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> “I was constantly checking the Nexo’s efficiency readout to maximise the distance I was getting per kilogram of hydrogen. I found that by using techniques fro

> “I was constantly checking the Nexo’s efficiency readout to maximise the distance I was getting per kilogram of hydrogen. I found that by using techniques from rally driving, such as looking as far down the road as possible, as well as tips I have learned from my dad for driving a truck efficiently over long distances, it’s actually possible to go way beyond Nexo’s official range.” Anyone have some insights on this? The efficient driving tips that is?

bdamm 5y ago
Hypermiling is almost a sport at this point. https://electrek.co/2018/07/16/tesla-model-3-autopilot-unmanned-hypermiling-record/ https://electrek.co/2018/07/16/tesla-model-3-autopilot-unman...
- jedimastert 5y ago
  If there's one thing I've learned on the internet, it's that if there's a measurable number, people will turn it into a hobby and then a sport to maximize or minimize it.
mclightning 5y ago
Yeah, nowadays it is part of the course when getting driving license (here in Sweden). Economical driving is an important factor when taking the test eventually after the courses too. It is one of the 5 big factors you need to pass. As it is mentioned above, you need to look far and plan ahead, do engine braking, let it roll on its own if it is redlights etc etc.
- ne0flex 5y ago
  Would be good to have this implemented in the curriculum in Canada & US. The amount of times I've been honked at because I was approaching a red light without hitting the gas, only to have the person behind me speed up and overtake me then slamming the brakes as they approached the light is ridiculous.
marvin 5y ago
It generally breaks down to don’t brake unless you have to, and know & use the performance characteristics of whatever you’re driving. This might mean slowing down while anticipating stoplight changes, curves or congestion behavior so you can just keep rolling, not accelerating over the top of a hill or entering a decline with excess speed, leaving a good distance to the car in front and so on. Also knowing the efficiency characteristics of your vehicle. For ICE cars, generally running in high gear/low RPM. Not going fast. Engine braking is also braking, clutch in or shift to neutral while rolling downhill might help. But obviously use engine braking on very long declines, so you don’t burn out your brakes. Prefer regenerative braking rather than mechanical braking in battery vehicles with this feature. This is generally done by changing speed slowly, which requires that you think a few seconds ahead. Don’t accelerate hard if your engine/motor burns more energy than if accelerating slowly.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- jbarberu 5y ago
  When you go in neutral downhill your engine idles, vs if you leave it in gear the ECU cuts fuel supply completely. It's generally better to stay in gear except when you're at a standstill. (This assumes a modern vehicle with fuel-injectors)
  - marvin 5y ago
    Do automatic gearboxes compression brake when going downhill? That's what I was trying to avoid. My point was to conserve your kinetic energy, not optimizing the fuel flow during the times when you don't want the engine to produce power.
    - jbarberu 5y ago
      Can't speak for all of them, but many will engine brake if you use cruise control downhill.
- saagarjha 5y ago
Dumblydorr 5y ago
I drive a Prius, it's a skill to drive efficiently. The main tip: do not use the gas pedal if you're going to brake soon anyway. Think of the brakes as wasting gas, then you'll use the brakes sparingly, and the safe way to do that is by not accelerating unnecessarily. Just think of this. You see some kid in a red sports car at a stop sign. They blast off quickly, then after one block they brake hard for the next stop sign. That's wasting gas, brake pads, and creating more emissions in that area too. Other than that, accelerate slowly, watch your RPMs, stay around 60 mph, take it easy on hills, there's a lot to it, even without a Prius Regen style battery.
- pjerem 5y ago
  Yes, it’s a skill you learn with hybrid cars because they reward you with silence when you are efficient, and they punish you with noise when you run out of battery.
- InitialLastName 5y ago
  I feel like a lesson lots of people (including some recent rideshare drivers I've had) could learn is that the pedals in your car can be operated with more subtlety than an on/off switch.
throwaway0a5e 5y ago
>Anyone have some insights on this? The efficient driving tips that is? Basically drive like you have no brakes.
jchook 5y ago
Get an OBD2 Bluetooth adapter and an app on your smart phone to display the real time fuel efficiency of your driving. That feedback can help a lot.

bdamm 5y ago

Hypermiling is almost a sport at this point. https://electrek.co/2018/07/16/tesla-model-3-autopilot-unmanned-hypermiling-record/ https://electrek.co/2018/07/16/tesla-model-3-autopilot-unman...

jedimastert 5y ago
If there's one thing I've learned on the internet, it's that if there's a measurable number, people will turn it into a hobby and then a sport to maximize or minimize it.

mclightning 5y ago

Yeah, nowadays it is part of the course when getting driving license (here in Sweden). Economical driving is an important factor when taking the test eventually after the courses too. It is one of the 5 big factors you need to pass. As it is mentioned above, you need to look far and plan ahead, do engine braking, let it roll on its own if it is redlights etc etc.

ne0flex 5y ago
Would be good to have this implemented in the curriculum in Canada & US. The amount of times I've been honked at because I was approaching a red light without hitting the gas, only to have the person behind me speed up and overtake me then slamming the brakes as they approached the light is ridiculous.

marvin 5y ago

It generally breaks down to don’t brake unless you have to, and know & use the performance characteristics of whatever you’re driving. This might mean slowing down while anticipating stoplight changes, curves or congestion behavior so you can just keep rolling, not accelerating over the top of a hill or entering a decline with excess speed, leaving a good distance to the car in front and so on. Also knowing the efficiency characteristics of your vehicle. For ICE cars, generally running in high gear/low RPM. Not going fast. Engine braking is also braking, clutch in or shift to neutral while rolling downhill might help. But obviously use engine braking on very long declines, so you don’t burn out your brakes. Prefer regenerative braking rather than mechanical braking in battery vehicles with this feature. This is generally done by changing speed slowly, which requires that you think a few seconds ahead. Don’t accelerate hard if your engine/motor burns more energy than if accelerating slowly.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
jbarberu 5y ago
When you go in neutral downhill your engine idles, vs if you leave it in gear the ECU cuts fuel supply completely. It's generally better to stay in gear except when you're at a standstill. (This assumes a modern vehicle with fuel-injectors)
- marvin 5y ago
  Do automatic gearboxes compression brake when going downhill? That's what I was trying to avoid. My point was to conserve your kinetic energy, not optimizing the fuel flow during the times when you don't want the engine to produce power.
  - jbarberu 5y ago
    Can't speak for all of them, but many will engine brake if you use cruise control downhill.
saagarjha 5y ago

Dumblydorr 5y ago

I drive a Prius, it's a skill to drive efficiently. The main tip: do not use the gas pedal if you're going to brake soon anyway. Think of the brakes as wasting gas, then you'll use the brakes sparingly, and the safe way to do that is by not accelerating unnecessarily. Just think of this. You see some kid in a red sports car at a stop sign. They blast off quickly, then after one block they brake hard for the next stop sign. That's wasting gas, brake pads, and creating more emissions in that area too. Other than that, accelerate slowly, watch your RPMs, stay around 60 mph, take it easy on hills, there's a lot to it, even without a Prius Regen style battery.

pjerem 5y ago
Yes, it’s a skill you learn with hybrid cars because they reward you with silence when you are efficient, and they punish you with noise when you run out of battery.
InitialLastName 5y ago
I feel like a lesson lots of people (including some recent rideshare drivers I've had) could learn is that the pedals in your car can be operated with more subtlety than an on/off switch.

throwaway0a5e 5y ago

>Anyone have some insights on this? The efficient driving tips that is? Basically drive like you have no brakes.

jchook 5y ago

Get an OBD2 Bluetooth adapter and an app on your smart phone to display the real time fuel efficiency of your driving. That feedback can help a lot.