Having my HCH for just over 4000 miles, I have definately been learning a lot from reading these forums and applying the advice in the real world. I'm going to have my first 51+ mpg tank as of tomorrow morning when I fill up. Just passed 630 miles and the fuel light just came on! Very exciting for me! The easiest thing I've learned to do, is when driving down the highway just let up a tiny bit off the gas. This usually brings my instantaneous mileage from 45 to close to 60. I use the slight downhill to build speed, and then going up hill, climb them at no less than 40mpg if possible. Sure my speed can vary 5+ mph, but big deal! Another thing I've learned to do is coast whenever possible. The HCH has great low-rolling resistance, and if I'm on a nice long downhill, I'll pop it into neutral (MT) and coast for a while. I usually drive with the flow of traffic, so I would consider my mileage to be attainable by almost anyone willing to modify their habits a bit. My daily commute is ~55 miles each way with 1/2 highway and 1/2 country/city roads.

Any questions please feel free to let me know!

Thanks!

 

Chessie, its good to have another Virginian here. You are correct about the HCH low-rolling resistance. Sometimes when coasting it seems my HCH is in the vacuum of outer space, like it will just keep going forever. I have also found that when the fuel light comes on, you probably have another 2 or 3 gallons in the tank. I have often driven for over 100 miles after my gas guage shows no bars left on it at all. As for your mpg, keep at it. You may find that with each tank you have a need to do better, until you are fanatical and extreme in your efforts by habit, as some of us are.

 

HI Bob,

First of all, how are you getting 16 gallons into your tank? I have only squeezed in something like 11.4 when it was nearly empty. I don't think the tank is 16 gallons. Unless the 2005 tank is smaller than the 2004 HCH. Anyway, wow to yoru mileage!

I was taken under the wing of a wonderful hypermiler, Kenny today. Since he taught me his tricks I've driven around all nigtht and not gotten less than 59.8... mostly around 60 and up to 61.9. And that was with me still fumbling around at what Kenny had just taught me.

All this from a car I thought would never get more than 40 mpg! I was hoping for 50 mpg... ahhahahaa

 

There are two different size tanks in the HCH, depending on where you buy the car, the 'clean' states have the smaller tank that prevents gas evaporation, other places sell the dirty (Bin 9) HCH with the big tank. The 2006 looks like it will be a clean car no matter where you buy it, like the Prius.

 

Well, it looks like Schwa just stole my thunder about the gas tanks and how I got mine to take 16 gallons once. Beyond the fact that you probably have a smaller tank if you bought your car in California, you said you only got 11.4 in yours when it was nearly empty? First, my tank is rated for 13.2 gallons. Also, what is "nearly empty" for you? The time I put 16 gallons in mine, I drove for more than 150 miles after I was showing no bars on the gas guage! I think I must have been truly nearly empty. Also, when I gas up, I top off my tank right up to the gas cap. If I tried to put in another tablespoon of gas, it would pour out onto the pavement. That is how I got 16 gallons into a 13.2 gallon tank. So your PZEV HCH has a tank rated for...well, I don't remember how many gallons your tank is rated for. Wayne can tell you that. But if you run yours to nearly empty the way I do (and I have actually run out of gas at least twice) and if you topped off the way I do, you would definitely get more into it.

I don't recommend others top off the way I do. You can top off if you want to. Some top off, and others may not feel comfortable with this. Some people say topping off my tank is bad for my car, and bad for the environment. So I don't push topping off on others who may not be comfortable with it or know the consequences of what they are doing. I think everyone should do there own thing.

And again I say, THREE CHEERS for Kenny and for you!!!

BTW, I will be in SoCal Christmas-New Years. I am from there, have a sister in Fountain Valley, another in Temecula and another in Ramona, and 3 brothers in the San Fernando Valley and in Santa Clarita Valley. As a result of my encouragement, my brother bought my neice a Toyota Prius II as her first car!

 

Way to spread the hybrid fever, Bob. I'm working on it, too. I traded my HCH for my dad's old Silverado pickup truck for a few weeks while I moved from one place in SC to another. Dad was never a hybrid fan - he loves his truck - but after using my car to commute from Fredericksburg, VA to DC for a few weeks, he has decided to ditch his truck and get a hybrid. He's waiting for the '06 HCHs to come out. I'm so proud of my dad, and I can't wait to see how his new car will drive.

 

Hi all,

Well, a couple of weeks later (after Kenny took me under his wing and trained me up properly in excellent Hybrid gas-sipping techniques) I am still quite excited and overall happy with my results. My goal was 50 mpg. To me, that is a victory as it is over the EPA. I thought about some of the techniques mentioned by others, i.e. FAS and such. I finally decided that FAS and a few other techniques (not stopping every time at stop signs/lights) were maybe a little too dangerous for my blood. I also have come to terms with the fact that I live in Fullerton, CA. Which means that I live in a small city with short streets and many red lights. So, if I am just 'tripping around town' I'm screwed. I do better in mileage to make longer trips, using freeway miles, or combining as many errands together as possible. I also tear between mileage goals and overall using more gas to go 20 miles instead of 5 for errands. (which also boils down to $ in the end). I've tried the two techniques of very slowly accelerating to the optimal mileage (50 mph on FWY and 40 for most streets). The jury is still out as to which is most effective and worthwhile.

Oh! by the way, I was driving on the right-hand lane of the freeway the other day, midday, and this guy pulled up to within 2 feet of my bumper, pulled around me then tried to RUN ME OFF THE FREEWAY. Seems the big-truck/little-winkie crowd doesn't appreciate us gas economizers.


On another note... I had a blonde moment twice already with my car remote control. I tried to use the open door button to open my office door and an elevator in the last week. Good lord!

Renee

 

P.S. with all my experimentation I'm still getting between 50 mpg and 61 mpg depending on trip and street conditions. So, I'm super pleased!

 

Hi all,

I have finally reached a 518 mile tank!!! yay!!! I was getting low 300 tanks and with the help of Kenny (he rocks!) I am improving daily!

I'm now really bragging and taking friends into my car so that I can show them how many mpg I get. I love getting out of my car (at lunch) with a friend and pointing to the giant suburbans and vans and telling friends how much their mileage is compared to my car!

Today I ran into a friend riding his skateboard in the parking lot and I told him "Hey! your's is the only thing on wheels in this parking lot getting better mileage than me!"

 

Sorry to hear that you are not getting the mpg as advertised.

Myself, I have the HCH which gets the *worst* gas mileage, the CVT SULEV, and still manage 48mpg.

And, I don't drive too differently from the people around me.

I just apply 50% IMA from a stop until I reach my target velocity, then ease up on the pedal. That puts you into lean burn mode. I think that is one of the two most important things.

The next is do *not* idle your car, ever. You must use econ and make sure autostop is engaged.

I recommend against the AUTO setting for climate in city driving. Instead, put the fan at a medium-low setting. When auto stop engages, the air coming out is still cool for about a minute. Auto is nice for highway driving though.

Idling your HCH will KILL the gas mileage.