How to Get 76 MPG
We don’t need new technology to save us, just a little ingenuity.
After a few minor tweaks, Ernie Rogers can get up to 76 mpg in his 2003 VW diesel Beetle:
He drove 1375 miles…[on] just 18 gallons of fuel– 1200 miles of which was accomplished on just one tankfull (15.5 gallons). His trip fuel economy was 76 miles per gallon. Rogers’ car included several small refinements that added up to the exceptional mileage: a drag reducing device he designed and built himself (pictures [here]), lower-rolling-resistance tires, low-friction engine oil, and use of a B5 biodiesel blend fuel to increase efficiency and improve emissions.
That’s right, it’s a non-hybrid that puts the Prius to shame. Granted, this test was at 55 mph, but the VW still gets between 57-65 mpg at normal freeway speeds.
- » See also: Teenage-Built Diesel Hybrid Does 0-60 in 4 Seconds, Soon to Break 100 MPG
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What’s Ernie’s great innovation? His VW might not win a beauty pageant, but it gets the job done, and it’s based on a simple concept: reducing drag.
As explained on Ernie’s website, automobile drag occurs mostly at the rear, where the course of smooth-flowing air is disrupted. Think about an airplane wing, which reduces air resistance by by guiding it along the wing’s surface to a thin edge. Although the VW beetle might seem somewhat aerodynamic to the untrained eye, drag is produced as air follows the curve of the frame. To solve this problem and create smoother air flow, Ernie installed a homemade spoiler, improving fuel economy by 5-8%.
Add low-resistance tires, low-friction engine oil, and a lubricious fuel additive (biodiesel), and you’ve got major increases in gas mileage.
If a back-yard mechanic can do this, imagine what auto-manufacturing’s best and brightest (backed by $$$) could do.
Posts Related to Car Hacks and Green Car Technology:
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- Car and Driver Increase Pinto Fuel Economy with $11 of Ecomods
- Sick of Gas?: Convert Your Car To Run On Electricity
- Germans Release 117 MPG Diesel Sportscar: Biodiesel, Anyone?
For more information, see the links:
Drive55.org: VW Beetle wins fuel economy prize: 76 mpg
Max MPG: Aerodynamic Modifications for Maximum Mileage
Everything I’ve read says E85 is less fuel efficient, how does he explain his opposite theory?
You’re right that E85 is less fuel efficient than gasoline, diesel, or biodiesel. In this case though, Ernie Rogers used a mix of 95% diesel and 5% biodiesel fuel. Diesel engines are typically more efficient than gasoline engines. Paired with the modifications above, they can be super-efficient. If you’re still confused about the differences among these fuels, see the Biodiesel Mythbuster: http://claytonbodiecornell.greenoptions.com/2007/04/05/green-myth-busting-biodiesel/
: How to Get 76 MPG - Gas 2.0…
We don’t need new technology to save us, just a little ingenuity.
After a few minor tweaks, Ernie Rogers can get up to 76 mpg in his 2003 VW diesel Beetle:
He drove 1375 miles…[on] just 18 gallons of fuel– 1200 miles of which was accomplish…
[...] and now can get up to 65 mpg. According to Gas 2.0, sometimes that number gets like elevated at 76 mpg. These aren’t immutable results, but they are potential. up a long-distance (2,985 miles) [...]
[...] the Bug) and now can get up to 65 mpg. According to Gas 2.0, sometimes that number gets as high at 76 mpg. These aren’t constant results, but they are possible. On a long-distance (2,985 miles) trip [...]
[...] the Bug) and now can get up to 65 mpg. According to Gas 2.0, sometimes that number gets as high at 76 mpg. These aren’t constant results, but they are possible. On a long-distance (2,985 miles) trip [...]
[...] the Bug) and now can get up to 65 mpg. According to Gas 2.0, sometimes that number gets as high at 76 mpg. These aren't constant results, but they are possible. On a long-distance (2,985 miles) trip [...]
Awesome.
“We don’t need new technology to save us, just a little ingenuity.”
There is more to the energy problem than just being more efficient in using gas. Reducing drag and making current cars more efficient is great to give us more time to solve the problem, but the fact is that there is only so much oil in the world and if we keep using it, we *will* run out. However, reducing drag is a great temporary fix, and it’s a great concept to carry into the future with whatever fuel we end up using.
I love that people are comparing standards to the Prius; “puts the Prius to shame”. If the Prius were the bad car, life would be good.
A Prius owner.
[...] makes the 76 mpg VW Beetle hack look a bit paltry, it´s based on the same principles. Remember that by using a spoiler to reduce [...]