🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <4321@prcrs.prc.com> terry@prcrs.prc.com (Terry Cunningham) writes:

>nigel@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov writes:

>a bunch o stuff,  and...

>> As far as the 55 limit goes...it's a stupid law that cost fuel, lives
>> and is simply a way for the state to generate revenue.  It costs fuel
>> as quite a few of the modern cars have optimal fuel efficiency above
>> 55. 

>Just curious, do you have any statistics to back this up such as:

>.	which modern cars?
>.	what percentage of the national fleet they represent?
>.	what are the most fuel efficient speeds for these cars?
>.	what percentage of total car use is unrestricted* highway mileage 
>   where this maximum fuel efficiency would be gained?

>*	I95 is a highway but you sure don't get optimum around DC.

Damnifiknow.  I gleaned this from a conversation with a GM engineer
who either should know or was pulling my leg.  

At least one make of car is verifiably in this category: The
Mistubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon/Crysler Laser performs much better at
60-70 mph in terms of fuel economy.  Enough people on the Talon
mailing list have seen this behavior that I can say that my car isn't
some wierd exception.  That the car is a sporty one makes it somewhat
iffy to generalize and I wouldn't have except for the comment from the
engineer.  

However, taking the worse case, to estimate the numbers I'd go ahead
and figure that most sporty cars with 4 cylinders of recent vintage
(say post 1985) would be in this category.  This probably qualifies as
"quite a few".  It does show that higher fuel economy at highway
cruise speeds is possible and counting all the little eclipses in the
DC area it is locally relatively prevelant ;-).

As for percentage total car use...who cares...we're only considering
highway statistics since the limitation is 55 mph.  Something no
likely to appear on inner city streets ;-).  I suspect that gleaning
this information might be tough...it depends on if auto manufactures
are willing to divulge this sort of data.  I wouldn't know why they
wouldn't but this isn't something I've seen published either.

   Terry

Nigel
--
Nigel Tzeng
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