My First MPG Numbers

[Moviemike]

I took delivery Saturday of my beautiful Clear Sky Blue EX with Nav. I took a drive through town and on to both straight and winding 2 lane roads and ended the 71.8 mile trip with a very respectable 49.4 mpg. A similar trip in our Insight 1 CVT would have yielded 53-57 mpg.

Some mpg discoveries on the trip. Better position for the MID is the (“energy flow”) screen with the battery, car, and gas spout on it. I thought the mpg slider would be best (its most helpful in the I1), but I discovered that light pedal pressure to maintain speed may give better instant mpg, but is draining the battery to achieve it (getting mpg’s in the mid 40’s). I got better mpg using the energy flow screen to help me operate in gas only mode. Then when conditions indicated, I'd go to a clear cut (battery using) pulse of acceleration to attain needed speed. Then I'd drop down to a gas only gentle speed maintaining “glide.” I got a big jump in mpg’s by doing this, into the high 40’s low 50’s !

The screen also tells me of the batteries' state of charge. I want a full battery for decreased roll resistance (best mpg is while coasting) and longer battery life. Getting to full battery is going to be a bigger challenge than in the I1, because the I2 wants to run on battery only at a steady 12 mph in town. A photovoltaic panel in the roof, and a sunny day, looks like a difference that will make a difference with this car.

From here I go on to find the right tire pressures for me, and to figure out the paddle shifters and the most effecient way to accelerate to crusing speed or for mountain climbing.

[bish79]

Originally Posted by Moviemike

I want a full battery for decreased roll resistance (best mpg is while coasting) and longer battery life.

It takes a while to get used to it, but if you get the throttle pressure right you can get the car to "coast" without a full battery. It takes VERY subtle throttle movements though. But you can get the car to coast seemingly forever this way without charging or using much battery.

BTW, I was in your neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago, Coos Bay. I got my oil changed at Honda World there. Kinda cool, they are a combined Auto/Motorcycle dealer.

[Moviemike]

Originally Posted by bish79

It takes a while to get used to it, but if you get the throttle pressure right you can get the car to "coast" without a full battery. It takes VERY subtle throttle movements though. But you can get the car to coast seemingly forever this way without charging or using much battery.

BTW, I was in your neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago, Coos Bay. I got my oil changed at Honda World there. Kinda cool, they are a combined Auto/Motorcycle dealer.

Yes I know that sweet spot of a throttle position! I've been using the energy flow screen (with battery, car, and gas spout) to help me find it and keep it as long as possible.

Yup. I live in North Bend just North of Coos Bay. A great coast is Southbound on 101 from the top of the big bridge to the second traffic light. Before the speed limit reduction, due to construction, in my Saturn I'd hit the top of the bridge at 45 mph, put the A/T in N and if lucky be able to coast just under 2 miles to the second traffic light. With the I2, the above sweet spot technique will get me 100 mpg most of the way!

I got a Honda cap and both our I1 and I2 at Honda World.

[bish79]

Originally Posted by Moviemike

I got a Honda cap and both our I1 and I2 at Honda World.

Yup, It seemed to me that Coos Bay and North Bend were basically the same town. The g/f's sister lives out there so we spent four days poking around the coast. Didn't happen to see a Red EX with Indiana plates did ya?

BTW, next time you are in Honda World feel free to drool on the Blue Shadow VLX that was there. I almost bought it and rode it home but she (the g/f) would have killed me if I did

[Moviemike]

Yup, It seemed to me that Coos Bay and North Bend were basically the same town. The g/f's sister lives out there so we spent four days poking around the coast. Didn't happen to see a Red EX with Indiana plates did ya?

Historical and amount of community growth issues maintain CB and NB as separate towns. A recent vote confirmed the separation for another generation. Sorry I missed the not-missable Red EX. Hoped you enjoyed your visit.

..if you get the throttle pressure right you can get the car to "coast" without a full battery. It takes VERY subtle throttle movements though. But you can get the car to coast seemingly forever this way without charging or using much battery.

Unlike our Insight 1, I'm having a heck of a time getting the I2's battery full much less keeping it full. Yesterday I discovered that extended coasting is really use of battery to maintain mph with engine off on a very gentle down grade. This puts me at the bottom of a hill (prior to an up grade) with a half empty battery, instead of the full battery status I get with the I1. This means I'll be using gas on the up-grade to both charge the battery and fight against gravity. (: I'd much rather be using battery to help fight gravity on the up-grade, and be coasting with engine off on gentle downgrades.

I figure I can work around all this by figuring out the most effecient, least battery use, process for acceleration. Currently I'm experimenting with using the paddle shifter to increase engine rpm's during (mild - moderate) acceleration, but am not sure if I'm also increasing my use of battery to achieve a given amount of acceleration as well?

(The benefit of doing this with CVT in "D" is that it automaticly returns to the higher "speed" (as the manual calls it, feels like "gear" though). In "S" it will remain at the lower speed untill max rpm's are reached, or manual "up shift" occurs).

[bish79]

Originally Posted by Moviemike

Yesterday I discovered that extended coasting is really use of battery to maintain mph with engine off on a very gentle down grade.

When this happens you need to back off of the throttle just a tiny bit. I try to watch the charge/assist meter and get it either right below or just at "zero". You can still coast and not use the battery or sometimes even get a tiny bit of charge without slowing down much. In fact I can't even tell the difference in feel between electric only on a downhill and slight charge in the seat of my pants accelerometer.

The only time I try to use the electric only mode is in the parking lot at work. Between 10 and 20 mph it seems to work well for very short periods, and at those speeds the ICE is very inefficient.

[Moviemike]

Originally Posted by bish79

When this happens you need to back off of the throttle just a tiny bit. I try to watch the charge/assist meter and get it either right below or just at "zero". You can still coast and not use the battery or sometimes even get a tiny bit of charge without slowing down much.

Thanks bish 79, I've been doing as you've said above, especially the charge/asst meter exactly at zero (more useful than the energy flow picture which appears to have a time delay). The only difficulty is that I'd like to get rid of that "without slowing down much." I think of it as "drag," because my rate of coasting is decreasing as energy is diverted from coasting to battery charging, leading to a sooner return to engine use / need for acceleration.

It is elimination of that bit of drag that I was able to achieve in our I1 CVT with the full battery state. When the battery was full the mpg on the slider was noticeably higher, for a given distance, and the mpg for the day's driving was always noticeably better.

I like to use the battery to get up to speed from a stop, passing, or to maintain speed on little up grades on otherwise generally flat roadways. Battery only is really great for creeping around downtown, and ok for stretching out yur coasting distance. But the problem for me is where does the energy to re-charge the battery come from? If there was a big down grade available after creeping through town, or a solar panel in the roof it would make a difference, and help me toward my goal of mpg's in the I2 similar to my I1 achievements. Right now the I2 is looking to be around 5-7 mpg less.

[bish79]

Keep in mind also that things might get better as the car breaks in.

After 600 miles I noticed a significant improvement. Then I noticed another improvement when I got back from my trip (had 7500 on the ODO then). Now it is quite easy to maintain about 50 MPG in the city and 52 MPG on the highway @ 55-60 MPH. If I really tried harder I can get over 60 MPG but that annoys other drivers. I didn't seem to be able to coast as well before either. I think it has everything to do with the car breaking in more.

[Moviemike]

Originally Posted by bish79

Keep in mind also that things might get better as the car breaks in.

After 600 miles I noticed a significant improvement. Then I noticed another improvement when I got back from my trip (had 7500 on the ODO then). Now it is quite easy to maintain about 50 MPG in the city and 52 MPG on the highway @ 55-60 MPH. If I really tried harder I can get over 60 MPG but that annoys other drivers. I didn't seem to be able to coast as well before either. I think it has everything to do with the car breaking in more.

Thanks bish 79 I'll be looking for that mpg improvement with more driving. Right now I'm trying to learn the car and develop a most effecient driving style / set of driving habits. How'd you get that great 60 mpg number??

I found the thread "Full Charge on Battery?" in the trouble shooting section of the site. Appearently many others have discovered similar frustrations around a not full battery. Some said the computer intentionally reduces a fully charged battery to 5/6 full by forcing a battery-only driving mode! ....in one instance at a steady 60 mph!

Could your reduced ability to coast be due to reduced tire pressures? Manual suggests checking cold tire pressures once a month. The label in the drivers door recommends 33 lbs front and rear. I checked my tire pressures the first morning after taking delivery and found 30 lbs front and rear. I pumped them up to 35. I've been getting reduced "drag" and better mpg ever since, sometimes she wants to just roll and roll. (No noticeable change in cornering with VSA in its normally on position. The steering gets a little light but still has stable handling at 75 mph with VSA turned off (very manageable handling were the VSA to fail)).

[bish79]

Originally Posted by Moviemike

Thanks bish 79 I'll be looking for that mpg improvement with more driving. Right now I'm trying to learn the car and develop a most effecient driving style / set of driving habits. How'd you get that great 60 mpg number??

I found the thread "Full Charge on Battery?" in the trouble shooting section of the site. Appearently many others have discovered similar frustrations around a not full battery. Some said the computer intentionally reduces a fully charged battery to 5/6 full by forcing a battery-only driving mode! ....in one instance at a steady 60 mph!

Could your reduced ability to coast be due to reduced tire pressures? Manual suggests checking cold tire pressures once a month. The label in the drivers door recommends 33 lbs front and rear. I checked my tire pressures the first morning after taking delivery and found 30 lbs front and rear. I pumped them up to 35. I've been getting reduced "drag" and better mpg ever since, sometimes she wants to just roll and roll. (No noticeable change in cornering with VSA in its normally on position. The steering gets a little light but still has stable handling at 75 mph with VSA turned off (very manageable handling were the VSA to fail)).

The 60 MPG was through Yellowstone where the speed limit is 40 anyways. I drove 170 miles or so through there using basic techniques going up and down mountains (slow up, coast down). The MID said 61.X Mpg after that, then there was a 50 mile or so drive down a really flat Montana highway. I just set the cruise at 55 MPH and the mileage actually went UP to 63.X with 226 miles on that tank.

I too have noticed that when the battery is full, the car wants to get rid of some of that energy. Its like you barely tap on the gas and the electric motor kicks in at nearly full boost and off you go.

I generally try to run 34-35 psi on the tire pressure. Haven't had a chance to autocross yet to see what the real effects are of higher pressures than that are.