Tank Range Targets

[Rabbers]

Although I am very satisfied with the 300h's fuel consumption, which is half that of the 250s

I previously drove, I have been trying to coax a bit more distance out of a tankful without

dramatically changing my style of driving or compromising on my pleasure.

My consumption having stabilized at around 17km/l (=48mpg), the projected tank range

after filling up had been reading around 950km (=590 miles). Recently, I though I would try

to bring the combined figure for range and distance since refueling/trip start up to the magic

total of 1000km (=620 miles), and, depending on roads and traffic etc., this can require

something like 60-80km (=35-50 miles) at a consumption rate of 18-19km/l (=51-54mpg).

Then once the 1000km total is reached, I try to maintain it for as long as I can or maybe

even better it without getting overly neurotic about how fast or slow I am driving.

Finally, yesterday, after several unsuccessful previous attempts arising from unforeseen

situations that had caused me to suspend the exercise soon after filling up, the figures

since refueling/trip start on the multi-information display were reading as follows:

RANGE 198km (=123 miles)

TRIP 810km (=503 miles)

[Total 1008km (=626 miles]

CONSUMPTION 17.9km/l (=51mpg)

If I keep up this rate of progress (achieved, incidentally, in cold weather when consumption

is higher than normal) until the low-fuel warning appears, and I see no reason why I should

not manage it, the car will have done over 1000km and still have 10 or so litres (=2.2 gals)

still in the tank. And I will be very pleased with myself since this would be an improvement

of 5% in respect of my previous consumption, which I already considered pretty good. It

would also mean that if I let the range go to Zero km (which is not something I normally like

to do), the car will by then have done close to 1100km (=685 miles), and this would in turn

mean, albeit theoretically since I have no intention of testing the proposition, that it could

maybe even squeak past 1200km (=750 miles) before the tank runs dry. Personally, I find

these figures amazing even though I know that there are some very economic drivers out

there who may be less impressed than I am.

I am perfectly aware that these figures are just a more complicated way of expressing the

results automatically obtainable by keeping to an average consumption rate of around

18km/l (=51mpg). However, watching the consumption figure with its comparatively slow-

moving decimals is far less entertaining than focusing on how the range projection can be

made to drop at a slower pace than the trip distance as you try to keep the two numbers

adding up to at least 1000. The only snag with this little game is that it really needs to be

played in kilometres rather than miles since a big and round target figure makes the mental

arithmetic a lot easier.

[Steve44]

I've attempted similar to you, to try and up the average mpg rate by attempting to drive as efficiently as possible.

I've had a period over the last few days where I've had a number of long motorway journey's and not been pressed for time, so I've set the cruise control at 68mph indicated, in Eco-Mode and been very economical with the throttle pedal.

I've seen the average MPG for the tank climb to almost 50mpg and on a 100m trip to London down the M1 motorway, which admittedly has a long period of average speed roadworks restricted to 50mph, saw the average MPG from start of journey hit 63mpg.

So it is possible to get good mpg, but......... god is it boring.

Yesterday, when pressed for time, I drove back from Reading to Leicester, up the A34/M40/M69 at a fair lick ( ), with thoughts of fuel consumption out of mind. Average mpg from Start, over 130m - 38mpg. Big difference.

[steveledzep]

I'd just drive it and enjoy it ! You have a very economical vehicle whatever your style of driving.

[michaelH]

Steve is right of course, but some of use can't resist the challenge to squeeze 700 miles from a tank one day (will have to wait for summer for that - I can't get better than 620 ATM). Not at the risk of running out of petrol, however. Running down to zero on the range scale should be OK as long as there are petrol stations nearby - my calculations are that I have about 6 litres left at that stage.

[Blisteringblue]

More than that I think, I went to zero with around 20 miles to get home last week. Filled up at start of next journey and still only managed to get 59 litres in, so by reckoning still 7 litres left.

[Rabbers]

Earlier today I completed the exercise described in my original post by letting the tank range go to Zero, at which

mark the trip distance read 1093km (=679 miles)/consumption 17.6km/l (=49.7mpg), my first target having already

been met with 1010km (=628 miles)/consumption 17.7km/l (=50mpg) when the low-fuel warning came on.

When I filled up about 4km after Zero, the tank took 60.3 litres (13.3 gals), meaning that the remaining 5.7 litres

(=1.25 gals), give or take, would have offered an additional thrilling 100km ride to any driver unworried by the

prospect of soiling his nice leather seat by dicing with a 1200km outer limit.

[lexicon]

Can't get near it with the current weather conditions but I've done 700 on a tank:

DATE 04/08/2014

MILES 711.00

LITRES 62.509

MPG 51.71