4 ms·

Gallons per hundred miles would be a better metric, since it would make it clearer that improving gas mileage of inefficient vehicles makes a lot more differenc

Gallons per hundred miles would be a better metric, since it would make it clearer that improving gas mileage of inefficient vehicles makes a lot more difference for gas consumption.

mikeyouse 2y ago
My favorite demonstration of this is that increasing your mileage from 10mpg to 12mpg, from 20mpg to 30mpg, and from 60mpg to 1,000mpg all save the same amount of gas.
- wackget 2y ago
  How does that work? Can you clarify?
  - skybrian 2y ago
    You can’t save more gasoline than you’re using. More: The misleading, wasteful way we measure gas mileage, explained https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/350382/gas-mileage-fuel-economy-mpg-gphm-gas-guzzlers https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/350382/gas-mileage-fuel-e...
  - mikeyouse 2y ago
    To travel 100 miles at each of those MPGs; 10MPG = 10 gallons of gas 12MPG = 8.33 gallons of gas 20mpg = 5 gallons of gas 30mpg = 3.33 gallons of gas 60mpg = 1.67 gallons of gas 1,000mpg = 0.1 gallons of gas So moving from 10-12mpg saves 1.67 gallons per hundred miles. Moving from 20-30mpg saves the same. At 60mpg, you're only using 1.67 gallons of gas, so there's no improvement to MPG that will save more than that. Nearly all the gains to actual fuel consumed will come from increasing the worst offenders rather than e.g. trading in Corollas for Pruises. Also a good demonstration why the CAFE standards and other government fleet minimums are actually pretty effective at lowering fuel demand.