Hyper Milers

[jediknight36]

Saw a news report on Hyper Milers. These guys get between 80 and 100mpg just by how they drive. Any smart owners on here Hyper Mile?

[SylenThunder]

I keep trying... my last attempt at drafting went horribly wrong. I'm in Michigan though and if anyone knows how Michiganders drive you know what I mean. keeping up wastes gas, and going slow gets you killed. I can keep it at about 41 pretty regular, but it's gonna take a few mods to the car before I can achieve the 65 that I am shooting for.

Also Keep in mind, a lot of the hypermilers are able to make some severe mods to the cars that we just aren't able to. I got my '03 Saturn Vue into the high 30's with a lot of weight reduction, and intake/exhaust mods. Can't do a lot of that to a smart.

[dcrooks]

Check out CleanMPG, An authoritative source on fuel economy and hypermiling

[trauterNJ]

I've got 49.7 on a tank before doing some engine off coasting or EOC, always coast to lights, timing lights and eliminating idling. I still use AC, but drive with a light foot. I think 55 mpg is easily attainable.

Without these techniques, I average out to 41.7 mpg in the 2000 or so miles I've driven so far. I drive alone, mainly back and forth to work 6 miles each way with 1 traffic light, a few hills, and mild traffic. I weigh 175 (give or take a lb. or 2) and the car is stock except for a Doug Thorley exhaust.

[KittyCanuck]

There's also some good info at http://100mpg.ca/ - lots of Smart-specific stuff!

[Kermit]

......and another gas saver idea site which is modified cars friendly to include some interesting ideas that work is at GASSAVERS.ORG

[unicycle]

my license plate is HYPRMILR. I don't think 55 mpg is easily attainable. I've managed 417.8 miles on a tank (I never top off) and seem to be avg'ing 46-47 mpg. You can check some of my other threads about hypermiling for suggestions, and other have given some excellent links and suggestions. I think the real key to great mileage is driving slowly when conditions permit.

[zman88]

I've got a little over 3K miles on my car and have done no worse than 42 mpg, even when using the a/c a lot. Mostly, using just P&G, and sometimes shutting the engine off when coasting to a light, I'm getting in the low 50's. I've never coasted while drafting a vehicle or any of the more extreme techniques-I think those work better out West.

[JPaul]

Introducing iPermiling, from Hunter Engineering's greenMeter
By Keith Barry September 19, 2008 | 9:06:33 AMCategories: Electronics And Gadgets

More pictures on site (see bottom link).
Thanks to Hunter Engineering, budding hypermilers can practice their skills with an iPhone App. For less than the cost of three gallons of gas, the greenMeter app uses the iPhone's built-in accelerometer to help drivers learn just how much their leadfooted ways are costing them in carbon emissions and fuel economy. This isn't the mutinational Hunter Engineering that makes the wheel balancers and alignment machines you see at Meineke, though. This Hunter Engineering is one Dr. Craig Hunter, and his new greenMeter app is based on his previously released gMeter. Unlike other performance meter apps, Hunter's new greenMeter is a dyno that'll actually save you some dino juice.
Since it would be beyond dangerous to play with this thing while driving, part of the fun of the greenMeter is simulating the effects of acceleration, aerodynamic drag, and rolling resistance. "You can learn from greenMeter before you even get in the car," Hunter said. "Then implement your knowledge on the road, by choosing an efficient cruising speed and using the built-in g meter to limit acceleration while you drive." Or if you're a Saudi prince or ExxonMobil shareholder, you can cheer as the greenMeter shows you're using a barrel of oil an hour once your Bentley hits 100 mph.
Don't expect to hop in the car and turn on the greenMeter. It requires some information including vehicle weight, engine efficiency, current weather conditions, rolling resistance, and your car's drag coefficient. Once that's all input, you have to balance your iPhone (or iPod Touch) on a sturdy, level part of your car's dashboard or console in order to recalibrate the accelerometer (as shown above). We probably shouldn't have to say this, but do NOT do this while driving. In fact, once it's set up, don't look at ANY of the numbers while driving. As Hunter says on his website, the colors on the screen will be all the information you need while in the car. "Red is bad," according to Hunter, who notes that purple and blue aren't that great either.
After a few hours playing with the greenMeter (and, I'll admit, almost running over a neighbor and his Corgi, stupidly trying to read the thing while driving down my street) this writer thinks it's pretty cool. Though it was a little tough finding out the drag coefficient for the car I was driving and the rolling resistance of its tires, it was interesting to sit at home and practice finding the "sweet spot" for efficiently accelerating onto the highway without the fear of getting run over by a Kenworth.
At least one of my friends will be particularly glad to see that I've downloaded greenMeter. For years it was his job to tell me when I was accelerating too fast, usually by asking me to pull over because he was starting to feel ill. Now, armed with a greenMeter, he can inform me that I should slow down because my carbon footprint has increased to three tons per thousand miles.

Source: Introducing iPermiling, from Hunter Engineering's greenMeter | Autopia from Wired.com
Not affiliate, connected or part of... disclaimer.

[jediknight36]

Neat gadget, but there is one that sits on your dash and screams at you when you accelerate and brake too fast. This one is cooler, but hard to use while driving I would think.