8th Generation Honda Civic Forum - View Single Post - Civic Hybrid: Your Gas Mileage
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Old 09-14-2008, 02:54 PM   #65 (permalink)
bluetwo
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Jason
Quote:
Originally Posted by jatinIL View Post
I purchased my 08 hybrid in May. I drive 140 miles round trip to work everyday and was getting 20 mpg in my Ford. I am proud to say I am now averaging 52 mpg per tank. My highest achieved mpg was 54.5 on a tank. I drive the speed limit,,,,just wonder if I can better this milegae by driving more conservative
Absolutely! And here's two related things to back that answer up:

1, everybody knows, or at least can find out with a little research, that no wing or spoiler on a car makes any difference in downforce below 60 MPH.

2, you can't draft or get a good slipstream effect at below 60 even behind a big rig.

So while it of course it tapers off, not just magically happens when you cross 59 MPH, 60 and above seem to be the speeds at which significant drag and aerodynamic events take place. So it stands to reason that you'll get better gas mileage by going 60-ish or less.

Also I made a trip from Atlanta to Akron in which I drove 60 there and 80+ back, and it saved me about a half a tank going slower.

As for accelerating slower and wasting less energy by rolling through lights whenever possible (instead of rushing up to the light and taking off again) you'll do a lot better there too.

Last edited by bluetwo; 09-14-2008 at 02:56 PM.
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