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Hello from sunny Toulouse, France

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by groar, Oct 22, 2011.

  1. groar

    groar X-Frenchy: very

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2011
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    Location:
    Toulouse, France
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi all.

    Some of you may know me from other forums such as ecomodder, cleanmpg... I'm an ecomodder and an hypermiler with my current car : a 1997 Renault Mégane Classic 1.9dT (turbo diesel without direct injection nor high pressure pump).

    I'm reaching 3.5L/100 (67mpgUS) for the last 12 months, vs normalized mixed NEDC of 6.7L/100 (35.1mpgUS). As gasoline is 8% more expensive than diesel in France, I'm saving a lot (1073 = 1500$) while driving 22,000 km/year (13,700 mi/year).

    On cleanmpg forum, I participate to Fuel Economy Challenges. The more I see the results with Prius and Insight I, the more I want to trade Mégane with one of these beauties. As I'm a geek, I'm also interested in the ways these cars are functioning.

    Also Mégane is only EuroII and so generates a lot of pollutants (PM, NOx...). As the cleanest diesel generates several times the pollutants of an old Prius or Insight I, I decided to trade Mégane against one of these cars. Sadly there is very little Insight I in France, as it has been sold only in England, Germany and Switzerland.

    After several months, I have find a 2006 Prius with 123,000 km = 76,500 mi I can afford :) . I gave the big check this morning to a Honda dealer and the car should be delivered next Saturday. Next week will be the longest ever...

    Hope this forum will permit me to learn specifics to Prius hypermiling, and I'll be happy to share my experience with you all :cool:

    Have fun,

    Denis.
     
    #1 groar, Oct 22, 2011
  2. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Hello and welcome. There are a lot of hyper-milers on here so you'll definitely be in good company.

    I was in France last year and saw a few Prii but not too many (I've even seen one here in the UK on French plates). As you may much less for diesel you are going to find fewer petrol cars. The Prius will appear to your 'inner geek' though :)
     
    #2 GrumpyCabbie, Oct 22, 2011
  3. sipnfuel

    sipnfuel New Member

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    Location:
    So. Cal.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Do you throw your car into neutral with the ICE off in order to hypermile?
     
    #3 sipnfuel, Oct 22, 2011
  4. groar

    groar X-Frenchy: very

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2011
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    Location:
    Toulouse, France
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    sipnfuel: yes, I have a kill switch that I use to FAS while doing Pulse&Glide.

    GrumpyCabbie: there is more and more Prius in France and even more as taxis. Sadly except Toyota (Prius & Auris), Honda (Civic, Insight II & CR-Z) and a few Lexus, there isn't any hybrid in France, the diesel land...
    Since a few years, a CO2 bonus/malus is given to brand new cars depending on CO2 emissions. While mid-size cars shifted a little toward diesel, small-size cars shifted more toward gasoline :) Hope France will have to increase diesel taxes to make them at least equal to gasoline ones.

    Denis.
     
    #4 groar, Oct 22, 2011
  5. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    They never cut taxes do they ;) Be nice if they'd cut petrol tax to match diesel?

    Anyhow, France seems to be a supporter of electric vehicles and not just Renault. Shame our American friends won't be getting some of these stylish new electric cars. :cool: Last month in London I was pleased to meet some of the Renault engineers who have designed these new EV's and they were a switched on bunch (and some of them were bloody young and made me feel old! lol).

    [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Zoe]Renault Zoe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
    Electric car, zero emission vehicles - Renault Z.E.

    (not sure about the twizy though - never work in rainy Britain)
     
    #5 GrumpyCabbie, Oct 22, 2011
  6. oldasdust

    oldasdust Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    illinois
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    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Bonjour mon amie. Welcome
     
    #6 oldasdust, Oct 22, 2011
  7. NYPrius1

    NYPrius1 Active Member

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    Hello & Welcome to PC!
     
    #7 NYPrius1, Oct 23, 2011
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