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57 mpg on the new Lexus Hybrid, but how?

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Manolo1, Jun 19, 2009.

  1. Manolo1

    Manolo1 New Member

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    From Autoweek...
    As an AutoWeek staffer--and as a car guy who grew up in America's muscle-car heartland--I've experienced my share of scary rides in automobiles...

    That said, I recently experienced the scariest ride of my life, in a car that barely broke 40 mph the entire time that I was riding shotgun. My driver: Wayne Gerdes, the apparently famous extreme-mileage driver from Illinois who is credited with coining the phrase "hypermiling." As we embark on the summer driving season, with everyone from AAA to the Alliance to Save Energy exhorting us to take steps to save fuel, I urge you to heed their advice to keep your tires properly inflated, avoid jackrabbit starts and consider alternative transportation options. At the same time, I even more strongly urge you to never practice the kinds of high-mileage techniques that Gerdes preaches.
     
    #1 Manolo1, Jun 19, 2009
  2. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Never? Or never in medium to high traffic situations? ;) Saying you should never hypermile in any situation is a rather careless statement.
     
    #2 F8L, Jun 19, 2009
  3. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Hypermiling rewards are just not worth the risks: AutoWeek Magazine
    There appears to be a vigorous set of comments about that article and under that article. That is probably the best place for them.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #3 bwilson4web, Jun 19, 2009
  4. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    +1

    I leave for work and have early work hours. I leave around 4am (25 minute drive as sub 41mph speeds) so I won't bug speed deamons. 1/2 the drive is on a 6 lane (3 each way) road .. with no one one it, so who am I bothering by hypermileing at that time of the morning, besides us chickens. The humor is, I've been pulled over a couple times because the cops think I must be drunk (plus, what else they got to do at that hour :p ) ... as the speed limit on the 6 lane road is 60mph. Eventually they recognize my prius (only car on the road) & leave me alone.
     
    #4 hill, Jun 19, 2009
  5. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Shoot, I got mid-40s in the HS without even trying. Wayne's style of driving is too stressful for me :)
     
    #5 Danny, Jun 22, 2009
  6. Genoz World

    Genoz World ZEN-style living

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    OH COME on now..............just about every morning, i get up and battle the southbound traffic on the 5 freeway. From the hollywood area to the 110 interchange, you can hypermile all you want "because" the cars are NOT going faster than 40 mph.

    So, dont say "DONT EVER" and realize your opportunities. They come in different times and you should take advantage of them as soon as they arise.
     
    #6 Genoz World, Jun 22, 2009
  7. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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    Is the title to this thread severely deceiving? Every time I read it, it shounds like "the Prius only gets 51mpg, and Toyota gave the Lexus a 57mpg!" Anyways, that's what I keep thinking when I see the title to this thread.

    My best mpg records ever have been during rush hour. On our 5 lanes in each direction freeways here in SoCal, I get in the second lane from the right (where the trucks drive) and just cruise along at a constant velocity and no one bothers me. Cruising at a constant 30mpH for an hour produces VERY good mpg. All the people that are in a hurry and impatient drive in the left two lanes (translation: accelerate fast then slam on the brakes), and the far right lane is the merging lane, which always impedes the flow of traffic as three cars entering the freeway try to squeeze into one spot.
     
    #7 Rybold, Jun 23, 2009
  8. Genoz World

    Genoz World ZEN-style living

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    Agreed!
     
    #8 Genoz World, Jun 25, 2009
  9. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    wayne's style of driving, extreme as it may be, gives two messages.

    one; the potential you can get out of any car by simply driving conservative

    two; that you can only get good mileage by extreme measures


    now why is the same event eliciting two so very different in fact, polar opposite conclusions?? well, that is simply a programing glitch of the human psyche...
     
    #9 DaveinOlyWA, Jun 25, 2009
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