WNY Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 Just did a trip to Cape Cod and back (560 miles one way). Filled up in Mystic, CT to the end of Cape Cod (Provincetown) and driving all around the cape for 5 days and headed back. Filled up at the bottom of the cape and was 44.5mpg leaving the cape (Said 607 miles to empty) , didn't quite get that on that tank. it's nice and flat on the Cape and small rolling hills it does well on EV. most of the time it was 40-50MPG for the short trips here and there around the Cape. very happy. However, only got 38.6 mpg just before getting home and filling up, more hills had about 400# extra weight in the car. 0W20 Oil46 PSI in tiresGrille covers bottom and middle on the whole time. (231 Water temp was highest, but i believe louvers open and it drops to 221 approx, highest tranny temp was 173.) outside temps about 50-60F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 What was the wind direction? Prevailing westerly's would give you a headwind on the return trip. It a bigger effect than you'd think. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 Isn't Cuba, NY at a higher elevation than Cape Cod. :) That 3200' or so uphill going home will "tank" FE. For example, the potential energy of a 4200 pound car at 3200 feet compared to sea level would be equivalent to about the energy in 1/2 gallon of gas burned in the C-Max to account for the elevation change. 500 miles @ 40 mpg on flat ground uses 12.5 gallons. Add the 1/2 gallon for the elevation change to the 12.5 gallons and the FE drops to 38.5 mpg for the 500 miles. Grille shutters will be full open at about 212-214*F. The grille shutters begin to open at about 194-196*F. If you have ForScan, you can monitor grille shutter operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNY Posted April 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2016 (edited) yup, was pretty breezy on the way back. sounds about right. We are about 1800 ft approx. it peaks over in Andover at 2300 ft. I think on I-86Still happy with the mileage tho! I don't have the Forscan, just the ScanGauge II Edited April 21, 2016 by WNY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted April 21, 2016 Report Share Posted April 21, 2016 Plus, check your math. I calculate 0.016MJ of potential energy (mgh) per meter of elevation for a 3600lb car, and references show 34.2MJ per liter of gasoline. With Cuba at ~450m elevation, that's about 0.2 liters, or about 1 cup. Now there are inefficiencies, especially in ICE combustion, but that's a 3x factor when we're differing by 10x. Aerodynamic losses, being a second order effect, should be very sensitive, and it is. A 5 MPH headwind at 70 is good for 15% greater drag force; at 60 MPH, it's a 17% hit. Drag is just harder to quantify in terms of fuel use. Have fun,Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowStorm Posted April 21, 2016 Report Share Posted April 21, 2016 Frank, I think +3 might be closer. I often go about 6 miles down a mountain at 65 mph with 1000 feet of elevation drop. With cruise at 65 mph the battery will charge about 75% of indicated SOC. That is about 370 W Hrs (?) which is roughly worth 1 mile (I'm ignoring losses). So dropping 1000 feet gets 7 free miles. 7 X 3200/1000 = 22 miles which equates to about 1/2 gallon. As you say though, wind is a big factor. Sometimes I charge very little and other times it maxes out and the car goes into free roll! The difference seems to be in the fact that most of the energy that does come out of the ICE is being used to push the car along - only a smaller portion is used to increase its elevation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted April 21, 2016 Report Share Posted April 21, 2016 (edited) Plus, check your math. I calculate 0.016MJ of potential energy (mgh) per meter of elevation for a 3600lb car, and references show 34.2MJ per liter of gasoline. With Cuba at ~450m elevation, that's about 0.2 liters, or about 1 cup. Now there are inefficiencies, especially in ICE combustion, but that's a 3x factor when we're differing by 10x. Aerodynamic losses, being a second order effect, should be very sensitive, and it is. A 5 MPH headwind at 70 is good for 15% greater drag force; at 60 MPH, it's a 17% hit. Drag is just harder to quantify in terms of fuel use. Have fun,FrankSomehow I got about 3250' elevation for Cuba when I looked it up (which is not correct and off by a factor of 2.2). Must have got another Cuba somewhere. :) I also used 4200 pounds (fully loaded 1.167 heavier) and 30% ICE efficiency (3.33 X), 10% ethanol fuel not E0 (about 1.033 less energy) and rounded to 1/2 gallon for ease of showing difference in FE. :) So, I think we are the same with the corrections 2.2*1.167*3.33*1.033= 9X So, using 1800 feet or 55% of what I used as elevation, the fuel used for the elevation change would be about 1/4 gallon not 1/2 gallon. Edited April 21, 2016 by Plus 3 Golfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted April 21, 2016 Report Share Posted April 21, 2016 Just did a trip to Cape Cod and back (560 miles one way). Filled up in Mystic, CT to the end of Cape Cod (Provincetown) and driving all around the cape for 5 days and headed back. Filled up at the bottom of the cape and was 44.5mpg leaving the cape (Said 607 miles to empty) , didn't quite get that on that tank. it's nice and flat on the Cape and small rolling hills it does well on EV. most of the time it was 40-50MPG for the short trips here and there around the Cape. very happy. However, only got 38.6 mpg just before getting home and filling up, more hills had about 400# extra weight in the car. 0W20 Oil46 PSI in tiresGrille covers bottom and middle on the whole time. (231 Water temp was highest, but i believe louvers open and it drops to 221 approx, highest tranny temp was 173.) outside temps about 50-60F The combination of strong wind, going up and down hills, small change in elevation and the additional weight can really hurt your MPG's. I think your numbers are reasonable, also 2-4 loss of MPG's because of lower temps. ;) Just me, but i'd bump psi to 50psi and figure out some wheel covers. :) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNY Posted April 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2016 thx all!! I'll figure it out. I;m still happy with the mileage, i know I can go a few more PSI in the tires and prolly watch my cruising, etc...and get a few more MPG if I really try.I usually just leave it in ECO cruise. Also went to aftermarket rims with stock tires, slightly lighter then factory I think. No long distance plans yet, so just back and forth to work, which I can avg. about 40-44 mpg on a good day. :) ptjones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted April 22, 2016 Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Since this is your first Spring, your best mileage has yet to come. All my record MPGs and 700 mile tank were in June.Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Smith Posted May 30, 2017 Report Share Posted May 30, 2017 just did a 1005 mile rip from Vienna Va to Toronto and back. speed limit +5 was as fast as i went. I think one spot on the highway that was 75. but by and large kept the speeds under controlrained for 12-13 hours of the 17 hour drive. sometimes just misting, other times down pour. spent some time driving around once in toronot but no much.car was loaded with weekend gear for sailing and me. so the equivalent of driver plus one passenger. 1004.9 miles41.9 mpg23.97 gallons315 EV19:00 time on road (complete trip) not hateful mileage, though the hill climbing and rain did not not help. ptjones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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