Best economy, cruise control or mild hypermile

[AnOutsider]

Guys, hypermiling isn't only about saving a little energy. Knowing what techniques help to reduce energy usage and how much each does is helpful info. In any car you will get in a situation where you, due to unforeseen events, have to drive as efficient as possible to make it to the next charging station. We all have been there. So please don't automatically dismiss any questions about efficient driving.

Plus, since we're talking cruise control here, I'm guessing this is mostly about long trips. On longer trips, range DOES matter. I have 2 use cases that come up often enough where I can't use my Model S without a charge stop. I may pull the trigger on a 100D when it comes out, or any model that can just about guarantee me 250miles on a charge in most weather conditions.

Until then, I try to drive economically and stop to charge if need be.

 

[BriansTesla]

I spent a lot of time hypermiling in an ICE car an 3 years in a Model S. I follow a few simple rules.
1. Don't go faster than you need to.
2. Use the brakes as little as is safe.
3. Coasting is more efficient than regen because of losses going through the system twice.
4. Crest hills as slowly as safety allows.

The above makes as much as 10% in my wh/mi.

 

[navguy12]

Plus, since we're talking cruise control here, I'm guessing this is mostly about long trips. On longer trips, range DOES matter. I have 2 use cases that come up often enough where I can't use my Model S without a charge stop. I may pull the trigger on a 100D when it comes out, or any model that can just about guarantee me 250miles on a charge in most weather conditions.

Until then, I try to drive economically and stop to charge if need be.

That is the scenario I'll face with the Model 3 and a round trip to Toronto airport to drop off/pick up my wife when she travels.
It's 265 km round trip and the current stated rating is 243ish km. I'll contemplate a larger battery if that option is available and not cost prohibitive, but if employing techniques that satisfy a once every 60 day scenario without extra cost, then that is the way I'll go.

 

[navguy12]

I spent a lot of time hypermiling in an ICE car an 3 years in a Model S. I follow a few simple rules.
1. Don't go faster than you need to.
2. Use the brakes as little as is safe.
3. Coasting is more efficient than regen because of losses going through the system twice.
4. Crest hills as slowly as safety allows.

The above makes as much as 10% in my wh/mi.

Those are techniques I employ as well.
Your point number 3 indicates, like the Prius, there is a sweet spot on the "gas" that experiance teaches will create a coasting situation. Good tip. Thanks

 

[brianman]

We'll probably need to accept differing opinions. I'm familiar with that stretch of road. While I haven't driven it in an EV, I've driven up much steeper mountains. Yes, going up hills requires energy by definition (whether it comes from the battery, or from a loss in kinetic energy by scrubbing speed). In a Prius though, going up a hill with cruise control is much more dramatic as the car first loses speed, and then changes gearing and accelerator settings to catch up resulting in quite a bit of commotion. In the Tesla, speed stays constant as power is immediately applied and no gearing changes are even possible. That's what I meant. Yes, it uses extra energy to raise the elevation of the car.

Again, drive the stretch I'm talking about in Model S. Do two passes. First pass, set cruise control to the speed limit and let the car manage speed. Second pass, set the cruise control 10 below the speed limit and manage the accelerator yourself to keep the vehicle at limit +/- 10mph. The efficiency of the latter is demonstrable better - I've done it many times in bad weather, when coming back from track events, etc. when "cutting it close". I wish the car would do this on its own (when requested via settings).

 

[roblab]

Guys, hypermiling isn't only about saving a little energy. Knowing what techniques help to reduce energy usage and how much each does is helpful info. In any car you will get in a situation where you, due to unforeseen events, have to drive as efficient as possible to make it to the next charging station. We all have been there. So please don't automatically dismiss any questions about efficient driving.

It's not automatic dissing. Hypermiling is to save energy, which saves range or gas. With a small battery, or a gas engine, it's probably good to hypermile, but with Tesla, it's just a whale of a lot easier to slow down a bit. Setting cruise 2 mph lower doesn't require worrying about hills, curves, whatever.

Hypermilers also take a half mile to a mile to get up to the speed limit less 5 mph. They are a pain in the butt. I pass them doing 90 and retrieve my wasted energy dropping back to the speed limit +5, with them a mile back.

My main question about hypermiling is, "Why?" There is no need. You don't need to hypermile to get to "the next charging station". Slow down. Hypermiling requires effort. Dropping your speed requires no effort. The tradeoff in a couple of watt hours just does not justify the strain. I drive my S for enjoyment, and I can easily see how many miles I will have left at the next SC. I have never arrived at my next charging place with no range (going on 100,000 miles), so we have not all been there.

 

[navguy12]

Hypermilers also take a half mile to a mile to get up to the speed limit less 5 mph. They are a pain in the butt. I pass them doing 90 and retrieve my wasted energy dropping back to the speed limit +5, with them a mile back

Agreed. This is the reason why I included the term "mild" in the title of this thread.

My experience in my Prius (on highway 401 with a limit of 100 kph and other hilly freeways) is I never use cruise control. Aim to cruise at the legal limit, speed up to 120 kph downhill and let the speed bleed off to 95 kph uphill. As always, practice defensive driving by looking ahead to anticipate a situation and stay in the right lane except to pass. Headlights on at all times. The same techniques I used to apply driving the German autobahns back in the 80s.

 

[Twiglett]

Guys, hypermiling isn't only about saving a little energy. Knowing what techniques help to reduce energy usage and how much each does is helpful info. In any car you will get in a situation where you, due to unforeseen events, have to drive as efficient as possible to make it to the next charging station. We all have been there. So please don't automatically dismiss any questions about efficient driving.

Its not that which disturbs me about hypermiling. What really annoys me about hypermiling in traffic is that is forces all the normal drivers around the hyper miler to get dramatically worse mileage. So while hyper miler is feeling happy about saving a tiny amount of gas or an even less significant few watts, the planet gets to suffer way more emissions from all those trucks around them having to play stop/go/stop behind them or accelerate past the mobile chicane in the road.
So while it might be personally efficient driving, the net result for the environment is stupendously worse.
It is waaaay better to go with the flow and help the traffic flow smoothly so that everybody gets better mileage.
In it for the bigger picture here - and its not about one persons economy goals.

 

[Borgholio]

Its not that which disturbs me about hypermiling. What really annoys me about hypermiling in traffic is that is forces all the normal drivers around the hyper miler to get dramatically worse mileage. So while hyper miler is feeling happy about saving a tiny amount of gas or an even less significant few watts, the planet gets to suffer way more emissions from all those trucks around them having to play stop/go/stop behind them or accelerate past the mobile chicane in the road.
So while it might be personally efficient driving, the net result for the environment is stupendously worse.
It is waaaay better to go with the flow and help the traffic flow smoothly so that everybody gets better mileage.
In it for the bigger picture here - and its not about one persons economy goals.

I agree completely. I actually used to be one of those jerks who would go 60 in a 70 zone just to save some gas. I would be in the slow lane, but I would still be passed by semi trucks and nearly everyone else. I realized I was causing more traffic and actually being a road hazard. I eventually decided that it's safer to keep up with the flow of traffic than to use excessive hypermiling. Now what I do is I cruise at 5 over the speed limit in the right lane. I'm not speeding so I still get reasonable fuel economy, but I'm going fast enough that I don't cause problems for other drivers. And if the slow lane is actually going slow...then that means I can save even more gas without feeling guilty about it.

It has become more about minimizing how often I brake or accelerate. The more steady I can make my speed, the better. Unless I'm trying to push it too much over 70, I really don't lose that much efficiency so I don't bother trying to save every little drop.

 

[sandpiper]

with the 250+ mile range of a tesla at 70 mph I feel that there really is little need for miserly mode or hypermileing. If I was driving a leaf maybe I'd be more concerned about my how my driving affects the range of such a range limited car

Says the person who's surrounded by superchargers. Not all of us are so fortunate.

 

[ilovemycoffee]

I find hypermiling difficult in my wife's Model S. I can't resist the urge to mash the pedal whenever I drive it. There is also that perverse knowledge that the car will charge faster at a Supercharger the less charge I have.

 

[kort677]

[

Says the person who's surrounded by superchargers. Not all of us are so fortunate.

and?

 

[Jim R]

I'm going to have to 'suck it up'! I drive a Mercedes E250 and typically get 1200+ kms per tank and then add 70 litres(18.49 gallons) to fill up. (Even consumer reports says the range is 800 miles). However, I'm up for the challenge!

 

[Woosie]

Its not that which disturbs me about hypermiling. What really annoys me about hypermiling in traffic is that is forces all the normal drivers around the hyper miler to get dramatically worse mileage. So while hyper miler is feeling happy about saving a tiny amount of gas or an even less significant few watts, the planet gets to suffer way more emissions from all those trucks around them having to play stop/go/stop behind them or accelerate past the mobile chicane in the road.
So while it might be personally efficient driving, the net result for the environment is stupendously worse.
It is waaaay better to go with the flow and help the traffic flow smoothly so that everybody gets better mileage.
In it for the bigger picture here - and its not about one persons economy goals.

That's a really good point. I don't like to drive much over 70 anymore so I tend to drive I the right lane on the freeway. However I do speed up in early morning traffic because nearly everyone - including the trucks - drives fast at that time.

 

[HanSolo]

I agree completely. I actually used to be one of those jerks who would go 60 in a 70 zone just to save some gas. I would be in the slow lane, but I would still be passed by semi trucks and nearly everyone else. I realized I was causing more traffic and actually being a road hazard. I eventually decided that it's safer to keep up with the flow of traffic than to use excessive hypermiling. Now what I do is I cruise at 5 over the speed limit in the right lane. I'm not speeding so I still get reasonable fuel economy, but I'm going fast enough that I don't cause problems for other drivers. And if the slow lane is actually going slow...then that means I can save even more gas without feeling guilty about it.

It has become more about minimizing how often I brake or accelerate. The more steady I can make my speed, the better. Unless I'm trying to push it too much over 70, I really don't lose that much efficiency so I don't bother trying to save every little drop.

You make a great point. The bottom line is that we share the road and the last thing you want to is act like a dick to the other drivers. Everyone has places to be and causing serious disruptions to the flow of traffic as stated can be dangerous, and it can also cause a lot of drivers to waste fuel as they try to jockey for position to make a pass. Only texting idiots on the highways piss me off more than hypermilers who often are not in the right lane and cause traffic backups as everyone from minivan driving soccer moms late to pick up their kids to semis get stuck. Ironically, every Tesla I see on the highway is usually in the fast lane doing the passing as I do not seem to ever recall a Tesla slowing down the speed of traffic.

 

[Topher]

It's not automatic dissing. Hypermilers also take a half mile to a mile to get up to the speed limit less 5 mph.

Those aren't hypermilers, those are slow people.

I pass them doing 90 and retrieve my wasted energy dropping back to the speed limit +5, with them a mile back.

You, one the other hand, are an unsafe scofflaw. ... and incorrect about 'retrieving your wasted energy'.

My main question about hypermiling is, "Why?" There is no need.

Because driving is fun, and hypermiling is driving. And saving the planet. Sitting in cruise control is boring.

Thank you kindly.

 

[roblab]

Those aren't hypermilers, those are slow people.



You, one the other hand, are an unsafe scofflaw. ... and incorrect about 'retrieving your wasted energy'.



Because driving is fun, and hypermiling is driving. And saving the planet. Sitting in cruise control is boring.

Thank you kindly.

Not wanting to argue, as you have a right to your opinion. And I agree, I am a scofflaw. When going down the freeway in a 65 mph zone, pretty much all the traffic is doing 80, so at least I have company, and generally the "law" doesn't bother anyone unless they are changing lanes and doing 100. But that's CA.

I have owned a half dozen priuses. During that phase of my life, I accelerated slowly, gently reduced speed going up hills, never passed anyone, drove under the speed limit, and got a kick out of it when my mpg went up a tenth of a mpg. I drove to Banff from Frisco, and round trip got 56 mpg. When I went to Britain, we rented a Prius and I got 72 mpg - they don't have the emission controls set as tight, I would guess.

When I owned a RAV4EV, if you didn't drive like a snail, you very likely weren't going to make it there and back, and there weren't any charging stations.

But, when we bought the Tesla, it was a new dawn. The car actually *could* pass someone. Range anxiety disappeared. There was no gas, so no mpg to even think about. I got solar which paid for itself in a half dozen years, so my "fuel" was free. Do I think I need to try to keep my energy usage at 275 Wh/mi? No. I don't care. But, for the record, it sits at about 312.

With the Prius, my wife was afraid to pass. Now she doesn't stand for creep cars and slow drivers. But we see no reason to "hypermile". It's not as fun as driving normal. It's not as fun as driving with TACC and keeping up with traffic. It's not as fun as using AP. Tesla is not anything like driving a Prius or a low range EV. It is way more fun than hypermiling, yet you still get ~90 mpg on free fuel.

So, obviously, it seems, you use gas, or have tiny range, and need to hypermile. Your car pollutes, and you want to save the planet. Yeah, I used to be that way, too.

 

[navguy12]

Not wanting to argue, as you have a right to your opinion. And I agree, I am a scofflaw. When going down the freeway in a 65 mph zone, pretty much all the traffic is doing 80, so at least I have company, and generally the "law" doesn't bother anyone unless they are changing lanes and doing 100. But that's CA.

I have owned a half dozen priuses. During that phase of my life, I accelerated slowly, gently reduced speed going up hills, never passed anyone, drove under the speed limit, and got a kick out of it when my mpg went up a tenth of a mpg. I drove to Banff from Frisco, and round trip got 56 mpg. When I went to Britain, we rented a Prius and I got 72 mpg - they don't have the emission controls set as tight, I would guess.


When I owned a RAV4EV, if you didn't drive like a snail, you very likely weren't going to make it there and back, and there weren't any charging stations.

But, when we bought the Tesla, it was a new dawn. The car actually *could* pass someone. Range anxiety disappeared. There was no gas, so no mpg to even think about. I got solar which paid for itself in a half dozen years, so my "fuel" was free. Do I think I need to try to keep my energy usage at 275 Wh/mi? No. I don't care. But, for the record, it sits at about 312.

With the Prius, my wife was afraid to pass. Now she doesn't stand for creep cars and slow drivers. But we see no reason to "hypermile". It's not as fun as driving normal. It's not as fun as driving with TACC and keeping up with traffic. It's not as fun as using AP. Tesla is not anything like driving a Prius or a low range EV. It is way more fun than hypermiling, yet you still get ~90 mpg on free fuel.

So, obviously, it seems, you use gas, or have tiny range, and need to hypermile. Your car pollutes, and you want to save the planet. Yeah, I used to be that way, too.

Very informative reply. For my future situation (home, Toronto airport, and back), if battery upgrade is not an actual available option for Model 3, I'll have to learn all the Tesla driving tricks to avoid having to make a refuel stop. The supercharger network in my area is simply not yet a viable option.

Hopefully in 24ish months that will change.

I have no doubt that for my normal 59 days out of every 60 days, my need to be cognizant of energy economy will not exist

 

[ShotgunF15E]

I prefer to HyperSPEED my Tesla.

(My other car is a Prius, If I wanted to be laughed at, I'd drive that to work)

 

[navguy12]

I prefer to HyperSPEED my Tesla.

(My other car is a Prius, If I wanted to be laughed at, I'd drive that to work)

You are quite the comedian.