CleanMPG.com World Record MPG Attempt!

My thoughts exactly. This is a direct challenge to the VW / Shell sponsored record set back in Sept-2008. VW sponsored this record attempt to promote its new common rail diesels in the US. Wayne is not content to have a diesel holding the fuel economy record in the US.

Just a note though, the VW sponsored record was set in an US spec 2009 VW Jetta TDI. The current record is 58.82 mpg.

 

Day 5 thread now up.

 

Sorry. I know Wayne does not mind a Diesel holding the record as long as it was driven expertly to maximize its potential.

Frankly, while the Taylors are good ambassadors for mainstream ecodriving practices their record achievement leaves something to be desired. That along with the fact they openly dismissed hypermiling is in part the motivation behind this CleanMPG record attempt.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

is it now??... might want to think that thru.

BECAUSE,

if you do the math, if the publicity on the stunt causes one person to convert from a 20 mpg vehicle to a Prius, THAT ALONE...ya, ONE person... will save enough gas over the expected LT of the vehicle to replace all the gas used on the trip...

*edit*
ok, looks like Evan already said what i said and did it a day earlier... anyway... what is the reported average mileage so far??

 

Keep in mind the EPA spends tons of fuel protecting the environment, and testing vehicles that it rates. I don't consider the EPA's fuel budget "wasted gas" since it serves a clear purpose to educate and enforce better fuel use.

Think this falls in that realm.

As far as "everyone bought a Prius to save gas", I think some people bought the car for the same reason people buy and X-Box. The Prius is FUN. So is the HCH, so are lots of fuel efficient cars that give you the opportunity to "score" your driving on a daily basis.

As much as I endorse conservation, part of the reason I bought this car was because in the back of my mind, I wanted it for the same reasons I wanted and X-Box. Flashy tech and a very high "hackable" quotient.

11011011

 

I looked at the day 4 map and terrain. You might want to change that "Buffalo, OH" to "Buffalo, NY"

Sadly, they won't be coming up to Burlington. They should be able to find cheap gas in Greenfield, MA at Rt 2 and I-91. If they don't need it then, there are 2 Irving stations, in VT on I-91 N. One at exit 7 and one at exit 8. Some big hill climbs in that area, really rips my MPG

The good thing is traffic isn't heavy north of Brattleboro, they can run the right lane and not be in anyone's way. Any speed is legal on the interstates in VT, but if they drop below 40, they MUST turn on the emergency flashers.

Have them wave in the general direction of the Berlin City Toyota dealership in Gorham, NH (north, when Rt 2 hits Rt 16) where I bought my car

Just a question: Why are they going back into VT to get to I-93 South? Looks like they could hit some decent 'run the valleys' terrain by taking 115 (~ 4 miles west of Bowman) south to 3 and catching I-93 south of Franconia. They would be 'staying high' and have less elevation to reclaim getting up to Franconia Notch. It would also cut off a lot of miles (20 vs 60). Caveat: I've never driven 115 or 3. Going to be a beautiful part of their drive by the way.

Also showing decent gas prices in Concord, NH on their way south on I-93.

Some more potential 'help'. Take 495 S from I-93 in MA rather than going down to I-95 unless they hit that stretch in the very early morning. A little longer distance (maybe 10 miles, but I already saved them 40 in N.H. ) but a LOT less traffic. It will run into I-95. Cheap gas at I-495 S exit 15 (Rt 1A, south - Mobil - easy off, easy on) in Wrentham, just north of where I-495 runs into I-95 about 5 miles before the junction with I-295. But then, I presume they are hooked into GasBuddy.co for current 'good prices'.

 

OK, now I'm looking at the Day 5 page and it appears the route has changed from the text on this page:
Calling every member from every state for help on World Record route planning - CleanMPG Forums

Rt 2 in VT is WAY north of the route on the Day 5 page. There is a Rt 2 in northern MA, but that isn't the route shown on Day 5 either. Certainly the Day 5 route is a lot more reasonable in the 'shortest distance to each state' vein. So, now have them wave at "Road's End Farm" when they are on Rt 9, just past Rt 63 in Chesterfield, NH on their way to Keene, NH

They can still use the 'cheap gas in Concord' tip though

I would also still consider taking 495 instead of 95 around Boston. 11 extra miles.

 

The Taylors record is 58.82 mpg in a 2009 VW TDI Jetta Sedan. The EPA rates the Jetta TDI at 29/33/40. The Taylors managed to average 47% better than the highway rating and 78% better than the combined rating. I would say that is a very impressive achievement. In order to better it Wayne will need to average 66 mpg or better. That's if you are just comparing technic and not the base vehicle.

The Taylors are also not against hypermiling, they teach seminars on how to improve fuel economy with driving technics. They are against some of the crazy technics shown in the media since the word "hypermiling" has become popular.

For example, I watch a news story on one of the local broadcast channels on hypermiling. They had the new anchor drive a loop, check the mileage and then had the resident "hypermiler" drive the loop. The hypermiler tailgated trucks on the highway section, turned the engine off in the city, ran red lights, and rolled through stop signs. He tried to justify his illegal activity with the fuel saving.

 

The operative word missing from the thread title was "Guinness," which considerably modifies this from just another publicity driving stunt to an actually documented effort.

Less bad than what we've seen in the past, at least Guinness has some standards, a protocol, a defined set of requirements that others have a chance of meeting. Like the old cross country Shell economy runs, this is 'less bad.' So I asked Mr. Google about "mileage records guinness" and found:

• The Taylors - 58.82 MPG, a promotion for TDI diesels
• 2000 Honda Insight - 102.6 MPG in the UK
• Doug Malewicki - 157.192 MPG gas and 156.53 MPG diesel in 1980
• 1959 Opel T-1 - 376.59 MPG in a 1973 contest
• Mercedes Benz - 2,400 MPG, 'mid-1980s'

I'll follow this latest effort with the same interest I've had in the previous Guinness records and raise a pint or more in their honor. <grins>

Bob Wilson

 

Agreed. That is totally disgusting and precisely the kind of stuff some many of us have been fighting against.

Regarding the Taylors: During several media opportunities they voiced their contempt for hypermiling and were clearly very dismissive of it. The community actually engaged them immediately after these press events in an attempt to correct this sort of mis-information.
I am still not too sure if they see our goals in the same light they see theirs. For several distinct moments after that, it certainly did not appear to be that way.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Bring me out of retirement 'eh?

55 @ 55 on the CC was impossible in my '04 Prius both in FL and SC, CC doesn't understand what to do with a hill (up or down), I always try to pilot my hybrids myself because of this, with very few exceptions I think maybe three so far and two were trying cruise out on the Prius and again on the Civic Hybrid.

I had another point but by the time I got to page 4 I forgot

 

They are back in Oklahoma now after making a small side trip to add Kansas to the 48 state total. Wayne says to post a big THANK YOU to Evan for the great hospitality.

THANK YOU Evan.

 

Compared to all the nascar races and its excessive gas wasting, it's a drop compared to a pool.

 

Saving gas is like losing weight(for someone who's overweight). Anyone can do it if they set their mind to it.

 

A new Guinness World Book of Records record was set early this morning when the CleanMPG team of Wayne Gerdes, Justin Fons, and Jennie Chen achieved an average of 68.537 mpg in a new 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid sponsored by American Honda and Scangauge! The record was for the highest mpg on a contiguous drive through 48 states.