Woo hoo! Got 30.22 mpg in my minivan!

[GasSavers_rGS]

Background:

1. Old EPA MPG: 18 City, 24 Highway, 20 Combined
2. New EPA MPG: 16 City, 22 Highway, 18 Combined

Overall AVERAGE mpg from 6/12/2008 to 6/15/2008 was _30.22 mpg_ over a total of 170 miles driven. I thought I would never beat my previous record of 28.32 mpg but I ended up just proving myself wrong.

Compared to Old EPA Combined, I achieved a 61.1% increase in MPG. Compared to Old EPA Highway, I achieved a 25.9% increase in MPG. Compared to New EPA Combined, I achieved a 67.9% increase in MPG. Compared to New EPA Highway, I achieved a 37.4% increase in MPG. This was all possible in a gasoline non-hybrid un-modified engine in a minivan. So just in case you're a minivan driver too, I hope that I'm a glimmer of hope that it _is_ possible to hypermile even a minivan. Good luck!

Currently, I'm just using driving habit method for trying to hypermile. In this day and age of pretty much psychotically high gas prices, you'd probably be psychotic if you WEREN'T trying to hypermile. I'd like to thank the current members as well as the past members who has contributed their part into what makes Gassavers.org the awesome site it is.

"You know you've been a Gassaver for too long when...it's as pleasurable to achieve a higher mpg than, well, something else. "

[ihatemybike]

Good work. I was rather happy yesterday, my SGII showed that I achieved 25 mpg on my way to work yesterday. Lately it's been 21.5-22.5, like this morning. I love that I see a lot less traffic on Monday, but then I'm on the road 2 hours earlier.

[1cheap1]

Keep up the good work, more practice makes better mpg.

[ihatemybike]

Wahoo! SCII says I did 25.4 mpg in Green on the way home. Usually I get around 23.8 on the drive home.

[Otistheminivan]

Yeah way to go. I've just slowed down and its had a major impact on my fuel milegage. Never thought I could drive 245miles on a 65mph highway at 55 and under. Its late at night and the only way i could do it.

John

[1993CivicVX]

No EOC? Is this with an automatic? That is really impressive. My dad was really impressed that I got 26.1mpg in his Town and Country AWD (had snow tires on for that trip. Any other details you can share about driving style and your van would be great, thanks.

[GasSavers_ALS]

Originally Posted by Otistheminivan

Yeah way to go. I've just slowed down and its had a major impact on my fuel milegage. Never thought I could drive 245miles on a 65mph highway at 55 and under. Its late at night and the only way i could do it.

John

That's is normal behavior for me over the last three years.
I drive to Fl. 1180 miles and never exceed 65 mph.
On that same trip next month that maximum speed is being lowered to 100 kph or 62.1 mph.

I love long distance driving so twenty hours of driving doesn't bother me.

With 10 hours of fuel in the car, stops are at a minimum. I can't tell you how many times I have been passed 3 and 4 times by the same cars doing 70 plus mph on this trip. It's the old Tortoise and the Hare story.
More time on the road and less time at rest stops and restaurants means better miles per hour average for the trip.

[ihatemybike]

Originally Posted by 1993CivicVX

No EOC? Is this with an automatic?

Correct no EOC. My brakes and power steeering both work off the power steering pump and this thing weights over 4000 lbs, things could get real scary if I shut the engine down while rolling. The transmission is GM's 4L60E, a very wide ratio automatic with an OD of .70 and my rear diff is 3.23:1.

Originally Posted by 1993CivicVX

Any other details you can share about driving style and your van would be great, thanks.

My driving consists of being easy on the throttle, I rarely see the TPS on the SGII go over 30, cruise set with right lane traffic speed varying between 55-65 mph (it's a 55 mph zone, I like to cruise about 60), some semi drafting (CB in vehicle, I try to talk to trucks I draft), and where I don't tie up traffic, long neutral coasting. Aside from the SCII, absolutely zero mods have been done to my van. I drive with my current MPG on the van's info center and on my SCII the RPMs, TPS, trip MPG, and current GPH.

[101mpg]

Congratulations! These numbers ARE achievable with good technique!!!!

[GasSavers_rGS]

Originally Posted by 1993CivicVX

No EOC? Is this with an automatic? That is really impressive. My dad was really impressed that I got 26.1mpg in his Town and Country AWD (had snow tires on for that trip. Any other details you can share about driving style and your van would be great, thanks.

1993CivicVX,

Yes, I did not use EOC. Yes, I do have an automatic tranny.

As far as details:

1. It was relatively warm for the afternoon trip.
2. I used cruise control at 55 mph. I'd use the cruise control controls to tame the speed at 55 mph.
3. I did NOT use air conditioning. I think my freon is dead so I couldn't use it if I wanted to.
4. 3000 mile oil changes. After that trip, I'm due for one.
5. Had the mentality "unless you're paying for my gas, which you're not, I'm NOT going to speed up no matter if you honk at me or flash me or whatever..."
6. I planned my trip, printed it out, then stuck to it. Being lost can be a way to waste a lot of fuel.
7. The longest leg of that trip was approximately 141 miles, of which 138.6 miles was highway. I think paradoxically, the more I drove, the more fuel I burned, the lighter my car got, thus more fuel efficient.

Since I haven't graduated to the car modification level, most of my hypermiling was due to change of driving habits. So it's "mind over matter" or in the famous words of Star Wars, "Use the force."

Indirectly, it seems to be overall safer because most cars may be overtaking you, so the "danger zone" right in front of you where most of the "your fault collisions" occurs, was mostly clear. With the cruise control set, you don't have to manage the accelerator pedal so that helps to conserve your concentration for important tasks like looking around, ironically, in your rear view mirror to see if there's anyone about to cramp you from behind, so just merge either right or left, which ever is clear at the time.