the EPA 'combined' estimate is based on 55% city and 45% highway. I guess I'm cheating competing against that estimate, since my commute is about 85% highway. Oh well, we're all using the same combined estimate, so I guess that makes us even. I saw one entry in the garage which said it was using the "correct" estimate based on his actual amount of highway driving. I guess he's AR. hehehe
Well we could always make it like the Tour de France. I guess heavy pigs like mine could compete for the green jersey despite the paradox of that while the lightweights could get the polka-dot jerseys...
Aircraft performance (MPG is just another corner of the performance envelope) are always compared at max gross weight.
Trucks and trains are evaluated on the basis of ton-miles per gallon, but the tonnagge is only the payload tonnage. Payload ton-miles are what the billing is based on.
Trains get staggering ton-MPG. 600 ton-mile/gallon is common.
Trucks that get 7 MPG loaded to 25 tons of payload (175 payload ton-miles per gallon) are common as dirt.
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2000 Ford F-350 Super Cab Pickup
4x2, 6 speed manual
Regeared to 3.08:1
4 inch suspension slam
Aero mods: "Fastback" fairing and rugged air dam and side skirts
Stock MPG: 19
Summer MPG: 27.0
Winter MPG: 24
I'm intrigued by this I really think the % over the current EPA rating would be a fair challenge. It would be a challenge because then no one is favored and the challenge is to better the EPA rating by the largest amount over a 90 day period. the gas receipts and ODO readings need to be verified probably with photographs.
Our club is holding Economy Run events and we in fact have a weight factored award. This is how it works:
Best ton-mile per gallon [TMPG] vehicle weight in pounds, divided by 2000, times miles driven, divided by gallons consumed. A handy calculator is here.
Our next event is October 5th and details can be found here.
That's cool. I like seeing the 95 Suburban in there... His mileage isn't all that good though. Even driving my 98 K1500 (same body, pickup model, probably same engine((350 V8)), and 4wd) I get better than that in stop & go driving. If it was a little closer I'd consider going to something like that.