What Language in "MPH" should we be testing at.

[Lug_Nut]

The A.M.E.C. runs are held on public roads. The courses includes stop signs and lights. There is a maximum time limit for the course to prevent drivers from going too much under the posted speed limit, but that time is figured pretty close to what the speed limits would allow anyway. The total time over the course distance might give an appearance of a low speed, but that includes high speed sections that offset the time spent at lights.
Not too bad considering lower MPG at higher speeds, and zero mpg when waiting to pull out from a side street into traffic. In my opinion, that 40~45 mph average yields a more realistic result than steady-state cruising at 65 mph.

[GasSavers_GasUser]

Originally Posted by pgfpro

I was talking with a friend today about doing some FE testing and I told him that my plan was to run no faster then 45mph for the whole test so I could get killer results. He thought that was not a fair test, because most people would not run that slow.

He said it should be at 65mph because that's what people judge for the most part MPG. Plus he said it shows what the whole car is capable doing including the aero of the vehicle.

I voted combined with an average because I believe it would be more realistic.

You could also do one at just 45 and another at just 65.

Just some thoughts.

[pgfpro]

I'm starting to think that the combine 45mph/65mph might be the only way to measure fuel mileage using a common language.

This will give us a great way to explain why at 45mph you can have extremely inflated fuel mileage numbers(driving skills,lower aero, etc) versus the
65 mph in which most people measure their fuel mileage.

[Sport/Truck]

When I got my Honda it tried to drive it nice and slow to only sip gas. To find out it didn't get very good gas mileage doing that.
Instead of 55-65 mph I started running it around 75 and mileage improved.
I'm sure it's the rpm that it likes given I live in the mountains. Too low rpm and it probably looses the efficiency while on a grade/ pulling hills.

[theholycow]

It definitely differs from one car to the next.

[pgfpro]

On my Honda driving at 45mph the mileage improves a ton!!! Usually 8 plus miles per gallon.

On my wife's Toyota it doesn't improve much only a couple mpg.