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I got a tip from Excel to shift from first much earlier than I have been and noticed improvement in my overall mpg during my normal commute and yesterday the weather was nice so I decided to try all the trick on my commute home to see what I could achieve.

I decided to drive slower than usual and definitely used FAS more often with longer coasts. The result: I set a new personal record yesterday travelling door to door from my office to my garage of 122.2 mpg covering 31 miles and currently have 921 miles on the tank with the last fuel bar just disappearing. :woot:
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd91/atlaw4u/MPG/1222MPG03_2008.jpg
This commute usually has me struggling to achieve 80mpg. However, the conditions were near perfect as we had an unusually warm day with light wind. I was leaving the office and pulled over before I exited the garage to remove my radiator block but I decided to leave it in. It was probably 85 degrees. As the car warmed up the scan gauge showed the water temp was between 195-197 and the intake air temp was 110-112. My commute is mostly highway with small inclines and I exit early to travle a fairly flat raod for 3-5 miles with only a few stop lights.

However, yesterday was unusual in that there was an accident so I was forced off the highway earlier than usual and found a nice alternative route that let me keep my speeds between 30-40. I noticed on flat ground I could maintain 150mpg for long distances if I kept the speed between 31-35 which I have rarely been able to do. I also was using FAS more than usual and allowing myself to coast much further as the traffic was light.

I love the challenge of this car. You are rewarded or punished according to how much you are paying attention to the car, the elements, and knowing how the car likes to be driven.

Again, thanks to Excel for the tips.

awesome!!!:eek:

I drove part of the same route this morning where yesterday I was able to maintain 150mpg and today I was only able to maintiain 100mpg. It goes to show how much weather and temps can dramatically change the results. This morning the wind was stronger, temps were about 20 degrees cooler and intake air temp was only 73 as I only drove a few miles and the car had not fully warmed up.

I love the challenge of hypermiling but I'm afraid it's turning into an addiction.

I saw Reid's hot air mod and concluded it is better than mine...some discussion on what point the intake temperature becomes irrelavant...100F?...maybe it's 120F like in Reid's. At any rate, it extends the time an Insight or HCH I is in lean burn. It also does not hurt that mornings in Dallas are 50F and afternoons are starting to reach 70F.

Going from 55 to 45mph will make a big difference in the Insight...the cavet is you definitely want to be going faster than 45mph on a hill or mixmaster like the High Five...55-60mph is probably about right.

That is so bleepin' cool. I have huge hybrid envy, and this posting only worsens it.

WOW! Amazing! I can get that Mileage, if I drive down a hill, with the engine off, and a hurricane at my back :eek::D

I'm still trailing many of those that have mastered the Insight. However, that's one of the many things I love about hypermiling and specifically the Insight. There is always room to improve and more to learn. A challenge every day to out do your best of yesterday.

Wow.

I knew I should have bought that Honda Insight. I test drove a brand new one in 2001 and decided against it for some reason...

If it were golf, you would have Tiger Woods sweating, Reid.

WOW! Amazing! I can get that Mileage, if I drive down a hill, with the engine off, and a hurricane at my back :eek::D

Yeah, but with that Corolla and that sgii, you will be breezing by me, hurricane or no hurricane.

Hi Reid:

___If that doesn’t open some eyes, I do not know what will ;) Congrats on blowing 100 out of the water!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Thanks again Wayne for all the tips and more importantly, this forum.

Keep up the good work.

122.2mpg...the three names I'd guessed is Wayne, Billy, Randall

WOW. After hearing this I am jealous. Anybody want to trade their insight for a Prius. Just kidding, I love my Prius I could never let her go.

WOW. After hearing this I am jealous. Anybody want to trade their insight for a Prius. Just kidding, I love my Prius I could never let her go.I might consider if it has a Hymotion upgrade.

I'm very envious! I've only had my Insight a couple of weeks but I thought I was doing great hitting 68mpg for a full commute. Where were you previously shifting and where do you shift now. My biggest issue are hills, should I keep my revs high and avoid assist, or keep them low and lug the engine?

Hello gerlando,

I am now accellerating slowly in first and shifting around 10mph into second. Previoulsy, I was accellerating faster and holding my speeds in first to 15 or higher before shifting into second. Many believe it's better with the Insight to accellerate quickly to get up to cruising speed faster and thus, in lean burn faster. I had been following this approach but accellerating moderately.

Wayne advised I try shifting at or before 10mph becasue first gear is a "real ecomony killer". By doing this I immediatley noticed a small overall MPG gain. I've continued this method and am on my way to a record tank.

As for hills, I try do give it just enough gas while going downhill that I am gaining speed while also gaining increased MPG so when I begin to approach the next hill my fastest speed is at the bottom of the hill and I DWL while climbing or simply put, I hold a steady MPG while climbing a hill by slowly releasing the gas pedal so my speed is decreasing as I am climbing the hill but my MPG is staying the same. If the hill is too long and my speed drops too slow I will use a little assist to reach the top of the hill.

Try it and let me know what you think.

possibly, but right now your ahead of me. :D I'll be filling my tank up in the next few days, and start tank 2 with the Sgii, and we'll see what happens. Already my first tank with the sgii and it's a record tank.

First gear is something I've really struggled with, and I imagine many do. The key is definitely to completely avoid complete stops - but since that isn't possible, what to do is tough.

I've always taken 1st up to 19-20 mph to drop into 2nd right at the point where you can give it decent throttle w/o assist kicking in. This is probably excessive, and using a little assist very low in 2nd probably isn't horrible.

Using full assist low in 2nd is a very bad plan, as it allows double the normal assist! Battery drainer for sure.

Congratulations, Reid!! That is quite the segment -- you should be proud! And planning to use that route more often. ;)

You've whetted my appetite for warmer weather -- just as it heads into another bout of snow here. :p

Incidentally, I agree about 1st gear use -- I've been getting into 2nd at around 7-8mph whenever possible (read, not on a hill), and 3rd around 16mph.

I might consider if it has a Hymotion upgrade.

Awesome job atlaw4u. I am always in awe of the Insight AND her pilots.

The Insight will always be the king of the "gassers", and the Prius won't ever take her until she's no longer a "gasser". :)

While analyzing my commute under a soon-to-be :) PHEV-7, I started wondering about break even points. Obviously, a Prius PHEV-7 is preferable for short highway trips given the all electric driving, and an Insight is preferable for long highway trips given that the PHEV-7 at some point will convert back to its 60mpg highway hybrid self.

So what's the break even point? Assuming a full charge and hypermiling on the highway, at what point does the PHEV-7 drop to 100mpg?

Looks like about 19 miles. This is completely back-of-the-envelope.

So for you DFW folks, if you live in Plano/Grapevine, get a PHEV-7. If you live in Mckinney/Denton, get an Insight. ;)

This does not take into account SW changes that allow for a 60mph glide (instead of 40). Assuming that allows for 80mpg on the highway instead of 60mpg, then we are talking a break even point of 33 miles, not 19.

Uh oh, nipping at your heels. :)

The numbers are not too meaningful until I get my own and do some testing. :)

That is beautiful, man. Wow! Congratulations!
brian

We sort of had a Prius/Insight comparison...if you had a best of both the 1/X concept would probably be it. Said it before, but consider the Insight to be an alumimum CRX HF with a hybrid engine - cruises at 50mph great. Put it in severe stop-and-go traffic and it's like putting a Kryptonite necklace around Superman, but that's where the Prius shines with a full hybrid power plant and the ability to upgrade to PHEV. Insight - lightweight design and very efficient ICE. Prius - full hybrid and a mainstream five seater car.

The temps have increased with the arrival of spring which equates to increased miles per gallon. Unfortunately, the last few weeks have also been accompanied by heavy winds.

I have been able to record several 100+MPG door to door trips which has increased my current LMPG to 88.8 and it seems to be climbing at a faster rate than previoulsy.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd91/atlaw4u/MPG/LMPG888.jpg

I have not been able to surpass my latest commute record of 122.2 so I'm hoping the winds will die soon.

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd91/atlaw4u/MPG/IMG_0984.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd91/atlaw4u/MPG/IMG_0985-1.jpg

Nice work, Reid!! I'm starting to see that kind of stuff here but it is still cold...

Something to look forward to!

Keep working at it -- love the FCD shots. :thumbs_up:

Sean,

I think part of the key is he has perhaps the best hot intake around.

Incidentally, I agree about 1st gear use -- I've been getting into 2nd at around 7-8mph whenever possible (read, not on a hill), and 3rd around 16mph.

I'm late to the party here, but I also agree. Given my shorter gearing (see other discussion), I use first up to 4 or 5 mph, just barely enough to get moving, then right into 2nd.

And Reid, any pictures of that intake?

Hi Chuck:

___You are overemphasizing the HW again. It’s the driver …

___Way to go Reid! Another 10,000 miles of that and you will have the highest lmpg on the planet!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I'm not attempting to take away from the driving...he does have a really good hot air intake.

Chuck, I had my intake opened up today to run a little cooler as the intake air temperature was approaching 130 degrees on my drive home yesterday. Today, I'm seeing air intake temps around 110 and am easily achieving 100mpg at speeds below 40mph, even with today's winds.

If you drove your Insight today did you notice what temps you were reaching. It would be a nice comparison seeing we have similar intake modifications.

I'm thinking of modifying several caps with different size holes to allow for differnt amounts of outside air to enter so I can change them as the temperature varies. I now only have the option of closed and open. I think variable caps or lids will help me stay in the sweet spot, which for my car seems to be 110 and above.

Hi Chuck:

___Anything above 90 degrees F intake, the WAI does not appear to help anymore. Randall had some numbers to back this up at one time IIRC as well. Once over 80 degrees on a sunny day, you can remove the WAI and your FE will not change from what I remember.

___Reid, there is this little challenge up in Lacey, WA early next month you should consider ... Hmmm … attending ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I just noticed -- that is amazingly low mileage for a 2000 Insight?!

I still have no intake changes at all -- just the cardboard in front of my radiator. I don't know what the air intake temp is either because I've not been running with the SG hooked up in it....

Reid, mine was just under 100F this morning...remember you mentioning getting 120F frequently.

Hi Chuck:

___About the HW mods … Let me take you back to May 2006 in a little town called Saratoga Springs, NY. A borrowed, well used and semi-broken 2000 Insight whose pack had been recaling through much of the winter was taken to a little competition called the Tour De Sol. Rules included no WAI's allowed, 44 #’s max tire pressures, must have two people in the vehicle and no FAS’ing allowed. Conditions included on and off rain with temps in the 50’s. 200 miles later at an average speed of 40.x mph while climbing and falling thousands of feet of the Adirondacks … Result, 90 mpg.

___Reid will take you for a little ride down a less traveled road near Plano in two weeks and you will see how he’s doing it at a relatively steady state cruise and I hope I get to see it too :)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Wayne, thanks for the kind words but the Warm-Air Mod, your tips, and a change in my commute account mostly for the improved mileage. Just a few months ago I was celebrating any time my commute was in the 80s as I was averaging high 70s at the time.

The warm-air mod has made a big difference in that I am in lean burn much more than previously. The biggest change is probably my willingness to slow down, add a few minutes to my commute and get off the highway. My usual and quickest commute is 15 miles highway and 2 miles side roads. Lately, I've been taking a side road for about 12 miles with speeds between 30-40mpg. This reduces my highway travel to a total of 4-6 miles. My commute probably takes 15 more minutes but I've easeily gained an increase of 10MPG or more.

A WAI might help me a bit but I like the challenge. ;)

RLC - I would think a WAI would definitly help you, especially in MN. However, I understand the desire for seeking maximum MPG wihtout any modificaitons. I have posted the link to my WAI for those that may be interested.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8536

atlaw4u: I would not change a thing! I would say it is working for you, so keep at it. Must be enjoyable to have a car like the Insight? H

Thanks Harold. My only regret with the Insight is that Honda is no longer making it. I understand Insight sales were poor at the time but I think with gas prices approaching $4.00 a gallon things would be different today. Also, what would a 2008 Insight be capable of considering the technology is almost a decade old.

I would love a better battery and the capability to plug it in. And consider the MPG possibilities with the ability to drive short distances in electric mode only.