xcel
08-18-2008, 02:23 PM
"A person who reads about Hypermiling_may reduce their fuel consumption for a day. A person taught how to Hypermile_will reduce their fuel consumption for a lifetime." (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=137939)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Sike_Mark_and_Nelson_setting_up_the_days_activities.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) - Aug 18, 2008
Toyota supplied 2008 Prius-II -- RTL crew including Nelson setting up cameras, assistant Mark at the passenger side front door and the unsuspecting boot camp hypermiling clinic driver Silke, at the passenger side rear.
One of the proposals that crossed my desk a few weeks ago happened to come from a German based company called RTL. RTL is Germany’s largest private commercial television station. The producer had seen segments on CNN and CBS and was looking to do a “How to” on hypermiling for the German viewing public. A few calls back and forth, some scheduling for transport and accommodations and off to NY City we go.
A beautiful 73 to 81 degree F day in the NY City area offered the perfect backdrop for Silke, the German correspondent, to begin her familiarization with the Prius-II, the ScanGauge-II and the Prius-II’s Consumption and Energy screens. After a quick walk around including basic setup of any vehicle, I took the wheel and gave a real world demo and/or discussion of non-hybrid specific Hypermiling techniques. These included Anticipatory Focus, local speed limits and ranges, traffic handling including RR (Ridge Riding), RP (Reverse Passing), Alternates, E-Flasher and directional signal use, fuel cut deceleration’s, DWL (Driving With Load), DWB (Driving without Brakes), SB (Smart Braking) and Rabbit timing, basic and advanced FAS’ing, fuel efficient ventilation comfort and control plus a Prius-II specific clinic including proper acceleration rates, regenerative braking, SHM (Super Highway Mode) and IGN14 (Ignition 14), Gliding and WS (Warp Stealth) while driving from downtown Manhattan to Younkers. With the basics and first drive out of the way, we stopped for a nice lunch. During our meal, we had a wonderful discussion about US specific energy policy and related topics plus European and German specific issues with the same.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/The_Prius-II.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Nelson_doing_his_thing.jpg
Toyota supplied Prius-II in Manhattan.---------------------------------------Nelson wiring up the Prius-II.
As with most clinics, I was learning as much about the crew as they were from me. In this case, it was a particularly satisfying international discussion. Here are a few tidbits that we really need to see a lot more of in the US.
While traveling down a German thoroughfare with a stop light ahead in many locations, a sign flashes that if you travel at a given speed, you will not have to stop. I have heard about intersections rigged with such a device and have actually seen one near I believe Pittsburgh, PA. We need a lot more of them.
Also, Germany is currently building a direct Natural Gas pipeline from Russia to Germany bypassing any and all of the middle countries that could create cross border supply issues and disputes?
And of course the German technology sector taking on wind and PV based renewable energy as if their countries very existence depended on it. It probably does!
Public transportation in NY City vs. much of Europe including the lack of throughout much of the rest of the US was talked about.
Finally, diesel fuel pricing is rising far faster than gasoline in Germany and the super diesel sales onslaught is beginning to slow due to the discrepancy similar to the US even though we never had the chance to experience the Super-diesel reign.
Sometime during all the above discussion, I included a few hand drawn, back of the napkin diagrams on various techniques as we waited for our meals.
After lunch and completely back on the topic at hand, I demonstrated some basic and advanced parking lot techniques for the crew. The Prius in N with the ICE shut down does not roll nearly as easy as most vehicles so when faced in, a nice slope is needed or it is not going to roll out :( I had Silke do a few push outs with just her left foot while Face-In parking, some basic Face-Out with potential parking locations and execution and in one case, about two blocks worth of free travel around a Movie theater parking lot before D engagement and ICE-On driving. I think the crew had some fun with that :)
Hypermiling clinic goes real world
It was time for Silke to take the wheel for her final exam while driving all of us back into downtown Manhattan. A slow start as she was getting used to low RPM accelerations, initiating and holding Glide’s, entering into and holding WS plus using all the non-hybrid specific hypermiling techniques she was exposed to throughout the early afternoon. Her driving skill was increasing quickly but I was a bit worried it was not going to be fast enough with just 58 mpg showing after ~ 5 miles. We kept working the Prius to it strengths and by the ~ 10 mile point; she was holding a decent 60 + mpg as the newness of the Prius was beginning to wear off. At the 20 mile point, she was holding onto 65 + mpg and still climbing as we drove into the wonderful rolling hills of the Hudson highway skirting the Hudson River. With my need to coach slowing and her own skills quickly increasing, I let her fly solo for the next 10 miles with only a minor correction every half mile or so. By the time we were about to drive into the downtown Manhattan business district, she had breached 70 mpg! I transitioned back into clinic mode over the next mile plus as we headed to her studio and overall, she took the 46 mpg combined rated Prius to 70.6 mpg per the MFD.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/70_6_mpg_over_30_miles.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Nelson_and_Silke_as_we_say_goodbye.jpg
Final exam: 70.6 mpg over 30 miles.----------------------------------------Nelson and Silke saying goodbye.
Not a bad clinic, result and yet another “Lesson for a Lifetime” complete for the German audience and crew!
Not done yet
Still in NY City and the endeavor is not yet over. Access Hollywood contacted me and was interested in an interview for a new segment called Hollywood Green. I was on my way to the airport so I could only give them a little over 30 minutes but said sure. What it turned out to be was not so much an overview of hypermiling but a quick exchange segment regarding the AAA and the rebuttal to there own outdated and dangerous non-sense. I loved that interview as it was yet another opportunity to take the reality and ease of saving fuel to the public with real world results and discussion vs. the non-sense spewed by the AAA for headlines and big $ subscriptions. The questions were out of the blue and it almost sounded as if the team had some preconceived ideas and a possible agenda against Hypermiling. Where have we heard that before? The quick 10 minute interview discredited most of the myths the AAA created including tire pressure, Fuel Economy, type and amount of oil, drafting, running stop lights and rolling stop signs and of course overall driving safety. After the exchange interview, we did a quick walk around of the Prius to go over basic setup.
Hypermiling vs. NY City
With the minimal amount of time I had available, I took a cameraman, soundman and the producer for a 5 mile challenge and clinic showing them how Hypermiling is really performed. A little over 15 minutes is about 10 hours to short to teach what is needed but what was displayed in the MFD after the drive made a statement all its own. I did have trouble with a Cadillac P/U truck on the drive where he was merging and held 30 mph on the 45 mph limited roadway while the Access crew boxed me in to the left so I could not pass. A simple glide transitioned into some regen down to speed and wait for the P/U truck driver to get moving and we were on our way… Coming off the ramp, we had to traverse some stop signs and lights under the Hudson Parkway for about half a mile which did not help as I was directed up to the next on-ramp. That on-ramp was a 30’ climb back up to the highway from a dead stop to merge at highway speeds. Not good but the Prius still performed magnificently!
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Access_Hollywood_Crew.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/100_over_5_miles.jpg
Prius-II, Access Hollywood crew and their FSP Excursion.---------------Quick Hypermiling challenge more than doubling the EPA.
After the Challenge, the producer said, “You did not run any stop lights or signs?” I replied, “Imagine that” with a rather large smirk on my face. Along with the standard “We were the only one’s driving legally within 20 miles” comment ;)
I did speak to one of the crew while they were removing the sound equipment and he said, “I have read about hypermiling and cannot wait to take it to the next level in my own vehicle,” after what he saw the Prius achieve just a few minutes prior.
I would be remiss if I did not thank the German RTL crew, the Access Hollywood crew and especially Antoinette Arianna, Barbara Steed and Shannon Raby of the Toyota Motor Company for coming through with yet another Toyota supplied press vehicle to show not only what the Prius can do with the average new driver behind the wheel but to show the same to everyone that will see the pieces whenever and wherever they are shown both here in the US and around the globe.
Good Luck
Wayne
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Sike_Mark_and_Nelson_setting_up_the_days_activities.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) - Aug 18, 2008
Toyota supplied 2008 Prius-II -- RTL crew including Nelson setting up cameras, assistant Mark at the passenger side front door and the unsuspecting boot camp hypermiling clinic driver Silke, at the passenger side rear.
One of the proposals that crossed my desk a few weeks ago happened to come from a German based company called RTL. RTL is Germany’s largest private commercial television station. The producer had seen segments on CNN and CBS and was looking to do a “How to” on hypermiling for the German viewing public. A few calls back and forth, some scheduling for transport and accommodations and off to NY City we go.
A beautiful 73 to 81 degree F day in the NY City area offered the perfect backdrop for Silke, the German correspondent, to begin her familiarization with the Prius-II, the ScanGauge-II and the Prius-II’s Consumption and Energy screens. After a quick walk around including basic setup of any vehicle, I took the wheel and gave a real world demo and/or discussion of non-hybrid specific Hypermiling techniques. These included Anticipatory Focus, local speed limits and ranges, traffic handling including RR (Ridge Riding), RP (Reverse Passing), Alternates, E-Flasher and directional signal use, fuel cut deceleration’s, DWL (Driving With Load), DWB (Driving without Brakes), SB (Smart Braking) and Rabbit timing, basic and advanced FAS’ing, fuel efficient ventilation comfort and control plus a Prius-II specific clinic including proper acceleration rates, regenerative braking, SHM (Super Highway Mode) and IGN14 (Ignition 14), Gliding and WS (Warp Stealth) while driving from downtown Manhattan to Younkers. With the basics and first drive out of the way, we stopped for a nice lunch. During our meal, we had a wonderful discussion about US specific energy policy and related topics plus European and German specific issues with the same.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/The_Prius-II.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Nelson_doing_his_thing.jpg
Toyota supplied Prius-II in Manhattan.---------------------------------------Nelson wiring up the Prius-II.
As with most clinics, I was learning as much about the crew as they were from me. In this case, it was a particularly satisfying international discussion. Here are a few tidbits that we really need to see a lot more of in the US.
While traveling down a German thoroughfare with a stop light ahead in many locations, a sign flashes that if you travel at a given speed, you will not have to stop. I have heard about intersections rigged with such a device and have actually seen one near I believe Pittsburgh, PA. We need a lot more of them.
Also, Germany is currently building a direct Natural Gas pipeline from Russia to Germany bypassing any and all of the middle countries that could create cross border supply issues and disputes?
And of course the German technology sector taking on wind and PV based renewable energy as if their countries very existence depended on it. It probably does!
Public transportation in NY City vs. much of Europe including the lack of throughout much of the rest of the US was talked about.
Finally, diesel fuel pricing is rising far faster than gasoline in Germany and the super diesel sales onslaught is beginning to slow due to the discrepancy similar to the US even though we never had the chance to experience the Super-diesel reign.
Sometime during all the above discussion, I included a few hand drawn, back of the napkin diagrams on various techniques as we waited for our meals.
After lunch and completely back on the topic at hand, I demonstrated some basic and advanced parking lot techniques for the crew. The Prius in N with the ICE shut down does not roll nearly as easy as most vehicles so when faced in, a nice slope is needed or it is not going to roll out :( I had Silke do a few push outs with just her left foot while Face-In parking, some basic Face-Out with potential parking locations and execution and in one case, about two blocks worth of free travel around a Movie theater parking lot before D engagement and ICE-On driving. I think the crew had some fun with that :)
Hypermiling clinic goes real world
It was time for Silke to take the wheel for her final exam while driving all of us back into downtown Manhattan. A slow start as she was getting used to low RPM accelerations, initiating and holding Glide’s, entering into and holding WS plus using all the non-hybrid specific hypermiling techniques she was exposed to throughout the early afternoon. Her driving skill was increasing quickly but I was a bit worried it was not going to be fast enough with just 58 mpg showing after ~ 5 miles. We kept working the Prius to it strengths and by the ~ 10 mile point; she was holding a decent 60 + mpg as the newness of the Prius was beginning to wear off. At the 20 mile point, she was holding onto 65 + mpg and still climbing as we drove into the wonderful rolling hills of the Hudson highway skirting the Hudson River. With my need to coach slowing and her own skills quickly increasing, I let her fly solo for the next 10 miles with only a minor correction every half mile or so. By the time we were about to drive into the downtown Manhattan business district, she had breached 70 mpg! I transitioned back into clinic mode over the next mile plus as we headed to her studio and overall, she took the 46 mpg combined rated Prius to 70.6 mpg per the MFD.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/70_6_mpg_over_30_miles.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Nelson_and_Silke_as_we_say_goodbye.jpg
Final exam: 70.6 mpg over 30 miles.----------------------------------------Nelson and Silke saying goodbye.
Not a bad clinic, result and yet another “Lesson for a Lifetime” complete for the German audience and crew!
Not done yet
Still in NY City and the endeavor is not yet over. Access Hollywood contacted me and was interested in an interview for a new segment called Hollywood Green. I was on my way to the airport so I could only give them a little over 30 minutes but said sure. What it turned out to be was not so much an overview of hypermiling but a quick exchange segment regarding the AAA and the rebuttal to there own outdated and dangerous non-sense. I loved that interview as it was yet another opportunity to take the reality and ease of saving fuel to the public with real world results and discussion vs. the non-sense spewed by the AAA for headlines and big $ subscriptions. The questions were out of the blue and it almost sounded as if the team had some preconceived ideas and a possible agenda against Hypermiling. Where have we heard that before? The quick 10 minute interview discredited most of the myths the AAA created including tire pressure, Fuel Economy, type and amount of oil, drafting, running stop lights and rolling stop signs and of course overall driving safety. After the exchange interview, we did a quick walk around of the Prius to go over basic setup.
Hypermiling vs. NY City
With the minimal amount of time I had available, I took a cameraman, soundman and the producer for a 5 mile challenge and clinic showing them how Hypermiling is really performed. A little over 15 minutes is about 10 hours to short to teach what is needed but what was displayed in the MFD after the drive made a statement all its own. I did have trouble with a Cadillac P/U truck on the drive where he was merging and held 30 mph on the 45 mph limited roadway while the Access crew boxed me in to the left so I could not pass. A simple glide transitioned into some regen down to speed and wait for the P/U truck driver to get moving and we were on our way… Coming off the ramp, we had to traverse some stop signs and lights under the Hudson Parkway for about half a mile which did not help as I was directed up to the next on-ramp. That on-ramp was a 30’ climb back up to the highway from a dead stop to merge at highway speeds. Not good but the Prius still performed magnificently!
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Access_Hollywood_Crew.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/100_over_5_miles.jpg
Prius-II, Access Hollywood crew and their FSP Excursion.---------------Quick Hypermiling challenge more than doubling the EPA.
After the Challenge, the producer said, “You did not run any stop lights or signs?” I replied, “Imagine that” with a rather large smirk on my face. Along with the standard “We were the only one’s driving legally within 20 miles” comment ;)
I did speak to one of the crew while they were removing the sound equipment and he said, “I have read about hypermiling and cannot wait to take it to the next level in my own vehicle,” after what he saw the Prius achieve just a few minutes prior.
I would be remiss if I did not thank the German RTL crew, the Access Hollywood crew and especially Antoinette Arianna, Barbara Steed and Shannon Raby of the Toyota Motor Company for coming through with yet another Toyota supplied press vehicle to show not only what the Prius can do with the average new driver behind the wheel but to show the same to everyone that will see the pieces whenever and wherever they are shown both here in the US and around the globe.
Good Luck
Wayne