Good to see you and TeeSter talking about "following a big rig" at a safe distance to improve your mileage on the highway. Those are also other good recommendations you both make here.

Just got back from a trip from Jupiter (my home) to Tampa (Busch Gardens) yesterday. Left there today and went through Disney World on SR192 (heavy traffic and stoplights) and over to RonJon's Surf Shop in Coco Beach. We had dinner at my favorite Rest. in Vero Beach called Mr. Manatee's, and took SR 60 (heavy traffic and stoplights) to 1-95 home again. Lots of highway and lots of City driving and didn't hold any traffic back. My average MPG was 22.3 when I pulled into my driveway on this 466 mile small spring vacation trip with my wife and 15 yr old son.

When TeeSter just posted about the Escape AWD V6 getting 17mpg on the highway, I thought I'd post about how driving any vehicle, mileage could be improved after learning how to drive with the FEH and reading this forum. The vehicle I took on that trip was my '02 V8 EB Explorer (68,000 miles) with the A/C on the entire trip. Two years ago I would have been lucky to have gotton 16mpg on this trip. There was no EV, no Fas, no neutral gliding, just what you and TeeSter pointed out in this thread.

Thanks Guys

GaryG

 

Sorry fo the late reply, but I-94 is currently construction free AFAIK. Snowy, yes, but I believe they're done for a while on I-94 at least from Metro Airport to 23 Mile Road.

In the future, if you're curious, you're better off to PM me. I don't always get around to every thread in a timely manner.

In addition to Drafting off trucks, staying in the slower traffic lanes, in certain areas you can also do a kind of High Speed Pulse and Glide in hilly areas, where you speed up and minimize your fuel usage as your speed coasts down a bit. Combined with level road Cruise Controlling and slower speeds, you can get some fantastic MPGs on the highway. I used to have a commute from Ford Road to 21 Mile road on I-94, and during the summer I was going 60 MPH and getting 36+ MPGs.

 

The key here being "safe distance". I won't mention any names, (regular posters here will know who I'm referring to) but there are posters here occasionally who regularly tailgate big trucks at a highly unsafe distance (among other unsafe techniques) just to slightly increase their mpg.

There have been pictures posted here of highly unsafe techniques & one driver who talked about tailgating another driver until the guy moved over & let him get even closer to the truck he was attempting to follow....

Use your head when reading the techniques listed on these boards, some work very well(& work for any vehicle, not just a Hybrid), other techniques posted by some of the fanatics here are highly dangerous & have no place on public highways.......

~John

 

Here is what I've learned about drafting for about two years now.

It has become to me a technique about knowing how, when, and what to draft.

How: It doesn't have to be dangerous and your not the only one that has a say about that. The trucker will let you know if he or she feels you pose a danger to them or yourself by slowing down or speeding up most of the time. If your good at drafting, you will not see any concerns by the trucker about your distance at any time. Watch for slowing and don't ride up on his tail to let them know your on the ball at all times. If you don't see the MPG gauge improve or feel and hear the calm of the wind, you should back off. If the trucker signals for a change in lanes, you may can help him if the other lane is moving the same speed or slower. Don't slow the traffic just to let them change lanes. It's a matter of driving defensively to all that share the road.

When: I find that traffic moving a constance speed of 50mph or more, I can increase my steady state MPG up to ~70mpg in my FEH. My average has never got that high drafting, but I see the SG instant MPG hit those numbers. This is because the HV battery is full, the heavy wind drag on the small Atkinson engine is reduced and Long Term Fuel Trim adjust to load and RPM changes. No need to even draft behind a trucker where cross winds cause turbulance and a shaky vehicle. Side lane drafting may help some, but not always. When side lane drafting, make sure the trucker can see you and you can see his signal lights also. On hot days when I need the A/C, it may be better to hit the highway and draft with the A/C for the best MPG. The A/C does not effect MPG while drafting. During the weekdays, there are much more truckers to choose from, and I find Sundays the worst.

What to draft: Do not draft smaller vehicles that have good stopping distances. A big rig can't stop as good as you unless he hits something large and heavy. In that case, it might be better you were behind him instead of in front of him and becoming a sandwich. I prefer drafting a trucker that has a high flatbed with no load. The wind seems to roll down the flatbed for better drafting and you can see around them much better.

If a trucker is changing speeds constantly to get around traffic, I don't bother trying to draft. Constant slower speeds at or below the speed limit is what I look for. Also, I may ditch a draft if I see a better one come up behind or ahead of me.

Highway driving and drafting is a small percent of my driving, but it is a choice I make depending on my needs for time. I prefer to stay away from the unsafe speeds and poke around the beach roads using P&G where I can enjoy the view and relax. I get more than slightly more MPG on every tank all year long now and I'm very happy with my FWD FEH.

GaryG

 

Another reason NOT to do it in Colorado is... Colorado just made drafting a Felony!

Well, not quite. Almost.

In Colorado you can get 1 pt violations, such as a missing tail light.
2 pt violations, such as illegal lane change, and speeding
4 pt violations, such as reckless driving, and speeding in a school zone.

You guessed it... following less than 3 seconds gets you 4 points.
Get 12 pts in a year, or 18 points in 2 years and loose your licence.

Get 9 points under age 21 and loose your licence.

 

I won't draft a big rig for a couple different reasons, one I think it's highly unsafe(which is why it's illegal in most places)but that's not my only concern.

The other reason is that I try to keep my vehicles in mint condition & closely following any kind of truck on the highway pretty much guarantees that you will be subject to paint chips/stone chips in your windshield etc. etc. as you are blasted by debris(stones, mud etc) flying off the truck or being kicked up by the huge big rig tires.

I have ridden a motorcycle(Harley)for over 30 years & learned early on not to follow behind any kind of truck for these same reasons. It's more a safety concern on the bike, but the same problems occur when following in a car/truck also.

~John

 

Plus, remember that for all your fuel savings, the truck looses at least that much fuel "pulling" you along. I don't believe there are very many truckers, especially at today's fuel prices, would want to burn that extra fuel.

 

I can't argue with that.... all trucks are bad for that effect i've found even when you don't try to draft them, but natrually the closer you are the worse.... gravel trucks are frankly dangerous. I had one way in front of me (I wasn't following it close at all) that was pitching rocks off the top of it every 10-15 seconds that were ~ 3/4 the size of a chicken egg even with the "tarp" on... that won't just give you a paint chip at 65-70mph... it'll give you one heck of a dent! and a really messed up windshield.

 

Walt,
I do not believe that to be true. I'm no nuclear-cardio-astro-physicist or anything but I am pretty sure that the impact on the truck is minimal.

 

I don't see it making a huge impact on the truck, but I definitely know there are truckers that are not above slamming on the brakes if they feel that you're tailgating them however..........

~John