So maybe this hybrid-centric thing IS catching on.
As I continue to use and review more products like hybrid autos and other things with words like "green," "sustainability," and "eco-friendly," it seems more people are asking me about them and giving me their own personal stories.
The February 2009 issue of Fort Bend Focus Magazine (a Houston-area county publication) spotlighted a certain someone and his efforts to go green. Recognize this weird-looking dude?
5 days, 5 cities, 844 miles and 1 tank of gas for Dan. Boom...mission accomplished!
After a 4:15am wake-up call in Dallas we were really in no mood to drive the final 250 miles back home to Houston. After a live interview on FOX 4 we went back to the hotel to make sure we rested for Interstate 45.
Ground zero in Big D was City Hall. Mayor Tom Leppert was no where to be found so we took a few pics, talked to a few more reporters and hit the road at 12 noon. Dan was a bit worried about his fuel level as he was showing 2/10 of a tank remaining with a long haul ahead. He must have spent half the night figuring the exact route, mileage, wind speed and elevation to determine that he could reach Houston with a few ounces of gas remaining.
I had promised myself to try using some hypermiling tips on this last leg but the thought of getting home after 5 days, seeing my kids and sleeping in my own bed made my right foot seem a bit heavier than normal. Though my intention was to cruise around 55mph my speedometer kept reading 65mph. Even at this speed I was looking at about 41 MPG.
Though this was the longest stretch of the tour it seemed to go by fast probably because I drive this route most often to visit my family in Dallas. I know exactly where the best stops are to get burgers, Blizzards, jerky, BBQ and gas. If only a stand-alone Stuckey's was still around, I would only have one place to stop (and I still have a hankering for those pecan log rolls).
Throughout the trip my car had more mileage than Dan's because we would use mine to drive reporters around the cities to show them how hybrids operate and how to hypermile. Add to the fact that I was a novice at hypermiling and my gas tank was running dry as we neared Fairfield, about 90 minutes south of Dallas. I almost forgot how to pump gas in a car.
As I was filling up a guy on the other side of the pump was filling up his SUV. He noticed the Prius and asked a few questions about the MPG, cost and comfort. When I told him I just filled up the tank with $43 and that would last me almost another trip around Texas, he almost put a FOR SALE sign in his front windshield. I drove away as he was nearing $90 on his pump.
As I approached the halfway point between the cities in Centerville I checked in with Dan to see if he was still rolling or pushing his car. He sounded a bit nervous but said he was not yet in danger of running out of fuel but he still had 3/4 of the way to go.
Houston is known for many things and traffic is up there with humidity, energy and the Livestock Show and Rodeo. Even though we were heading against traffic, Thursday afternoon rush hour could be brutal. I the timing must have been just right as I sailed straight to downtown to the final stopping point just before 4pm. Not counting the lunch and gas stop I completed the journey in 3:45.
Dan was another story. I called him to tell him I had arrived but he didn't answer his cell phone. I waited. Called again. Waited some more. No answer. I began wondering if he ran out of gas, started walking and got eaten by a bear or something.
About an hour later he finally called me back to say that he was not answering his cell phone so he could fully concentrate on his driving. When Dan has to fully concentrate on his driving I knew he must have been focused on reaching his goal on that one tank. Sure enough he was snaking his way down I-45, hoping to hit traffic of course, while making use of his battery power instead of the gas.
5 hours and 15 minutes after he left Dallas, he pulled up next to me at Discovery Green and jumped out like he landed on the moon. The Prius had landed.
Sometimes I wish I never left Austin after I graduated from UT. It is such a nice city but it has certainly grown since I moved away in the late 80's. More people means more cars and that means more traffic and you know what that means...better fuel efficiency while driving a hybrid car!
I think our point is starting to sink in as we reached the third stop on our Hybrid Tour of Texas. Austinites did not seem to be turning their heads as much as Dan and I rolled our Toyota Prisus' into the capital city. In fact I spotted about half a dozen other Prius' during our brief time there.
But since we were barely halfway through our trip I had to leave Austin behind once again. The good news is that I was headed to my hometown of Dallas. I know Interstate 35 well as I drove that stretch of highway countless times to see my grandparents who lived in Austin and during the four years I was in college. Like the San Antonio-to-Austin part of I-35, this section also became very saturated with businesses, schools, gas stations, restaurants and hotels.
We hit a bit of traffic as we drove through Round Rock and Georgetown. These towns used to be quite a bit away from Austin but they are now considered northern suburbs. I was running at a constant speed of 62mph and starting to apply some of the hypermiling tips I have been hearing Dan talk about all week.
They actually seemed to work. I found myself coasting down hills and slightly pressing on the gas pedal instead of gunning it to pass cars. Every so often I watched the energy monitor register a higher number on my average MPG. I can see why Dan gets so excited.
Dan pointed out that he had used only 2/10 of a tank to get to Austin. That's almost 500 miles if you are counting. His goal of reaching Houston on one tank of gas seems to be within reach. I filled up my tank for the first time while on the road and don't expect to pull in to another gas station on this journey.
We made a quick stop in Waco for our own energy - Coke Zero and protein bars. Dallas was just under 100 miles away and we wanted to reach downtown before rush hour (of course Dan was hoping to hit traffic the whole way back to gain ever better MPG). I arrived at City Hall around 4:30pm and didn't see much congestion until the last exit.
My total driving time from Austin to Dallas was 3 hours. Dan's trip put him about 31 minutes behind me. Final tallies:
Dan's 4th day average MPG: 74.6 My 4th day average MPG: 40.5
Our final day takes us back to Houston where we began with a landing downtown at Discovery Green. I am going to try my best to hypermile during this last leg but since I know I'm heading home to my own bed I may be inclined to put the pedal to metal. And Dan is debating whether he wants to do the whole circuit one more time until his tank runs dry.
San Antonio is hot. Seriously. Especially when standing outside the Alamo at high noon in July. But people and the media are interested in our statewide pilgrimage to promote hybrid driving and hypermiling so we can stand a little sweat.
Before we left for Austin we made a stop at WOAI-TV (NBC 4) for an appearance on San Antonio Living. I was hoping to meet Kelly Ripa before I remembered she hosts another morning talk show but Leslie Bohl Jones was just as affable.
After a few laughs and quips over coffee in front of the cameras we headed over to Alamo Plaza with our Toyota Prius’. The city was kind enough to let us roll them up right next to where Davy Crockett fought which provided a nice backdrop for a few more interviews.
We hit Interstate 35 around 12:45pm and were prepared for an easy drive about 95 miles north to our state’s capital. We had some time to kill so we veered west a bit on Texas 46 for a lunch stop in Gruene. This was my first time in the town though I probably floated through the city limits while on the Guadalupe River years ago in college.
This area is now part of New Braunfels and is famous for Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas. Autographed photos of musicians who played here cover the creaky wooden walls including Willie Nelson, George Strait, Jerry Jeff Walker and Lyle Lovett. The town seemed as if it never grew out of the 1800’s and the nearby Gristmill Restaurant was outstanding.
We could have sat by the banks of the Guadalupe and watched families float by all day but we still were only halfway to Austin. Dan pulled back onto I-35 with about 8/10 of his gas tank still full. Even though he is averaging an incredible MPG he had an idea up his sleeve to stretch his numbers further.
Hypermilers stick together so Dan called a local buddy who lives south of Austin in Buda. They met each other in their own Prius’ (apparently it is many hypermilers’ car of choice) and rode some out-of-the-way roads and small hills to improve his mileage. After 45 minutes of coasting and gently braking at no more than 30 mph, Dan finished his leg of the Hybrid Tour of Texas with some mind-numbing numbers:
Dan’s 3rd day average MPG: 75.2 mpg
My 3rd day average MPG: 40.3 mpg
We met up on the steps of the Capitol for a picturesque landing and to recap the day’s journey. Some of the increased mileage could be accounted for the traffic we hit during the drive especially as we approached Austin. I-35 is a busy corridor and traffic is cause for braking…braking and driving under 40 mph allows for battery-powered driving…more battery means less gas-driven engine power…and that increases fuel MPG.
We are getting psyched up for Day 4 as we have 200 miles ahead of us towards Dallas. I’m sensing a quick stop in Waco which means a Dr. Pepper break and some good home cooking at my parents’ home in Big D. Can’t wait to tell them how much gas money I am saving on this drive. They’ll be so proud.
There is a point in time when you sometimes wonder, "What was I thinking?" That question popped into my head around Pleasanton, Texas, this afternoon when the outside temperature gauge on my Prius reached three digits. I have no remorse in scheming up this great ride across our great state, but maybe we should have tweaked the timing a bit and stayed away from summer.
I really should not complain since I was riding in the comfort of a nice air-conditioned hybrid vehicle. My counterpart, however, was driving his Prius in his hypermiling style but with an added twist…no air-conditioning. But as I stated before this is all in the name of science and we continue to realize the benefits of driving one of Toyota’s hybrid models.
After doing several rounds of Corpus Christi TV and newspaper interviews early in the morning we hit the road towards San Antonio about 1:00pm. We said goodbye to the scenic bay views and welcomed a three-hour drive through a sea of nothing. But “nothing” is nice if you enjoy asphalt, yellow striped lines, barbed wire fences, cactus and mile marker signs.
Of the five legs of our Hybrid Tour of Texas, we knew this part was going to be a bit boring. But that was fine as we could concentrate more on testing the mileage and efficiency of the Prius cars Dan Bryant and I are driving. I constantly glanced at the GPS on my iPhone hoping for a decent sized town to stop off for a nice lunch and we did find one…if you consider a Valero truck stop to be “nice.”
We did not have a “crosswind to drag down the coefficient of the wind surface” like we did on Monday. After I deciphered what Dan meant after this statement I predicted we would get a better MPG average as we were going “downwind.” I major in easy speak. Sure enough by the time we reached the Alamo each of us had increased our fuel efficiency.
Dan’s 2nd day average MPG: 69.7 My 2nd day average MPG: 39.9
The increase in numbers from yesterday can be related in part to the wind going in our direction. But I was amazed at the difference of my mindset between yesterday and today’s trips. I found myself concentrating on the car’s functionality on the road during the first day. My thoughts and eyes wandered from the colorful dashboard display that shows the current energy displacement (engine or battery) to how hard my foot was pressing on the gas pedal.
Round 2 of my trip found my habits to be the similar to my driving style I have had for years. Like most drivers I don’t normally think about the energy displacement, cold starts or coasting to red lights. So while I forgot I was driving a high-tech automobile I was still getting the benefits of the hybrid synergy drive. In fact, I got a bit better mileage out of the gas tank today.
Dan’s hypermiling tips can be used by any driver in any car and I should probably look them over again as we continue to Austin, Dallas and Houston. Dan’s phenomenal MPG numbers are impressive but I estimate my stats could be improved by 10-15% had I not been caring extra weight in my Prius including a passenger, heavy luggage, camera gear and that all-import ice chest.
After all, when the temperature hits 100 degrees I find myself drinking a lot more water than the Prius sips gas.
Tomorrow: Our shortest hop. An easy 80 miles jaunt up to Austin. Hope you 're at home, Governor Perry, because we're knocking on your door with our own tips on fuel efficiency.
Let the games begin! Dan Bryant and I took off from Sugar Land, about 25 miles southwest of Houston. This was a convenient location as Highway 59 runs through the city so we just hopped on the road towards Corpus (plus I live nearby!).
We gassed up our Toyota Prius cars and hit the road about 2:30pm. Each tank holds about 10 gallons of gas. Dan is riding alone with not much weight in the car so he thinks he can do all 5 cities on ONE TANK of fuel. Seeing his results at the end of this day I don't doubt his prediction.
I love driving across Texas as you see so many unique things and places. Though this isn't bluebonnet seaon I did notice wild flowers and weeds popping up in places. But I always get a kick out of the truck stops and mom-and-pop barbeque joints in the smallest of towns.
I had a hankering for some real smoked jerky and my favorite place to stop on this stretch of highway is just south of El Campo at a place called Prasek's Hillje Smokehouse. My odometer read 60 miles from our starting place and since I am driving my Prius as "normal" as can be I arrived ahead of my hypermiling buddy, Dan.
A few strips of peppered beef jerky and some buffalo cheese and jalepeno jerky later, Dan rolled up about 30 minutes behind me. Not wanting to kill much more time he shoved down a smoked sausage sandwich before we headed back to the cars to check out the stats.
Dan's average MPG: 66
My average MPG: 39.3
Why the big difference? Dan is going all out to maximize his mileage. He is driving relatively slow but at a safe highway speed, he is using his hypermiling tips like coasting when necessary and, if you can bear this, not using the air conditioner! Now I'm all about saving fuel and money but comfort is a whole other issue especially when driving during Texas summers.
Before we hop back in the cars for the rest of the trip to Corpus, Dan goes through a series of checks that would make NASA proud. He starts the engine several times trying to avoid the mandatory warmup in the Prius software and he checks his tires as often as I change radio stations. For the record, his right front tire was 5 pounds low.
We continued down Highway 77 passing through Refugio, birthplace of Nolan Ryan. No time for souvenirs or a Blizzard stop as we wanted to hit Corpus while the sun was still shining over the Bay.
199.8 miles from our start we rolled to a stop at the Corpus Christi Marina. It's a gorgeous site with boats docked in the water and sprawling green grass and biking trails lining Shoreline Boulevard. Noting the dashboard stats, I had driven the distance with an average of 40.3 MPG.
Realizing Dan was probably about 45 minutes behind me (and probably sweating profusely due to the "natural" air conditioning he was using), I had time to stroll around the marina and take a quick nap in the Bay breeze.
Sure enough Mr. Hypermiler quietly snuck his Prius up to mine (note: the engines are notoriously quiet) at the meeting point. Not wanting to get too close to him due to the potential of getting a sweat-soaked high-five, Dan blurted out his daily MPG: 61.8. Not bad at all.
While I would be ecstatic to average 40.3 MPG any day in a non-hybrid vehicle (much less 20.3 MPG!), I was interested to learn how he burned about 35% less gas than me. His hypermiling driving style accounted for the majority of savings but my constant use of the air conditioner drained some of the Prius' battery power along with the accessories I plugged in. Note to self...don't charge my iPhone and video camera while driving.
My car also carried more weight as I had our luggage, ice chest and Toyota parephernalia. I knew I should have simply packed a Speedo.
We depart to San Antonio on Monday which looks to be a bit shorter leg on our 5-day jaunt around the state. I look forward to listening to the 80's station on XM, the mexican restaurants on the Riverwalk and oh yeah, that cool air-conditioning while driving north on Interstate 37.
Just how much gas money can be saved by driving a hybrid vehicle? I will drive a Toyota Prius to 5 cities across Texas. Starting in Houston I will make stops in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and then back to Houston. Approximate mileage - 879 miles.
Can I make it on one tank of gas? How much money will I save vs. driving a non-hybrid?
To compare my driving style and promote efficiency, a self-proclaimed "hypermiler" will also be driving a Prius along the same route. Dan Byrant has been to known to get in excess of 100 mpg based on some unique skills and tips.
Known to radio listeners and TV viewers in many markets, Michael hosts programs and segments explaining the highs and lows of technology products, gadgets and services. Using easy-to-understand lingo with his fun personality, Michael helps consumers with recommendations on products, travel, lifestyle and entertainment options.
Now as The Hybrid-Tech Texan, Michael narrows his views to all things hybrid, smart, green and Earth-loving
So maybe this hybrid-centric thing IS catching on.
5 days, 5 cities, 844 miles and 1 tank of gas for Dan. Boom...mission accomplished!
Though this was the longest stretch of the tour it seemed to go by fast probably because I drive this route most often to visit my family in Dallas. I know exactly where the best stops are to get burgers, Blizzards, jerky, BBQ and gas. If only a stand-alone Stuckey's was still around, I would only have one place to stop (and I still have a hankering for those pecan log rolls).
Houston is known for many things and traffic is up there with humidity, energy and the Livestock Show and Rodeo. Even though we were heading against traffic, Thursday afternoon rush hour could be brutal. I the timing must have been just right as I sailed straight to downtown to the final stopping point just before 4pm. Not counting the lunch and gas stop I completed the journey in 3:45.
Sometimes I wish I never left Austin after I graduated from UT. It is such a nice city but it has certainly grown since I moved away in the late 80's. More people means more cars and that means more traffic and you know what that means...better fuel efficiency while driving a hybrid car!
We hit a bit of traffic as we drove through Round Rock and Georgetown. These towns used to be quite a bit away from Austin but they are now considered northern suburbs. I was running at a constant speed of 62mph and starting to apply some of the hypermiling tips I have been hearing Dan talk about all week.
Dan pointed out that he had used only 2/10 of a tank to get to Austin. That's almost 500 miles if you are counting. His goal of reaching Houston on one tank of gas seems to be within reach. I filled up my tank for the first time while on the road and don't expect to pull in to another gas station on this journey.
My total driving time from Austin to Dallas was 3 hours. Dan's trip put him about 31 minutes behind me. Final tallies:
San Antonio is hot. Seriously. Especially when standing outside the Alamo at high noon in July. But people and the media are interested in our statewide pilgrimage to promote hybrid driving and hypermiling so we can stand a little sweat.
We hit Interstate 35 around 12:45pm and were prepared for an easy drive about 95 miles north to our state’s capital. We had some time to kill so we veered west a bit on Texas 46 for a lunch stop in Gruene. This was my first time in the town though I probably floated through the city limits while on the Guadalupe River years ago in college.
Hypermilers stick together so Dan called a local buddy who lives south of Austin in Buda. They met each other in their own Prius’ (apparently it is many hypermilers’ car of choice) and rode some out-of-the-way roads and small hills to improve his mileage. After 45 minutes of coasting and gently braking at no more than 30 mph, Dan finished his leg of the Hybrid Tour of Texas with some mind-numbing numbers:
We are getting psyched up for Day 4 as we have 200 miles ahead of us towards Dallas. I’m sensing a quick stop in Waco which means a Dr. Pepper break and some good home cooking at my parents’ home in Big D. Can’t wait to tell them how much gas money I am saving on this drive. They’ll be so proud.
There is a point in time when you sometimes wonder, "What was I thinking?" That question popped into my head around Pleasanton, Texas, this afternoon when the outside temperature gauge on my Prius reached three digits. I have no remorse in scheming up this great ride across our great state, but maybe we should have tweaked the timing a bit and stayed away from summer.
After doing several rounds of Corpus Christi TV and newspaper interviews early in the morning we hit the road towards San Antonio about 1:00pm. We said goodbye to the scenic bay views and welcomed a three-hour drive through a sea of nothing. But “nothing” is nice if you enjoy asphalt, yellow striped lines, barbed wire fences, cactus and mile marker signs.
We did not have a “crosswind to drag down the coefficient of the wind surface” like we did on Monday. After I deciphered what Dan meant after this statement I predicted we would get a better MPG average as we were going “downwind.” I major in easy speak. Sure enough by the time we reached the Alamo each of us had increased our fuel efficiency.
Dan’s hypermiling tips can be used by any driver in any car and I should probably look them over again as we continue to Austin, Dallas and Houston. Dan’s phenomenal MPG numbers are impressive but I estimate my stats could be improved by 10-15% had I not been caring extra weight in my Prius including a passenger, heavy luggage, camera gear and that all-import ice chest.
Realizing Dan was probably about 45 minutes behind me (and probably sweating profusely due to the "natural" air conditioning he was using), I had time to stroll around the marina and take a quick nap in the Bay breeze.