Quote:
Originally Posted by RONE
I read a report completed with some government funding that used a wind tunnel to compare those different options, and having the tailgate UP netted the lowest coefficient of drag. From what I remember, the different things they tested were tailgate up, tailgate down, tailgate off, and tailgate replaced with a mesh net. I don't remember them doing a tonneau cover test, though.
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I've seen the same or similar report. The best result in the one I read was bed cover/tonneau ON. The absolute worst was tailgate down or removed. Apparently, this allows a huge drag inducing eddy to form in the bed. Seems that at least if the gate is up, that reduces the size of the swirling eddy.
As to the OP's question, here are a couple ideas from a sem-hypermiling hybrid geek. These would be only the general ideas that apply to any vehicle (i.e. not hybrid specific).
1) Inflate the tires to the highest pressure you're OK with. If you believe in placard only, you'll pay for that. In my TCH, placard is 32, sidewall max is 41. I run 40 front and 38 rear. Gives a decent ride, and 1-2 extra mpgs.
2) Get a Scan-Gauge-II and experiment with what produces best results for your car. I've been able to determine that most efficient acceleration in my TCH happens somewhere between 2400-2700 rpms. Below that, the accel takes too long at the higher fuel burn. Above that, the accel is shorter (to a given target speed) in time, but engine is burning way too much gas. If you don't want to spend ~$100 for a SG-II, just limit yourself to 2500 rpms, unless absolutely necessary to go higher.
3) Learn to "glide". Anticipate when you'll need to slow down, and start a little earlier than normal. When you do, modulate the gas pedal and maintain a throttle position right between accelerating and engine braking. At this position, you're not burning significant fuel (yep, in the TCH, the ICE is off and I'm burning no fuel...), and you're not allowing either the brakes or the engine to convert your expensive kinetic energy (speed) into waste heat (either in your brake rotors or cylinders). You converted expensive gasoline (in your case, a lot of it...
) into that kinetic energy -- let it move you down the road instead of throwing it away as heat.
3a) CAVEAT: whatever techniques you might try, remember that SAFETY and consideration for other drivers really has to take priority over saving gas. No point in saving some gas if someone gets dead in the process. . .
4) Minimize the junk in your vehicle. I've got a friend who probably has a half-ton of rotting, leaf encrusted "stuff" in the bed of his pickup (a 20 year old Chevy), and he wonders why he sometimes dips into the single digits. . . Newsflash: it takes more gas to move more weight!
There are others, and they're plastered all over the internet. The above are my favorites, and ironically, they'll work in a non-hybrid too. Our cars do it better, but they're still valid for everyone.
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