Mpg For Speed - Fuel Efficiency Vs. Speed
Don’t make no sense to drive > 55 mph.
Discuss?
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
Nope. Not happening. 5 over the limit, whatever the limit maybe and that’s because I don’t like speeding tickets. Everything in life isn’t about fuel efficiency 
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
this guy gets it.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
No costing on extra time saved?
I drive around 40/50 km per day, saving of 10~15 Minutes per day can mean a lot. This is not about reckless driving but there should be a balance between fuel consumption efficiency / fuel emission efficiency /Time saved etc.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
Americans driving smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient vehicles would help though. When going 75mph on the freeway, a smaller more aerodynamic sedan would be more fuel efficient than a huge truck(or an SUV), even if both have the same weight and similar engine displacement. Trucks just aren’t aerodynamic. They are nice and all, but there is not point to you driving that massive Tundra:wub: to your white collared job. A small fiesta would suffice.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
Can you explain to me how you save 12.5 min per day when you drive only 45 km per day? Assuming 55 mph (or 88 km per h) is speed limit?
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
In spite of the fact that pollution and GHG emissions are two of the biggest threats to our future?
Did you note that the young and impressionable Mr. Hunt was influenced by your post?
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
This is where evolution and climate change get pitted against each other. If humans can ‘evolve’, why worry about climate change? Maybe humans will adapt.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
Simple. Evolution happens at a much larger time scale. Climate change is occurring now. And in 100 years game over. Quite sure humans cannot evolve to adapt to changes occurring in a 100 yr span.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
This guy gets it
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
I understand your concern. However, driving 55mph on a roadway where the posted limit is 60mph is unfeasible. You’d be holding up traffic behind you, causing a myriad of problems ranging from road rage to congestion. As I said in an earlier post, there are things Americans can do besides driving under the limit that will help alleviate this problem. Smaller, lighter and more aerodynamic cars; biking and walking when possible; limiting electricity consumption by not turning your house into the Arctic in summers and the Mohave in winters; stop eating so much, the more you eat the more CO2(and methane) you generate and it takes more energy to transport a 200lb+ person than a 165lb person. Moreover, we need to invest more into clean energy. This does not seem likely anytime soon due to the market being glutted with cheap oil.
Lastly, someone needs to do something about China burning all that frickin Coal.
PS: For me personally, going under the limit would be too much of a trouble. I just don’t have that of self control, at least not at this age. However, knowing my weakness, I can make up for it by buying something that won’t punish me for my driving style as much. A small car, with an efficient internal combustion engine. Moreover, I can plan my excursions so as to limit my car use. Make a list and do everything in one trip, instead of making multiple grocery runs throughout the day.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
dont remember when did i last time drive below 55. May be before I got the license :khumar:
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
I read this a few years ago and tested it with my cars. I found that it was a gross simplification.
My Saturn Astra with a small 1,8 litre engine and a 4 speed gearbox clearly uses much more fuel when you go over 100km/h (about 60mph).
Yet my old Volvo with 2.4 litre turbocharged engine and a 5 speed gearbox used more fuel at 100km/h than it did at 120 km/h (about 75mph)
My current SUV with a 2.1 litre diesel and a 7 speed gearbox seems to give its best economy at about 115km/h
My conclusion is that the optimum economy will occur at a different range depending on the vehicles aerodynamics, engine size, and gearbox type. Smaller engines with fewer gears will certainly get uneconomical at higher speeds sooner.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
Changed timeline should be an adaptability factor. If humans cannot evolve fast enough, they will go extinct. Some other species that is better capable will survive and thrive. Isn’t that the survival of the fittest?
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
Btw does anybody know that setting the car to cruise maintaining a uniform speed say even 55 mph consumes more gas or no? As per my observation it does consume more everytime a cruise is set
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
I am.pretty sure cruise control consumes less.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
This has been my experience as well. Specially for long drives. Not sure how terrains factors in though.
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
55 is too low. I was hoping they would increase the speed limit. Its already 60 and 70 in most freeways which sucks. I could easily get there in my civi without even choking it
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
Do you have reference that states u get better efficiency at higher speeds than 55 mph?
Re: Driving fast and it’s implications
I don’t think so. You are correct that for most cars efficient drops after 55/60 mph but its depends on the type of car. With hybrids, electric cars and more efficient engines, things will def get better with time. Question to ask is if you would be ok driving at 55mph on a freeway. Even today when the speed sign says 60 is max, people drive at 70, 75 easily because there is no traffic. I don’t think people are thinking about conserving fuel, they just need to get where they are going fast. So i think it is better to increase the speed limit and regulate it than to give unnecessary tickets to people like me