Sport Hybrid Fuel Economy
03-03-2015, 05:04 PM
#201
^^^Not that we keep score....
*Bob would move to warmer climate vs Wifey won't move. Point Wifey
*Bob would have garage for SH RLX vs Wifey's Pilot garaged. Point Wifey
*Bob has SH RLX, CTS-V Estate and S2000 vs Wifey has headache. Point Wifey
The game is looking pretty lopsided. Better check to see if Bob's balls are fully inflated?
*Bob would move to warmer climate vs Wifey won't move. Point Wifey
*Bob would have garage for SH RLX vs Wifey's Pilot garaged. Point Wifey
*Bob has SH RLX, CTS-V Estate and S2000 vs Wifey has headache. Point Wifey
The game is looking pretty lopsided. Better check to see if Bob's balls are fully inflated?
"happy wife, happy life"
Bob may have a method to his madness......
03-03-2015, 05:27 PM
#202
03-03-2015, 06:50 PM
#203
*Bob has SH RLX, CTS-V Estate and S2000 vs Wifey has headache. Point Bob
Bob - maybe I misinterpreted what Tampa meant by that line, but if not I think you may have insulted your wife
Bob - maybe I misinterpreted what Tampa meant by that line, but if not I think you may have insulted your wife
03-03-2015, 08:20 PM
#204
Senior Moderator
I think I took him literally. Oh dear.....
I think it's time for flowers for the dear wife.
I think it's time for flowers for the dear wife.
03-06-2015, 07:35 PM
#205
Some PAWS numbers for comparison
135 mile trip. ave 31.8 mpg
first 20 miles were on back roads. could go around 60, but about 10 stop signs and stop lights, so averaged about 29 on that stretch
Next 110 miles were mostly freeway, drove 65 to 80 and overall average went up to 33
final 5 miles all city streets bringing over all average down to 31.8
hate to tell you temp was 75 here today
135 mile trip. ave 31.8 mpg
first 20 miles were on back roads. could go around 60, but about 10 stop signs and stop lights, so averaged about 29 on that stretch
Next 110 miles were mostly freeway, drove 65 to 80 and overall average went up to 33
final 5 miles all city streets bringing over all average down to 31.8
hate to tell you temp was 75 here today
03-06-2015, 08:33 PM
#207
I know - its very painful to post that 75
But it is 10 to 15 above normal for this time of year
going to get warmer over the weekend and will probably break records
But it is 10 to 15 above normal for this time of year
going to get warmer over the weekend and will probably break records
03-06-2015, 08:56 PM
#208
I mean this from the best place possible: As I write this response it is 21 degrees and dropping to 8 degrees tonight. I have 6 foot walls of snow that have turned to ice that go back 20 feet plus from the driveway. May you get a nasty sun burn and and have no Solarcaine to sooth it. That is it. I am selling my house and moving to Siberia where it is warmer.
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neuronbob (03-06-2015)
03-07-2015, 08:05 AM
#209
Grandpa
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I sympathize.
It was 3 degrees when I woke up this morning, and climbing to a high of 46.
Radical shifts.
It was 3 degrees when I woke up this morning, and climbing to a high of 46.
Radical shifts.
03-08-2015, 03:31 PM
#210
Senior Moderator
Based on my observations, 32-34 degrees F is the magic number to awaken the mileage in the Sport Hybrid. Current tank is 27 mpg so far in my usual commute, which I've been doing this weekend since I'm on call. That's acceptable.
Above 74 mpg the mileage in this car goes off the cliff as well. 75 mpg is where it starts.
Continuing to beta test. Trying to find a way to trick the electric motors to activate more often. That function seems so random at times, but as a programmable feature it can't be random.
More to come....
Above 74 mpg the mileage in this car goes off the cliff as well. 75 mpg is where it starts.
Continuing to beta test. Trying to find a way to trick the electric motors to activate more often. That function seems so random at times, but as a programmable feature it can't be random.
More to come....
03-08-2015, 05:32 PM
#211
Based on my observations, 32-34 degrees F is the magic number to awaken the mileage in the Sport Hybrid. Current tank is 27 mpg so far in my usual commute, which I've been doing this weekend since I'm on call. That's acceptable.
Above 74 mpg the mileage in this car goes off the cliff as well. 75 mpg is where it starts.
Continuing to beta test. Trying to find a way to trick the electric motors to activate more often. That function seems so random at times, but as a programmable feature it can't be random.
More to come....
Above 74 mpg the mileage in this car goes off the cliff as well. 75 mpg is where it starts.
Continuing to beta test. Trying to find a way to trick the electric motors to activate more often. That function seems so random at times, but as a programmable feature it can't be random.
More to come....
141 miles driven so far
396 miles to empty
30.2 mpg thus far
average speed 59 mph (but drove most of the trip at 75 mph on cruise.
Also roads were generally flat
temps in the upper 40's
03-08-2015, 06:30 PM
#212
Senior Moderator
^^^
Speaking of cruise, one other trick is that on the freeway, I consistently use the ACC. The computer is better at maintaining a steady pace and speed than I am. That increases the mileage as well.
Speaking of cruise, one other trick is that on the freeway, I consistently use the ACC. The computer is better at maintaining a steady pace and speed than I am. That increases the mileage as well.
03-08-2015, 06:47 PM
#213
03-08-2015, 07:56 PM
#214
^"I don't have ACC, but what I do is look ahead and anticipate needing to slow down where possible"
funny you say that. Our i3 gives you stars for anticipation and acceleration - really, it rates your driving for range economy
funny you say that. Our i3 gives you stars for anticipation and acceleration - really, it rates your driving for range economy
03-08-2015, 08:41 PM
#215
Instructor
Based on my observations, 32-34 degrees F is the magic number to awaken the mileage in the Sport Hybrid. Current tank is 27 mpg so far in my usual commute, which I've been doing this weekend since I'm on call. That's acceptable.
Above 74 mpg the mileage in this car goes off the cliff as well. 75 mpg is where it starts.
Continuing to beta test. Trying to find a way to trick the electric motors to activate more often. That function seems so random at times, but as a programmable feature it can't be random.
More to come....
Above 74 mpg the mileage in this car goes off the cliff as well. 75 mpg is where it starts.
Continuing to beta test. Trying to find a way to trick the electric motors to activate more often. That function seems so random at times, but as a programmable feature it can't be random.
More to come....
I don't know why I doubted the cold would play a role, and I guess that I am disappointed as to just how much.
03-08-2015, 09:28 PM
#216
Senior Moderator
Jeez. My dumb typos.....mpg=mph.
03-09-2015, 10:15 AM
#217
^we figured it out
mr RL had a big change at 70, but the PAWS RLX does OK thru 75 like the SH
mr RL had a big change at 70, but the PAWS RLX does OK thru 75 like the SH
03-09-2015, 12:17 PM
#218
In today's travels I am continuing to hug the 30 mpg average for the current tank. This is in mixed driving but the overall so far is 30.2 mpg. It seems that above freezing temperatures does help the mileage. It is a mystery to me as I don't understand the physics, but maybe someone can explain it.
03-09-2015, 01:05 PM
#219
In today's travels I am continuing to hug the 30 mpg average for the current tank. This is in mixed driving but the overall so far is 30.2 mpg. It seems that above freezing temperatures does help the mileage. It is a mystery to me as I don't understand the physics, but maybe someone can explain it.
03-09-2015, 03:03 PM
#220
Yes I did. If my memory serves me correctly it was talking about the results of hybrid cars in cold weather. I don't remember it explaining what causes the hybrid cars to perform less efficiently. Is it just that the batteries are less efficient in cold temps? If so why? Is it that the petrol engine is running more often and less in 100% EV mode? That makes sense. Is it a combination of those? Or is there something else. What I don't understand is what happens inside a battery when it is very cold? How/why does the cold make a battery less efficient?
03-09-2015, 03:11 PM
#221
both poorer battery performance and heater draining battery
actually not sure which hybrids have electric heat and which one's don't. But if no electric heat, then the hybrid has to run ICE to heat cabin. Some may have both electric and ICE heat depending on temp
actually not sure which hybrids have electric heat and which one's don't. But if no electric heat, then the hybrid has to run ICE to heat cabin. Some may have both electric and ICE heat depending on temp
Last edited by getakey; 03-09-2015 at 03:15 PM.
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RLX-Sport Hybrid (03-09-2015)
03-09-2015, 04:05 PM
#222
Here is one of the funniest Robin Williams lines I am attempting to ruin with my humor:
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neuronbob (03-21-2015)
03-21-2015, 01:31 PM
#223
Senior Moderator
Winter fuel economy wrap-up
Individual tank mileage is improving with the change in the weather.
Now don't fear the overall mileage you see in my Fuelly. You really have to click on the Fuelly and review my details.
February was the coldest month on record for the Cleveland area, with an average temp of 15 degrees F (that's -9 C for you Canadians). Further, my car is an outside car. When you look at my Fuelly, you see a real dip in mileage during that time. I've had two tanks since I had the engine block heater was installed.
The first refill was four days after the heater was installed. Unfortunately, it was almost time for the fill at the time of the service so it reflects the poor economy that whole tank had--19 mpg.
The next tank, however, returned 25 mpg, an improvement of 6 mpg, after using the block heater.
The next tank reflects warming at the beginning of March into the 40's for daytime highs, which is typical for March around here. I did not use the block heater during that time. That tank returned 24.2 mpg. In that tank, I returned the best single-trip mileage in my highway commute downtown--33.5 mpg!
So reflecting on my beta-testing winter experience:
1. If you have an outside car, invest in the engine block heater, it results in significantly higher fuel economy.
1a. Invest in a timer for your extension cord....you only need to use the block heater about 2-3 hours before your trip; using it longer than that wastes electricity.
2. Even better, if you've got the room, just keep the car in your garage....and if it's not insulated, you should still get an engine block heater to warm coolant for your morning commute.
3. Below 32-34 degrees F, the mileage goes into the toilet. As you can see, my individual tank mileage was as low as 19 mpg in the worst of the winter. My average mileage in February was 20.5 when the three tanks that month are averaged.
I hope to gain more mileage when we change to summer blend fuel in another few weeks (the law says all gas stations have to change over by June 1st).
As it turns out, the Sport Hybrid is no different from other non-plug-in hybrids in terms of loss of mileage during the winter. You WILL lose mileage--I lost almost 25% of my mileage, and other hybrids are even worse than that.
Some survival techniques I used starting in February, and will use from the beginning of the cold season next year, are listed here:
A Hybrid Owner’s winter survival guide - CleanMPG Forums
and
Fuel Economy in Cold Weather-Fueleconomy.gov
They mention oil viscosity. We already use 0W-30 so Acura takes care of that for us. I thought about blocking the front grille but never got around to it--February was super busy for my business and I was simply too busy to do it. I did clean all the snow off my car and in the wheel wells on a daily basis to lower weight.
Acura makes little to no mention of fuel economy in winter. A nice primer on hybrid fuel economy and how to improve it in winter would be nice for people like me who were ignorant of cold-weather mileage issues prior to owning a hybrid.
HTH someone.
Now don't fear the overall mileage you see in my Fuelly. You really have to click on the Fuelly and review my details.
February was the coldest month on record for the Cleveland area, with an average temp of 15 degrees F (that's -9 C for you Canadians). Further, my car is an outside car. When you look at my Fuelly, you see a real dip in mileage during that time. I've had two tanks since I had the engine block heater was installed.
The first refill was four days after the heater was installed. Unfortunately, it was almost time for the fill at the time of the service so it reflects the poor economy that whole tank had--19 mpg.
The next tank, however, returned 25 mpg, an improvement of 6 mpg, after using the block heater.
The next tank reflects warming at the beginning of March into the 40's for daytime highs, which is typical for March around here. I did not use the block heater during that time. That tank returned 24.2 mpg. In that tank, I returned the best single-trip mileage in my highway commute downtown--33.5 mpg!
So reflecting on my beta-testing winter experience:
1. If you have an outside car, invest in the engine block heater, it results in significantly higher fuel economy.
1a. Invest in a timer for your extension cord....you only need to use the block heater about 2-3 hours before your trip; using it longer than that wastes electricity.
2. Even better, if you've got the room, just keep the car in your garage....and if it's not insulated, you should still get an engine block heater to warm coolant for your morning commute.
3. Below 32-34 degrees F, the mileage goes into the toilet. As you can see, my individual tank mileage was as low as 19 mpg in the worst of the winter. My average mileage in February was 20.5 when the three tanks that month are averaged.
I hope to gain more mileage when we change to summer blend fuel in another few weeks (the law says all gas stations have to change over by June 1st).
As it turns out, the Sport Hybrid is no different from other non-plug-in hybrids in terms of loss of mileage during the winter. You WILL lose mileage--I lost almost 25% of my mileage, and other hybrids are even worse than that.
Some survival techniques I used starting in February, and will use from the beginning of the cold season next year, are listed here:
A Hybrid Owner’s winter survival guide - CleanMPG Forums
and
Fuel Economy in Cold Weather-Fueleconomy.gov
They mention oil viscosity. We already use 0W-30 so Acura takes care of that for us. I thought about blocking the front grille but never got around to it--February was super busy for my business and I was simply too busy to do it. I did clean all the snow off my car and in the wheel wells on a daily basis to lower weight.
Acura makes little to no mention of fuel economy in winter. A nice primer on hybrid fuel economy and how to improve it in winter would be nice for people like me who were ignorant of cold-weather mileage issues prior to owning a hybrid.
HTH someone.
Last edited by neuronbob; 03-21-2015 at 01:37 PM.
03-21-2015, 08:56 PM
#224
My mileage is consistently holding at 29.1-30.4 mpg every tank with mixed driving.
03-22-2015, 06:13 AM
#226
Senior Moderator
Aye, she is a fast one, indeed. That's the enduring surprise of this car. I though my V wagon was a sleeper. Well, the wagon has "don't f with me" styling and a very loud exhaust, so it's less of a sleeper than the RLX. Looks like an Accord, goes like a Mustang, good for the environment. There's an ad in there, somewhere.
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fsmith (03-22-2015)
03-22-2015, 08:25 AM
#228
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The weather's moderated here, too, with a couple of days close to 70.
Checking individual trips, I saw that I was exceeding 34 mpg very often, so I look forward to the impact this will have on the 30 mpg lifetime average.
:-)
Checking individual trips, I saw that I was exceeding 34 mpg very often, so I look forward to the impact this will have on the 30 mpg lifetime average.
:-)
04-10-2015, 03:59 PM
#229
Three Wheelin'
I had a bunch of errands to run today and in relatively heavy traffic around town I achieved 7.0 l/100km which works out to 33.6 mpg U.S.. I didn't get to enjoy the driving dynamics of the Sport Hybrid because of the traffic, but I'm blown away with the mileage number achieved without trying.
04-10-2015, 05:11 PM
#230
I had a bunch of errands to run today and in relatively heavy traffic around town I achieved 7.0 l/100km which works out to 33.6 mpg U.S.. I didn't get to enjoy the driving dynamics of the Sport Hybrid because of the traffic, but I'm blown away with the mileage number achieved without trying.
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hondamore (04-10-2015)
04-10-2015, 05:35 PM
#231
I had a bunch of errands to run today and in relatively heavy traffic around town I achieved 7.0 l/100km which works out to 33.6 mpg U.S.. I didn't get to enjoy the driving dynamics of the Sport Hybrid because of the traffic, but I'm blown away with the mileage number achieved without trying.
04-10-2015, 06:02 PM
#232
Three Wheelin'
There is absolutely no danger of me not having fun with this car!! I have a couple of favorite freeway onramps/offramps that are a nice test for the SHAWD and ALWAYS bring a huge smile to my face. Alas, despite circling around for a couple of attempts today, there was too much traffic to have any fun so I headed home pouting until I checked the trip computer for the mileage numbers, then I giggled my way back home.
For further comparison, today's city mileage numbers are almost double what I used to get in my RL. As has been stated many times before, the mileage is not the primary reason to buy this car, but it is a really nice bonus.
For further comparison, today's city mileage numbers are almost double what I used to get in my RL. As has been stated many times before, the mileage is not the primary reason to buy this car, but it is a really nice bonus.
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04-11-2015, 07:56 AM
#233
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Since I got back from a trip to Florida, I've been watching the Power Distribution Meter.
On my regular commuting, which will be 100 - 120 miles/day, I am in EV Mode for ⅓ of the mileage.
If others of you experience EV Mode less than that, it could explain why I seem to be a couple to a few MPG better than most of you.
11,535 miles now.
04-11-2015, 07:58 AM
#234
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It is interesting watching and reading a bunch of middle aged men acting like they're 20-somethings with their first Type R.
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fsmith (04-11-2015)
04-11-2015, 08:02 AM
#235
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You're the first person who's exceeded my MPG.
You're getting into Prius territory with that.
My lifetime is still right at 30.0, although it dipped to 29.**-something during the worst of the winter.
The highway mileage during a recent 1700 mile trip was not as good as I expected. I tried to get one of the drivers to slow down a little, but every time I'd open my eyes he'd be at 90...or worse.
04-11-2015, 09:46 AM
#236
You're the first person who's exceeded my MPG.
You're getting into Prius territory with that.
My lifetime is still right at 30.0, although it dipped to 29.**-something during the worst of the winter.
The highway mileage during a recent 1700 mile trip was not as good as I expected. I tried to get one of the drivers to slow down a little, but every time I'd open my eyes he'd be at 90...or worse.
04-11-2015, 09:48 AM
#237
Age is in the mind. I lost mine so it does apply. Lewis Black does a routine on LSD and loosing one's name that applies. Check it out. That makes me laugh every time.
04-11-2015, 09:52 AM
#238
There is absolutely no danger of me not having fun with this car!! I have a couple of favorite freeway onramps/offramps that are a nice test for the SHAWD and ALWAYS bring a huge smile to my face. Alas, despite circling around for a couple of attempts today, there was too much traffic to have any fun so I headed home pouting until I checked the trip computer for the mileage numbers, then I giggled my way back home.
For further comparison, today's city mileage numbers are almost double what I used to get in my RL. As has been stated many times before, the mileage is not the primary reason to buy this car, but it is a really nice bonus.
For further comparison, today's city mileage numbers are almost double what I used to get in my RL. As has been stated many times before, the mileage is not the primary reason to buy this car, but it is a really nice bonus.
04-11-2015, 10:01 AM
#239
Aye, she is a fast one, indeed. That's the enduring surprise of this car. I though my V wagon was a sleeper. Well, the wagon has "don't f with me" styling and a very loud exhaust, so it's less of a sleeper than the RLX. Looks like an Accord, goes like a Mustang, good for the environment. There's an ad in there, somewhere.
When the official NSX commercials come out they better have the RLX-SH right next to it as the "son of NSX" or the "four door NSX".
04-11-2015, 10:50 AM
#240
I have around 6,000 miles on the odometer and my average for them is in the mid 28 MPG. While great mileage is terrific [and economical] remember once in a while to slip the car into Sport Mode and have some real fun [letting the gas mileage be dammed]. The Sport Hybrid is a dual personality car, don't forget to experience both sides of the coin. It is all part of the fun of having our beast.