50.3. To get a 2+ mpg improvement on a 100+ mile (cumulative) reading with only a 20 mile drive, I must have been getting in the high 50's for the drive in!

 

I did this trip going to Sea World from LAX drove normal going to Sea World and then drove as efficient as possible on the way back got me 54.5mpg. I just used the the mpg meter getting the car up to speed then slowly let the car dwindle mpg wise. I would get the car up to 65 sometimes more then let it dwindle slowly trying my best not to let it go under 50 mpg. When it got under 50mpg or 53mph it was time to get the car up speed again. At that time it was the best mpg. Since then I've learned that stop and go 405 freeway traffic can be your friend sometimes if you can P&G. Also attempting to live in the 100mpg zone and gliding down mountains.

And I think the more miles you get on the car the better you are able to find the groove you are talking about. Once you get your routes down you will know where you can kill the EPA figures for this car. Then other times you will die looking at your work dwindle going up a mountain.

 

I did some experimenting today. Has anyone noticed that you can increase MPG (at least on the instant gauge) by just backing off and then reapplying throttle? Seems if I'm doing 58mph on the highway and getting 50 mpg, then I slightly back off the throttle for a second or two and then gently reapply, I can stay at 58 mph and suddenly my instant mpg meter adds a couple of bars! I don't know if this "trick" kicks in a little IMA assist (no assist bars show up), but this definitely seems to work. Perhaps this is a reverse P&G!!!

As is usual with this car, it doesn't work all the time, but it does work quite often! Anyone else find this to be true?

 

What you are describing can be P&G get the car up to speed then let up until you peg to the 100mpg with no assist(<--glide). The trick is to make sure you glide further than you pulse. I've been in stop and go traffic getting better than EPA if the conditions are right.