Are we overemphasizing MPG?

Hi Dennis,
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(maineprius947 @ Mar 23 2007, 01:47 PM) [snapback]411042[/snapback]</div>

There is a serious purpose behind my interest in the average speeds of the Insight and Prius marathons. Physics tells us, based upon the average speed, the minimum energy demand of the vehicle. For reasons covered in another posting, the steady-state speed dictates the minimum power and energy.

One of the by-products of modeling and testing is realization that ANYONE can achieve 100 MPG. The receipt is fairly simple and straight forward. Once having achieved it, I'm hoping folks will 'open up their minds' and start looking at the basics. There are areas for Prius performance improvement that need willing hands and quick minds.

Bob Wilson

 

Land speed records are to go as fast as possible at the expense of everything else...someone said on the record they got 212 feet per gallon - OUCH! The Prius and Insight Marathons are the same thing for stock production cars - it's the current edge. Hopefully automakers will make it possible to break it in the near future. In no way is it like a typical commute - no car is going to have much speed getting much past 100mpg. It's a way to get people to think about what is possible and maybe do a couple of things to go farther in the real world.

Notice in the general world how much people talk about performance?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Delta Flyer @ Mar 24 2007, 11:10 AM) [snapback]411481[/snapback]</div>

There is a thriving business of after-market power products that could be used to completely rebuild a car from the ground up. This market didn't spring up over night but over time, hot-rodders have come up with better engines, transmissions, wheels, exhaust and fuel systems. The same is needed for fuel efficiency and I don't mean the scams like fuel line magnets, twisty air vanes, air temperature sensor resistors or PC cooling fan super chargers.

As long as folks are willing to wait for 'automakers', they will be stuck, passively living with what they get. But like one vultures said to the other,

"Patience hell - I'm going to kill something."

Bob Wilson

 

If someone wants to do this with a modded car - no problem.

To say it another way, the recent Prius and Insight Marathons are not something to sneeze about. Bigger and better things will happen as that is progress.

 

The point of the Insight and Prius marathons was not just to say "hey, look at me, look at our mileage!" It was a demonstration of the maximum capability of the cars when pushed to their limit, stock. The take home message for the reader is that how a car is driven can make a very big difference to its fuel economy. Nothing more, nothing less. The guys who did it could care less if we know who they are or not.

Engineering is great, and looking for improvements to what Toyota sold us is certainly worth it. But most people don't have the interest, much less the time, know-how, and cash to get into it. If they want better gas mileage today, it comes down to understanding the role of their right foot.

There is no single "best" way to approach the problem.