Fuel Economy

[fuzz-ion]

Question for all y'all who track your fuel economy and/or use your trip computer (yes, I know it generally overestimates, but...). Has anyone identified their Fusion's "optimal speed" that provides the best fuel economy? I have a long road trip coming up in a few months and I intend to play around with the trip computer a bit to see if I can figure out at what cruising speed my Fusion performs most efficiently.

 

Please, share your info:

 

- Year, model, engine, transmission, whether your Fusion is FWD or AWD

- MPG you get and what constant cruising speed you achieve it

- Whether you use full gasoline or E10 (I've read here that the latter reduces efficiency)

 

I'll post mine after my road trip.

 

I'm almost expecting that everyone's cars will be different, but I wonder how different.

[fuzz-ion]

Oh dear... I seem to have posted in the wrong place, and I don't know how to move the post to somewhere more relevant...

 

Sorry!

[akirby]

Question for all y'all who track your fuel economy and/or use your trip computer (yes, I know it generally overestimates, but...). Has anyone identified their Fusion's "optimal speed" that provides the best fuel economy? I have a long road trip coming up in a few months and I intend to play around with the trip computer a bit to see if I can figure out at what cruising speed my Fusion performs most efficiently.

 

Please, share your info:

 

- Year, model, engine, transmission, whether your Fusion is FWD or AWD

- MPG you get and what constant cruising speed you achieve it

- Whether you use full gasoline or E10 (I've read here that the latter reduces efficiency)

 

I'll post mine after my road trip.

 

I'm almost expecting that everyone's cars will be different, but I wonder how different.

 

It's pretty simple. Any ethanol blend will reduce your fuel economy. E10 is usually worth 1-2 mpg less. E85 (which you can't run in the Fusion) costs you 25% (20 mpg becomes 15). So stay away from E10 if possible for max fuel economy.

 

At highway speeds I don't recommend running below the speed limit for safety reasons. But suffice it to say that 55 is better than 65 and 65 is better than 75 and 75 is better than 85. If you really want to maximize FE I'd do exactly the speed limit (maybe 5 below if it's a 65 or higher), put an extra 3-5 lbs of air in the tires and make sure you have a clean air filter. And remove unnecessary weight (typically extra stuff in the trunk, not your spouse).

[Oblivion]

I just completed a trip from Washington DC to Fayetteville, NC. On my way down there i stopped over Norfolk VA. I cruised at 75 to 80mph for most of that trip, My on board computer recorded 31.8 mpg, where as the fuel receipt says i was at 31.4 mpg. I basically did 440 miles on a nearly full tank of gas (14.02 gallons which included nearly 10 miles of slow city speeds). That difference in mpg reading is meaningless, basically they read the same average (for example, what if i were not to pour so much gas on the tank when i refill it, my gas receipt would have shown i "could have" been at 31.8 mpg or higher.

 

a few weeks back i travelled from Arlington VA to Baltimore MD, at 55-60 mph, on board computer recorded 34 mpg after 30 miles of driving, then i sped up (running a bit late), ran at nearly 70 mpg and on board computer recorded 32 mpg.

 

Since mpg varies by engine speed, and there is usually not much difference in engine speed between 55 mph and 70 mph, that range 55-70 should be your optimal speed for the better mpg you are looking for.

 

Please note, if you really want to track as you travel your mpg, dont forget to reset your mpg and mph on board computer readings at the beginning of the trip (only once, for better averaging). And yes, remove unnecessary weight (like your mother in law, for example)

DRIVE SAFELY!

 

I have an I4 SE auto. :superhero:

[akirby]

Once you get above 50 mph or so the power required to overcome wind resistance goes up exponentially (or logarithmically - either way it's A LOT). It's worse on SUVs and CUVs but it affects cars too. So it's not just the higher RPM.

[BlackSEL]

I get 28 all the time, which I think is pretty damned good for a medium-sized very comfy car. I see econoboxes advertised that say they'll get 25-28 mpg, well why drive one of those when I can be comfortable and have a lot of room in the Fusion?

 

2008 I4 SEL, 50/50 city and highway driving. And I'm no lightweight on the throttle.

 

What I find really helps my mileage is using the cruise control once on the highway; I think it keeps me from inadvertently creeping up my speed. I normally cruise between 5 and 8 mph over the limit.