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I can imagine the conversation:

Cop "Son, do you know how fast you were goin' back there?"
Tesla driver "But, officer, this is an electric car. It *can't* go very fast." :D

http://www.jalopnik.com/assets/images/gallery/12/2006/12/315924928_42899ac864_o.jpg
http://www.jalopnik.com/assets/images/gallery/12/2006/12/315924919_a5c1d13c77_o.jpg
http://www.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2006/12/315924946_8ed678c8a1_o.jpg

Here's a question: If we all had electric cars, would the hypermiler community still go slow to last longer between recharging? Or would we die out as a 'breed'?

I think there'd be people who would do everything they could to get the most out of one charge. The ones who had a car that could go 400 miles on a charge would try to push to 500. The ones who had a 250-mile charge would strive for 300. Someone would discover the EV equivalent of FAS so the batteries could be "turned off" for a while.

Of course, there'd be the flip side, too. The ones who have a car that's supposed to get 400 but only get 300 and, therefore, think that EVs aren't all they're cracked up to be. Sort of like the people who only get 45 in a Prius and think hybrids are a waste of time.

For a number of years, I have wished for a "30 second Tesla switch" - even back when I had my Honda CRX. Let me explain....

For the occasional jerk that wants to blast by for grins, to have a supercapacitor in reserve to put him back in place (maybe with a sign in the back of the Insight asking if his lugnuts are missing? :p ) It would be a super Assist.

Well, 30 seconds might not be enough to get the job done I had in mind. Also, I'd probably be using the first couple of miles on the work commute while the ICE is warming up...

For a number of years, I have wished for a "30 second Tesla switch" - even back when I had my Honda CRX. Let me explain....

For the occasional jerk that wants to blast by for grins, to have a supercapacitor in reserve to put him back in place (maybe with a sign in the back of the Insight asking if his lugnuts are missing? :p ) It would be a super Assist.

Well, 30 seconds might not be enough to get the job done I had in mind. Also, I'd probably be using the first couple of miles on the work commute while the ICE is warming up...

LOL, I like that!
:D :woot:

I think that a browse of some of the EV groups will show that most EV drivers are quite good at Hypermiling their battery charge, and since coasting is a zero power condition, that is their primary tool, along with slow smooth accelerations. ;)

I was talking to a guy that had an EV and he said the same thing. EVers learn to hypermile out of necessity.

Hi All:

___It is not that they learn, the technology itself is so much more efficient to begin with. As Mike pointed out, if you let off the accel without regen braking (can be programmed this way), an EV is in a coast free state. There isn’t an automobile on the planet that goes into this state other then those of us that FAS w/ sticks and the IMA based hybrids at their cutoffs (19 mph for the Insight, 5 for the HCH w/ a stick). And some AUTO’s of course ;) Let alone the electric motor is so darn efficient by comparison to an ICE during accel of any kind. Ever watch your iFCD sitting at less then 5 mpg for the first 10 mph when first lighting her off and driving off? An EV just doesn’t waste it like that. And then there is our idle in traffic which of course the EV does not have. An EV by its design and nature does everything we do except better since there is no thought involved and the average driver receives all the benefits of hypermiling without knowing what is actually going on under the hood. This is exactly why the EV will eventually come to dominate the auto landscape no matter what the Big 2.5, Europe, and the JDM OEM’s may think about it today. Toyota and Honda know about this already and are just waiting for the pack tech to catch up. I just wonder if GM, Ford, DCX, and the Europeans will also commit in a substantial way?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

In talking to a couple of EV folks, my impression is that
hypermiling technique for an EV is very DWL-ish -- try to hold
current draw at the minimum required for overall propulsion,
and let the ups and downs do the "rollercoaster thing" to the
speed to a certain extent. Higher current drains carry a penalty
in the Peukert effect and dissipating more heat in general, so
so the technique of holding one's foot at a steady demand and
letting terrain govern more of what happens seems to work well
for them.
.
I think I might have even noticed some of this while stealthing
along in the prius, but that could just be an illusion..
.
_H*

I was talking to a guy that had an EV and he said the same thing. EVers learn to hypermile out of necessity.

I'd be willing to say that we were the original hypermilers. EV drivers don't squander energy just because it is cleaner or cheaper than gasoline! The most efficient drivers I know are EV drivers. What's the fun in saying that I can get 80 miles on the energy equivalent of one gallon of gas, when instead I can confidently say that I can get 120+ miles out of that same energy by driving wisely?

And yes, we learned it out of necessity first and foremost.

It is possible EVers were the original hypermilers, but others have been doing it a long time as well.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/articles/t-how-to-save-gas-hypermiling-50-years-ago-1207.html
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/events-and-gatherings/t-insight-marathon-attempt-live-sept-25-oct-4-2006-2233.html

It is so nice to see the bar being raised higher than 100MPG or its equivelant. I remember thinking the 100mpg carburetor was urban legend because 100mpg would be near impossible. Now though I still don't believe in the 100mpg carborator I have no doubts that 200mpg can be done eventually. We just need smarter cars, the right equipment in them, and smarter drivers.

BTW, welcome to CleanMPG! There aren't a lot of EV people here and I'm glad you joined. There is no cleaner way of driving than an EV.

If you would like to add your EV to our database it would be great. I'm not sure how many bugs are in the database dealing with EVs, but I'd like to find out ;) It would be nice to see a few more numbers like 100+ MPG in the DB

It is possible EVers were the original hypermilers, but others have been doing it a long time as well.
Oh, no doubt! My real point was that EV'ers don't just squander energy because it is "greener" or cheaper. EV drivers, as a group, are probably the most energy-aware drivers that I know. I get all ticked off with the 50+mpg that I get in my Prius. I HATE wasting all that energy and burning all that gas!

BTW, welcome to CleanMPG! There aren't a lot of EV people here and I'm glad you joined. There is no cleaner way of driving than an EV.
Thanks for the welcome! I'm surprised that a forum like this has so few EVers. I'll see what I can do about fixing that! Certainly no cleaner driving than a renewably-fueled EV, that's for certain!

If you would like to add your EV to our database it would be great. I'm not sure how many bugs are in the database dealing with EVs, but I'd like to find out ;) It would be nice to see a few more numbers like 100+ MPG in the DB
When I have a moment, I'll see if I can figure out how to do that! I'll put my Prius in as well, to make sure the bar doesn't get ALL out of whack. ;)

Hi Darreldd:

___Welcome to CleanMPG and I am sure there is something we can do to help your Prius II out of the low 50 doldrums as well ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Ah excellent. I see that I've single-handedly derailed this thread completely now. ;)

Yup. Darell's in the house.

http://www.neoanathema.com/gallery/albums/ClipArt/threadjack2.jpg

:D