Down to Earth: Hypermiling

[Chuck]

Jerad Parish shares how he got 110mpg at Hybridfest 2007 and hypermiling in general to local Madison TV station

WKOW Madison – Jan. 8, 2008

Largely positive -- Ed.

We know hybrid gas-electric vehicles by nature get above average gas mileage. It's what attracted Jerad Parish of Madison to purchase a Toyota Prius in 2005. "I've always been interested in high mileage vehicles," said Parish. "My last car was a Geo Metro."

A few months later, Parish's eyes opened up to a set of driving techniques that allows a vehicle to eke out even more miles per gallon. It was something called hypermiling.
By definition, hypermiling is driving more efficiently than the Environmental Protection Agency estimate that's posted on car windows. Parish, however, does far more than just beat the EPA estimate.

In a car advertised to get 45 miles per gallon, he's getting 65 mpg in the winter and more than 80 mpg in the summer.

So he took us on a six mile trip through west Madison to show us how it's done. First and foremost, he said hypermiling is mostly about anticipation. "A lot of it is if you see a red light a quarter-mile, a half-mile up, and you know it's going to be red for a while, then why keep accelerating? Just coast."… [Read More]

[BailOut]

Nice write-up. Go go Jerad!

[Right Lane Cruiser]

Great job, Jerad! The more people who see this as a reasonable and reasoned approach to saving fuel the better. It does not have to be dangerous at all.

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by Article

...Other hypermiling bloggers have written about taking cloverleaf freeway exit ramps without braking at high speeds, hoping to keep their momentum, but risking rollovers in the process.

Sorry, but this kind of promotes the myth hypermiling is more dangerous than speeding and the other usual stuff going on the freeways.

The Dallas/Fort Worth area has many suburbs that have plenty of hairpin exit from the small farming community days...have gone 10-15mph in my Insight over what the sign says and never been in danger of a spinout/rollover...In fact, couple of years ago, I did a spinout at 60mph on I35E mocking some one-armed dufus - not a rollover.

Back in 1990, I did 40-45 on a 15mph hairpin exit in my Honda CRX...no rollover, but slide off the road...point is Insight and Prius' are going to have to be going way too fast to rollover.

[mparrish]

Is there a video? It seems to be a t.v spot? Great job Jerad.

"The car is advertised to get 45mpg". I know this is nit-picky, but the press really should consistently go with a mixed Hwy/City. That's 46. You don't see me comparing Prius city (48) to Hummer city (2).

But at least we are nearly done with the "Prius really gets 45 instead of 60" silliness, as if all other cars didn't have the same downward revision.

[xcel]

Hi Marc:

___We are hoping to see the TV spot go live tonight although an online view would be just a hope right now.

___As for a Prius getting 60 around town, I always thought it did thanks to you and Jerad among others to numerous to list

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[diamondlarry]

Originally Posted by xcel

___As for a Prius getting 60 around town, I always thought it did thanks to you and Jerad among others to numerous to list

___Good Luck

___Wayne

60 in town for a Prius? You mean they actually go that low?

Great work Jerad!

[pdk]

Ho, fellow centurion!!!

Awesome.

[koreberg]

I had to laugh at all the safety stuff that was thrown in. Real numbers were being prested as to the benefits of hypermiling, but no numbers were presented about the saftey of cloverleaf speeds, or the saftey of slightly over inflating a tire. That article would be a lot better without that misinformation.

[laurieaw]

ya done us proud, jerad. but hey, they forgot to mention drafting semis

i notice their link to a hypermiling site goes to a place where you can buy clothing....wish they could have linked here, but that's small thing.

great interview