Honda 125cc motorbike + DIY aerodynamic fairings + gearing = 214 mpg
Dutch efficiency enthusiast Allert Jacobs has converted his new Honda motorbike into a streamliner capable of getting over 200 mpg (US) cruising at 55 mph. The experienced velomobile designer/builder tweaked the bike's gearing as well as its aerodynamics to achieve this noteworthy accomplishment. Read about this project in the EcoModder blog ... and please DIGG if you like it!
Making a plug-in Prius
How do you improve the efficiency of Toyota's already class-leading Prius hybrid? One way is by installing additional grid-charged battery capacity so the car can use electric drive/assist more often. Follow forum member Daox as he installs, debugs, improves and monitors the effectiveness of his new Enginer plug-in lithium ion battery kit. (Read more...)
Chevy Silverado aero cap: $62 and 4% better MPG
Aerodynamic pickup truck caps are a popular topic on EcoModder. That's not surprising when you consider that improving the efficiency of a thirsty vehicle has the potential for a bigger financial payback. Forum member Fubeca has documented the construction and testing of his clean looking prototype that revealed a respectable 4% improvement in MPG at 55 mph. Read more...
Prototype aerodynamic boat tail good for +15% MPG boost
Following in the footsteps of other pioneering EcoModders, forum member MetroMPG fabricated a prototype aerodynamic boat tail and got encouraging results: a 15% increase in fuel economy at 90 km/h / 56 mph, measured in A-B-A testing. Follow the discussion, construction and testing of the mock-up, and view a YouTube video of the results.
Read more ...
Happy 2nd birthday to us!
Today we celebrate another year, having just passed the 10,000 member mark and 10,000 discussion/project threads. To mark the occasion, today (December 3, 2009), we're giving away prizes to registered members: An MPGuino fuel economy computer, a ScanGauge-II, and more. Read about it...
100 mpg from a lightly modified Kawasaki Ninja 250
In stock form, Kawasaki's Ninja 250 is a sporty and pretty efficient motorcycle. EcoModder member Theycallmeebryan was getting 70 mpg (US) from his over a year's worth of riding before he decided to aim for 100 mpg. Read more about the gearing mods and driving techniques that allowed him to meet his goal.
Quiz: Name That Eco Car!
Think you know efficient vehicles? Now you can find out by taking one of EcoModder's Name That Eco Car! quizzes. We show you a photo of part of a vehicle, and you do your best to identify it by choosing the right answer from a list. We've got two quizzes up and running already - one for electric vehicles and one for hybrids. Watch for even more quizzes to be added. Try it out!
HyperRocket: 125 mpg, 100+ mph custom 3-wheel motorcycle
What does a Ford Motor Company fuel economy technical expert do for fun at the end of the day? If you're EcoModder member HyperRocket, you head home to your own shop and custom build an aerodynamically efficient, two-passenger, 3-wheel motorcycle capable of 125 mpg (US) at 65 mph and a top speed of over 100 mph. And then after using it for 3,200 miles (5,150 km), you put it on eBay to make room in his garage for the next version - a plug-in hybrid. Read about it in our blog, or take part in the discussion thread in the forum.
EcoModder scores 3 wins at Green Grand Prix; 99.7 mpg top result
The Green Grand Prix celebrates fuel-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles in an annual road rally and public exhibition in Watkins Glen, New York. This year (the event's 5th), four EcoModder members participated and brought home three awards, including third and first place overall in the MPG rally, at 99.7 mpg (US). Read the blog entry summarizing the results, or check out the lively discussion in our forum for more photos, analysis and details of the mods & driving techniques used by the top vehicle.
Paul and Sabrina's inexpensive, open source, DIY motor controller
One of the most expensive parts of an EV conversion is the motor controller. DIY types often talk of building their own powerful, inexpensive controllers, but few actually do it. Until now! EcoModder members Paul and Sabrina have done it, and were voted February's Mod of the Month as a result. (EV community members are encouraged to support ongoing development with a small donation - a.k.a "Adopt a Mosfet!") Read more...
TopGear.com America ecomods a VW Rabbit: aims for 70 mpg (US)
You may have already seen our blog entry about TopGear.com's ecobunny, a DIY efficiency project in the same spirit as Car and Driver's Crisis Fighter Pinto of 30 years ago. But the current action is in our forum, where the project's chief ink-slinger and "wide-eyed young edit-slave" have been dropping in regularly to pick our brains a little bit and share updates as they progress towards their goal of a fun-to-drive fuel miser. Their plans are for a TDI heart transplant and aero mods, and they're well on their way. Read more...
Aerocivic gets a web site
There's no getting around the fact that the Aerocivic draws a LOT of attention (its build thread is now the most viewed topic in our forum). The car, built by EcoModder member basjoos, is now drawing attention to its own dedicated web site, via lettering on its flanks. People who spot the low-flying UFO can now see & learn more about what they just witnessed by going to www.Aerocivic.com
Round two of our "modification of the month" contest pits pickup modders against EV builders
Voting is already under way in the second edition of our popular competition to recognize worthy ecomodders' February projects. This month's horse race seems to be between an inexpensive open source motor controller for electric vehicles by Paul & Sabrina vs. a slick looking aerodynamic pickup truck bed cap by Belgian EM member sepp. Check out these and the other worthy projects in this month's competition, and vote for your favourite...
New feature: vote for your favourite mod project
This is going to be difficult - not the actual task of coming up with worthy projects, but actually deciding which one of the group is most worthy of your vote for "mod of the month". Smart cruise control? Open source fuel economy computer? Powerful DIY electric vehicle motor controller? Aeromodded Toyota Prerunner pickup truck? The world famous Aerocivic? Have a look at the entries and vote for your favourite...
Can smooth wheel covers really save fuel?
The answer is "yes" - but as with so many things, the magnitude of the change depends on where you're starting from. If the wheels you are covering are already relatively smooth, then the difference will be minimal. But if you're covering an aerodynamically "dirty" wheel, as EcoModder member "Concrete" did when he tested smooth wheel covers on his 2000 Chevy S10 pickup, a significant improvement can be found. And the fact that he made them from pizza pans just makes it that much more interesting! Read more...
Game on! EM fuel economy challenge under way
What better way to combat the blahs from the onset of winter (northern hemisphere, that is) than a bit of friendly competition? With that in mind, Matt Herring has spearheaded our first efficiency competition, where 16 members have been drafted into a tournament style bracket to pursue the title of Ultimate EcoModder. May the best driver/modder win! Read more...
Bucking the trend: CFD-optimized Kammback
Bucking the apparent preference most EcoModders have for diving in head first with the duct tape, cardboard & coroplast, EM member Trebuchet03 is using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to help him find the optimal shape to improve the aerodynamics of his 2000 VW Jetta sedan. THEN it's the duct tape, cardboard and coroplast! Read more...
MPGuino heads up display (HUD)
No, the image to the right isn't the ghost of fuel economy past. It's a creative proof-of-concept photo posted by the godfather of the MPGuino project, dcb, showing a heads-up view of the MPGuino fuel economy computer projected onto his car's windshield. A head-up fuel consumption display was one of a number of features EcoModder members listed when asked what would they like to see on their "ultimate" MPG instrumentation (read that thread). The cool thing about the ever evolving open source MPGuino is that modifying it for HUD is actually an option. Read more...
Smart cruise: MPG sensitive cruise control mod
Most fuel economy conscious drivers know that using cruise control will burn more gas in most situations compared to a smart right foot. The problem is that cruise reacts to inclines & descents in exactly the WRONG way for best efficiency. If only there were a clever way to control the throttle via engine load rather than speed... Well, EcoModder member jomelmaldonado has done just that. Jump to the beginning of the thread for the entire story, or go straight to jomelmaldonado's first post to follow his progress.
No A/C? Beaded seat covers are cheap, keep you cool
A while back, Ben posted a list of DIY and commercial alternatives to energy-sucking air conditioning. And he recently took a more in depth look at one that I've been bugging him to buy for a couple of years now: beaded seat covers. Nobody's going to pretend they're comparable to ice cold air. But by letting some air circulate behind & under you, they can make an otherwise uncomfortable drive OK. Take it from someone who's never owned a car with A/C. Read more...
Longer legs: gear swap projects significantly boost MPG
A number of EM members have modded their transmissions to reduce engine RPM at highway speeds. A fifth gear swap can be done relatively easily on some cars without even removing the transmission from the vehicle. CarloSW2 changed the 5th gear ratio in his 1999 Saturn SW2, Multiades did the same thing to his 1994 Mazda Protege, and MetroMPG changed the final drive ratio in his Metro by swapping transmissions.
100+ Hypermiling / ecodriving tips for better gas mileage
Adjusting the nut behind the wheel is arguably the most important modification a person can make. While modifying the vehicle itself will result in better MPG regardless of the driver, adapting your driving techniques has the added advantage of being free and portable - you can bring your fuel saving skills to any vehicle you drive. Read more...
Junkyard rejuvenation: reviving a scrapped Honda Insight hybrid
"In January of '08 I found a 2000 Honda Insight in a junk yard. For a total of $2000 bucks I brought my new 'beater' home in hopes of getting it back up and running to replace my current daily driver (2001 Jeep Wrangler)." Follow Red's progress as he nurses a given-up-for-dead hybrid back to health to become his fuel-sipping commuter. Read more...
Opengauge / MPGuino: DIY open source electronic fuel economy gauge
The key to evaluating vehicle mods or driving techniques is feedback - fuel economy instrumentation. Owners of vehicles made after 1996 can opt for a ScanGauge, but where does that leave everyone else? That's what various EcoModder members (led by dcb) plan to address with the Arduino-based, Opengauge/MPGuino project which will work in any fuel injected vehicle with a VSS (vehicle speed sensor). Read more...
DIY long wheelbase recumbent bicycle project
EcoModders love their bicycles! More than a few of us harbour plans (or mere ambitions) for building/modding bikes to make them more comfortable, efficient or just plain fun. Forum member jwxr7 is doing more than dreaming about it - he's undertaken a recumbent bike fabrication project, and is documenting it in an EM thread. Read more...
Building a highly aerodynamic human powered vehicle
Continuing the "it's not just about cars & motorcycles" theme, EcoModder member trebuchet03 is documenting the construction of a super slippery shell (Cd of .09 in CFD testing) for his university's human powered competition vehicle. Lots of fabrication inspiration and aero talk here. Read more...
Car and Driver magazine ecomods a Pinto - MPG improves 25%
34 years ago in response to the 1973/74 oil embargo, Car and Driver ran a feature article called Project Car: Crisis-Fighter Pinto, documenting six relatively simple and inexpensive modifications which actually saved gas. Read more...
5th generation civic hatchback - improving aerodynamics (and more)
AndrewJ says... "following the footsteps of the pioneer Basjoos before me, I too am setting out on the road of improving the aerodynamics of a 5th generation Honda Civic hatchback." Follow his epic build thread as he constructs wheel skirts, a massive front air dam (with cockpit adjustable opening), smooth wheel covers, partial Kammback, alternator kill switch (with deep-cycle support), and much more. Read more...
ForkenCycle: dirt cheap, DIY electric motorcycle made from forklift parts
What do you do if the company you work for says you can have - for free - a worn out battery powered forklift thats collecting dust in the corner of a warehouse? If youre Russ Gries you say, dirt cheap, home-built electric motorcycle, here I come! Read more...
"Here is what I want my Prius to end up looking like."
A factory drag coefficient of .26 is pretty darned impressive, isn't it? Not if you're ambitious Prius owner Bestmapman, who is considering how best to approach some radical aero mods that would surely bring his vehicle's Cd into the mid teens range. His project list includes a full boat tail, skirts on all four wheels, front end smoothing and a number of smaller details. His tentative plans have the attention of more than a few people, as you can see in the thread discussing his car. Read more...
Modding, old school: 17 year old builds a faster and more efficient Model T in the 1930's
Modding for efficiency is nothing new, as this dramatic example proves. Shown is a Model T Ford that was rebuilt by its 17 year old owner in the 1930s. In addition to the hand-built, streamlined body, a second transmission was installed inline with the original to provide better gearing. The result was both improved top speed and better fuel economy. More details and images in the thread. Read more...
Project ForkenSwift - the $672 electric car
What do you get when you cross a Geo Metro with an electric forklift, a golf cart, and a bunch of used batteries? You get a ridiculously inexpensive, home-built, electric car. This street-legal grocery getter was built entirely from used parts - some scrounged for free - by two friends in Ontario, Canada. Read more...
Professional quality aerodynamic pickup truck cap going into production
Brett Herndon is a genuine craftsman who has combined his skill in clay modeling with his knowledge of aerodynamics to produce a professional quality aerodynamic truck cap which will literally pay for itself in gas savings. It's unlike anything you've seen before: it can be used as a big hatchback, transformed into a conventional box cap, or have its top removed to make room for oversize loads. Brett is taking his handiwork into commercial production, and is a success story waiting to happen. Read more...
Aerocivic - how to drop your Cd from 0.34 to 0.17
EcoModder member "basjoos" is doing what most people would at first think impossible: getting 95 MPG in an old Honda Civic. How did he achieve such an outstanding feat? Ecodriving and aeromodding. Basjoos is well known for being one of the first to perform some radical aerodynamic modifications to his car. And he's had radical results: "95 mpg is what I typically get while driving at a constant speed from 30 to 65 mph on a flat road in 80 degree F temperatures with well broken-in tires." See many more photos in the Aerocivic thread. Read more...
Electric Kawasaki
"Last summer, I converted an old, non-running motorcycle to run on batteries and an electric motor. It's a blast to ride. Easy to steer. No clutch, no engine to kill or restart, just twist the grip and go. It is also quiet. There were a few times I would just hop on and zip off to the grocery store. When I got back, my wife would never know I left because the thing is so sneaky quiet." Read more...
"Ecomod my Ride" design contest - win $100.00 in free gas (contest ended)
Detroit didn't try hard enough! At least that's the opinion of EcoModder member XFi, who's turning to the collective wisdom of the forum to come up with a plan to modify his recently acquired 1997 Ford Escort station wagon for max MPG. If you think you can beat the pants off Detroit too, here's your chance. Just post your build plan along with the others in this thread and you may find yourself rewarded for guiding yet another vehicle down a more efficient path. Read more...
Project Convertible XFi: lightweight, alfresco efficiency
Coyote X has been driving his modified-for-efficiency 1993 Geo Metro XFi hatchback for years, and has managed to achieve an impressive "lifetime" 60.5 mpg (US) since he bought it. The only problem is the car has been rusting out from beneath him. So he recently picked up a 1991 Metro convertible for $150 and has launched an ambitious build that's much more just a powertrain swap: the Metro 'vert is getting a complete custom tubular frame for aggressive weight reduction, and some interesting aero mods are in the works. Read more...
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