Experiment on Buttons (or lack of)

[jthspace]

Today, I made a journey home which involved a run on the A47 / A10 / A14 / M11 from Norfolk to Cambridge which is approx 60 miles in total.

A47 - single carriageway, twists and turns, traffic lights and roundabouts.
A10 - single carriageway, mainly straight, busy road, trucks/lorries, some farm traffic, roundabouts
A14 - dual carriageway, busy road, only on it for 5 miles
M11 - motorway, twin lane, very busy, 9 miles.

I started the journey with a nearly empty battery (2 bars) and drove home as if I was in my old petrol car - i.e. I did not touch any buttons or other options, I had the radio on and the AirCon set at 19 for me and 21 for my partner.

Driving involved 60 mph on some of the A10 between round-abouts, some heavy traffic, some distance at 60mph speed limit and some at slower, a couple of fast over-taking situations (foot down) - a normal journey. The A14 was nose-to-tail traffic but was moving between 30 and 50 mph in a continuous "bunch". I used the outside lane on the M11 at, let's say in writing, 70 mph. :roll:

Overall, the journey took the usual 1 hour 40 minutes and the Average mpg was 44 which is 6.4 litres per 100 kms for our non-UK readers.

I am happy with that - it is better fuel usage than my old 1.6 CVT automatic Nissan.

Now for the next experiment . . . .

Jeff

 

[Regulo]

That's about what I'd expect. You might get a fraction more if you run without the air con when possible. If the car is heating the air incoming, I don't use it unless the screen is misting up.

 

[jthspace]

Yep, agree; but my experiment was to see what would happen "if I just drove it" with no real consideration for any of the saving options available.

On the journey up there, which was a good run with little traffic hold-ups, running on a full battery and then hitting "save" with 10 miles left on the battery, no aircon and "econ" pressed saw me average 39 mpg / 7.25 l per 100 kms. Go figure. :?:

Jeff

 

[Tipper]

Maybe that's because the designers knew what they were doing! (And know more about hybrid cars than some seem to think.) :shock:

My wife has been driving me mad analysing the car's performance, she's into statistics. I now just get in turn it on and drive it. But I have to say for those longer runs a larger fuel tank would be good as the range is pathetic when you've been used to a diesel car doing 50mpg with a 70 litre tank! (Sorry about the units, the UK has mixed values!!)

On the up side we started a 150 mile round trip today with 34 miles of battery. The most I have seen so far.

 

[jthspace]

:lol:

 

[greendwarf]

Apart from arguing that you were going downhill Norfolk to Cambridge :lol: wasn't there a north eastern wind to help?

 

[jthspace]

I thought of that, but the old saying is "Up to London and Down to the Country" so in theory I was driving away from London and Down to Norfolk.

If you are wondering about the saying, it goes back to the days when the railways were king and all lines going to London were "up" lines. Platforms for trains to London are, almost exclusively, always Platform 1 on small stations but Terminals do differ as do major junctions.

Jeff

 

[gwatpe]

I thought everyone knows that LONDON is actually on a river, [the Thames, I believe], and that river is actually a tidal estuary, so it would seem obvious that almost everywhere else around LONDON would be up hill. Google has most of London at between 0 and 50m ASL.

 

[greendwarf]

I thought everyone knows that LONDON is actually on a river, [the Thames, I believe], and that river is actually a tidal estuary, so it would seem obvious that almost everywhere else around LONDON would be up hill. Google has most of London at between 0 and 50m ASL.

Not Canvey Island - I know I was there in '53

 

[jthspace]

Trouble is, the UK mainland is slowly tilting, Scotland is getting higher and the South coast is getting lower.

Driving through Cambridge / Suffolk (the "Fens") there are places where the river is above you, and the road you are on going past the roofs of houses below you. Sign of the Fens being drained and reclaimed.

As for Canvey, keep a boat on the roof of the garage seems to be a sensible course of action. Pic below 1953 and now

1953

Coastal towns in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent were devastated as sea water surged into the streets.

Many people spent freezing night on rooftops, awaiting rescue by firefighters, police, soldiers or lifeboatmen.

At King's Lynn, Norfolk, the sea level was 7ft higher than a normal high tide, and a 6ft wave crashed through the centre of the town.

More than 60 died between King's Lynn and nearby Hunstanton.

About 13,000 people were evacuated from Canvey Island, Essex, and 59 died.

 

[Trex]

Yep, agree; but my experiment was to see what would happen "if I just drove it" with no real consideration for any of the saving options available.

On the journey up there, which was a good run with little traffic hold-ups, running on a full battery and then hitting "save" with 10 miles left on the battery, no aircon and "econ" pressed saw me average 39 mpg / 7.25 l per 100 kms. Go figure. :?:

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

I have finally caught up to the latest posts and noticed this topic.

You said you had "good run" when you used more fuel. Was the other trip slower (lower average speed) where you used less?

Higher average speeds will use more fuel I think which could explain your differences in fuel consumption.

Regards Trex.

 

[jthspace]

Hi. Sorry for the delay, am in Moscow for the week. BTW, popular car here according to Russian websites.

It was a fast run, I exceeded the speed limits a few times I have to admit, hit 90 a couple of times and above 70 on long stretches as well, car seemed to really like it, so let it have its head.

Weather was damp so on a "normal" car that would have helped fuel economy but not sure it really makes a difference on the PHEV ( or does it?). That was NOT a technical question, by the way. Ha ha.

Jeff