CVT 50+ MPG (US) easy sweet spot?

[wizkid057]

So, for the past couple of weeks I've had a decent commute for work every day, roughly ~94 miles round trip, mostly highway. So, since I pay for my own gas, I'm trying to max out my MPG. I have the CR-Z EX Non-Navi CVT.

I've been trying different things, and I've come across a rather odd finding. I seem to have found the perfect "sweet spot" for getting 50+ MPG (US gallons) out of my 'Z.

Here's what I've been doing the past week or so:

• Start my trip in ECON mode, kinda hypermile (just drive economically) to get to the interstate (get to ramp with Trip B reading about 38-41 MPG)
• Accelerate the 60 MPH
• Turn on Cruise Main, Set cruise control
• Cruise until IMA battery is 7 bars or greater (usually 5 minutes tops)
• Turn off Cruise Main
• Accelerate to 62MPH
• Turn on Cruise Main
• Let off gas, decelerate
• The moment the speedometer goes from 61 to 60 MPH, Set Cruise Control
• Enjoy insane mileage

I'm not 100% sure why this works. Honestly, I'm not even 100% sure how I figured this out.

After following these steps, at 60MPH on level terrain my instant MPG gauge will read 50-65MPG. On a slight incline it will drop to 40-45 mpg. On a decent incline it will drop to 35 MPG at it's lowest. Even slightly downhill will push the gauge to 75-100+ MPG while maintaining 58-61MPH.

Now, I thought I was crazy, so, I've been trying this for almost 2 weeks now every day, both ways of my trip (~47 miles).

I've tried just cruising at 60MPH, 61MPH, 59MPH, etc without following my above steps and I don't get the crazy mileage I get when I do follow my procedure. Granted, I still do pretty well (low to mid 40s-mpg range), but not 50+.

I hit my trip MPG record with this method not long ago. Here's a pic:


54 MPG. And that's including to the interstate from my house and from the interstate to my job site. And this is with cruise control! No obsessive-compulsive hypermiling techniques.

I've also beaten my previous range-estimate readout as of today:


525 miles remaining, plus the 47.9 miles I've driven since I filled up = 572.9 miles of range.

For more details, here is roughly my commute route:
Google Maps route

The interstate portion is not flat terrain, as there are many many many over/underpasses. Some of the inclines are pretty steep, others are gradual. Also, to note, the elevation of my starting point is only about 20 ft lower than the elevation of my end point (in the morning), although in my field tests my departing and returning trips get about the same mileage.

I made a crappy video this morning, but its long and I had to stop it for safety a few times (stupid traffic). I'm going to try to edit it a bit and show off some portions late on (tonight? next day or so? not sure...).

In any case, my method described above definitely works for me. I'm hoping that someone else (or a few someone elses) will give it a try and let me know how it works out for them. I've tried this on my commute to work, from my house to the Wildwood, NJ (shore, ~80 miles), and on other shorter highway trips. It hasn't failed me yet, and it only seems to work at that exact speed, with the IMA battery full or near full (no green charging bars while cruising).

Definitely going to try and get this video put together tonight, though.

-wk

[wizkid057]

Another "I just got to work" MPG shot I forgot about:

[wizkid057]

Here is my poorly edited, insanely shaky, crappy video of this in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Bc9EsHTJk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Bc9EsHTJk

[romiata]

I'm going to have to try this! My commute is pretty long too.

I'm curious: when you fill up your tank, how many miles does it say you have? Mine tops out at 350, but as I drive it bumps up to 420 sometimes, but never lasts. My average is at 35.2 mpg... And I REALLY want to get more

[Willard]

I reset trip odometer B once I got on the freeway coming home today, granted I only have a 16 mile commute, by I was able to squeeze 51 MPG out of her over those 16 miles. Trip odometer A with 120 miles shows 41 MPG mixed.

[wizkid057]

Originally Posted by romiata

I'm curious: when you fill up your tank, how many miles does it say you have? Mine tops out at 350, but as I drive it bumps up to 420 sometimes, but never lasts. My average is at 35.2 mpg... And I REALLY want to get more

This past fill-up (yesterday) it read 520 when I was sitting at the pump. It seemed to stay there when I started using the tank and actually go up a notch, as you can see. I've found it to be pretty accurate if you drive consistently.

Originally Posted by Willard

I reset trip odometer B once I got on the freeway coming home today, granted I only have a 16 mile commute, by I was able to squeeze 51 MPG out of her over those 16 miles. Trip odometer A with 120 miles shows 41 MPG mixed.

I reset Trip B right before I put it in "Drive" when I'm still in my driveway. I reset Trip A when I start the engine after a fill-up.

[Scotty001]

Good Stuff Wiz..

Normally a truer test is over a entire tank of gas. Interested in seeing your Trip A or B reset at 0 miles and then show the tank empty or almost empty with 520 or so on the trip mileage and of course 52 or so on the MPG..

This is of course if you use it only for the commute drive.. Taking the trip down the road to the grocery store etc., can potentially eat into the mileage. But still - generally agree - in a CVT - on the highway - in ECON and using Cruise is the best way to get the best mileage. Wish I could peg out at 50+. But alas my Terrain will not oblige..

[romiata]

Originally Posted by wizkid057

"This past fill-up (yesterday) it read 520 when I was sitting at the pump. It seemed to stay there when I started using the tank and actually go up a notch, as you can see. I've found it to be pretty accurate if you drive consistently."

Why does mine only ever say 350?!? WTH is up with that?? Sometimes it only says 340! Defective CR-Z or....defective driver?! Lol
Granted, its heavier with the Mugen kit and larger wheels, but its read that way since I purchased it bone stock! Now with over 7k miles in just over 2 months... I DEMAND BETTER MPG! :rofl:

[wizkid057]

Originally Posted by Scotty001

Good Stuff Wiz..
Normally a truer test is over a entire tank of gas. Interested in seeing your Trip A or B reset at 0 miles and then show the tank empty or almost empty with 520 or so on the trip mileage and of course 52 or so on the MPG..

This is of course if you use it only for the commute drive.. Taking the trip down the road to the grocery store etc., can potentially eat into the mileage. But still - generally agree - in a CVT - on the highway - in ECON and using Cruise is the best way to get the best mileage. Wish I could peg out at 50+. But alas my Terrain will not oblige..

I've been trying to do a full tank test with this for a while. The bad thing about getting so many miles out of the tank is that it lasts so long that I end up not only being able to use it for my commute. My last tank, though, was pretty dang good though. Only a small percentage of non-commute miles. 48.5 MPG, 460 miles (~9.5 gallon fill up). I use the Android app aCar for stats.

My problem now is that next week my commute will be different (closer), so, it will be almost impossible for me to do this for an entire tank. Going to keep it up anyway though.

EDIT: Just to add, even though I cant get a full tank test done yet, I've done this commute test about 15 times now with very consistent results. Lowest 47 mile trip was 48.7 MPG and highest was 54 MPG with an average right around 51 MPG.

[wizkid057]

Originally Posted by romiata

Why does mine only ever say 350?!? WTH is up with that?? Sometimes it only says 340! Defective CR-Z or....defective driver?! Lol
Granted, its heavier with the Mugen kit and larger wheels, but its read that way since I purchased it bone stock! Now with over 7k miles in just over 2 months... I DEMAND BETTER MPG! :rofl:

Haha. It seems to base it on a huge rolling average at fill-up, not just the last tank. Seems to be using the past 1000 miles worth of mileage data to calculate the range at fill-up, adjusting on the fly based on driving habits.

For the record, my CR-Z is 100% stock at the moment. Only "mod" would be adding a little tire pressure.