One Tank a Year Club

[Smiling Jack]

Last year I started a practice of filling up (and re-setting trip 1) on Jan 1 as a way of keeping track of fuel use for the year.  On July 1 I fueled up and reset again.

 

Yesterday morning when I filled up for the six month period of July 1 through Jan 1, I noted that I had used less than a half a tank (5.82 gallons per trip 1 and 6.2 gallons per the pump).  Then it occurred to me that having used less than half a tank in 6 months, I might be using less than one tank a year; so , I quickly went back and checked my fuel use for the first half of the year.  Sadly, I had used 9 gallons Jan 1 to July 1.

 

So I missed out on the-one tank-a-year club membership this time.  But - hey - I'm on a roll now, and this winter I'm already being smarter than I was last winter about not letting climate control force the ICE on when it's really not cold enough that heat is needed.  I probably have a good shot of making it for July 1 2013 to July 1 2014.

 

Anyone out there who has already gone a year on one tank of gas or less?

 

Club is open to all, e.g.:

• Hybrid drivers who are in the 600-mile tank club and who drive less than 600 to 800 miles a year.
• Hybrid drivers who get EPA mpg or worse but who drive less than 500 miles a year.
• Energi drivers who plug in twice a day for a regular commute of 20 or 30 miles each way and may so do 10,000 or even 15,000 miles a year without using a tank of gas.
• Energi drivers like myself who drive only a few thousand miles a year and occasionally use a bit of ICE but only for a small fraction of their total miles.

 

 

 

 

[Adrian_L]

Wouldn't the ENERGI forum be the best place for this topic, Jack?  We don't drive much but went through at least 13 tanks of gas in 9 months.

Edited January 2, 2015 by Adrian_L

[RockwallRick]

I can claim ownership to this club but not for the CMax. It would be for my Dodge Truck! :lol:  I am away on business for

long periods of time and drove the Truck for less than 500 miles last year! My biggest concern would be the gas aging. I would

add some fresh gas to it every now and then even if you don't really need it. :rockon:

[kostby]

There are many Gasoline Stabilizers available, such as STA-BIL and others. Although they are priced and sold in small containers of a few ounces for small engines like mowers, and boats, they work fine in a larger vehicle as long as you add enough for the quantity of fuel.

 

I won't recommend any brand, because I've only used one small bottle in the last 5 years with my snowblower fuel over winter.

 

I also added it to my old 'summer car' when it was stored over the winter, but that was years ago, and I don't remember the brand.

[Smiling Jack]

There are many Gasoline Stabilizers available, such as STA-BIL and others. Although they are priced and sold in small containers of a few ounces for small engines like mowers, and boats, they work fine in a larger vehicle as long as you add enough for the quantity of fuel.

 

I won't recommend any brand, because I've only used one small bottle in the last 5 years with my snowblower fuel over winter.

 

I also added it to my old 'summer car' when it was stored over the winter, but that was years ago, and I don't remember the brand.

 

 

Rick,

 

Thanks for sharing.  Any way you don't use gas is a good way!  You get a class B membership. 

Calss A is for any C-max used as a regular daily driver.

[Smiling Jack]

Update:  Gary G posted elsewhere that he had gone 15 months on a tank.

[mtb9153]

I won't be gracing this club with my name.  Since September of 2012 I have purchased 69 tanks of gas.  600+ mpg twice, I racked up over 19,000 miles in the first year alone.  That represents just daily commute mileage plus one out of town drive to Sacramento, Ca.  Frankly I find it impossible to drive 600 to 800 miles a year unless I were to tow Maxus behind another vehicle and why would I want to do that?

 

I presume this club will be more suited to owners who pull their CMax from behind an RV or Bus?  Or rarely drive very far from home on a daily basis?

 

I'd be interested to know what your driving conditions are to put less than 600 miles a year on your CMax.

 

Will be watching this with interest.

[Smiling Jack]

I won't be gracing this club with my name.  Since September of 2012 I have purchased 69 tanks of gas.  600+ mpg twice, I racked up over 19,000 miles in the first year alone.  That represents just daily commute mileage plus one out of town drive to Sacramento, Ca.  Frankly I find it impossible to drive 600 to 800 miles a year unless I were to tow Maxus behind another vehicle and why would I want to do that?

 

I presume this club will be more suited to owners who pull their CMax from behind an RV or Bus?  Or rarely drive very far from home on a daily basis?

 

I'd be interested to know what your driving conditions are to put less than 600 miles a year on your CMax.

 

Will be watching this with interest.

 

 

Brother Mike,

 

No one driving a Hybrid less than the 600 or 800 miles per year has yet reported in - although I suspect there are some.  I would also like to know their pattern.

 

Gary G drives an Energi about 1000 miles a month but uses only about a gallon a month.

 

I also drive an Energi.  I do only about 200 miles a month, but lately I also use about a gallon a month.  I drive to work every day and do the usual ordinary errands, but the office, the grocery, downtown Houston, church, family, the post office and several shopping centers are all well within the EV range.  Where I use the most gas is traveling to the airport or to certain client offices or some friends' homes all 20 to 30 miles away.  On those trips I usually have the entire return on gasoline.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Smiling Jack

[Adrian_L]

I'm sorry guys, but where is the interest in a club of C-max owners who don't use their cars?

Edited January 5, 2015 by Adrian_L

[Smiling Jack]

Re-phrasing from my post above,  I drive mine every day and I'm currently using about one gallon a month.

 

And I have company.  Gary G drives a lot more than I do and uses about the same.

[Adrian_L]

.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Adrian_L

[Adrian_L]

*SIGH*  I know-----you have an ENERGI.  That is why this would be a great topic for the ENERGI forum ("hey guys, who can use as little gas as possible in a year") 

But for Hybrid drivers--the only way not to use any gas is not to drive.  Period.

 

[Smiling Jack]

Avoiding gasoline altogether is a useful idea, but the goal here is to minimize gasoline use while still getting the necessary driving done.

 

One tank a year is just one convenient benchmark to demonstrate what is possible (sort of like the 600 mile per tank club).

 

With minimizing gasoline use as the goal:

• some choose to live close to everything they need - work necessities, entertainment, recreation
• some use alternate fuels
• some go for high mpg.

I went for all of the above.

 

If one were to drive every day, and use a tank a year, my guess is that one would probably need to do all of the above.  I am hoping to find out how many others have done the same or better.

[Smiling Jack]

Avoiding gasoline altogether is a useful idea, but the goal here is to minimize gasoline use while still getting the necessary driving done.

 

One tank a year is just one convenient benchmark to demonstrate what is possible (sort of like the 600 mile per tank club).

 

With minimizing gasoline use as the goal:

• some choose to live close to everything they need - work necessities, entertainment, recreation
• some use alternate fuels
• some go for high mpg.

I went for all of the above.

 

If one were to drive every day, and use a tank a year, my guess is that one would probably need to do all of the above.  I am hoping to find out how many others have done the same or better.

 

With only a few days to go to close a year since July 1 2014, I am still on track to use lesss tan a tank's worth in 12 months.

 

Stay tuned.

[Smiling Jack]

Well, I made it

 

11.7 galons used (by the pump) over the last 12 months., and averaging a usage rate of less than a tank a year over the last 18 months.

[ls973800]

Well, I made it

 

11.7 galons used (by the pump) over the last 12 months., and averaging a usage rate of less than a tank a year over the last 18 months.

 

 

Cool!  How many miles did you drive for the last 12 months.

[Smiling Jack]

Cool!  How many miles did you drive for the last 12 months.

 

For the 12-month period, I drove 2145 miles.

 

As I posted previously: 

 

With minimizing gasoline use as the goal:

• some choose to live close to everything they need - work necessities, entertainment, recreation
• some use alternate fuels
• some go for high mpg.

I went for all of the above.

 

If one were to drive every day (as I do) and use a tank a year, my guess is that one would probably need to do all of the above.  In making this thread, I was hoping to find out how many others have done the same or better.

 

When it comes to how many miles can be done on a single tank and within a year, Gary G seems to be the clear leader with over 15,000 miles.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Smiling Jack