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Tuesday, July 3, 2007 12:00 AM

Hip, hip, CAFE!

Some Dems celebrate a new Senate bill to boost gas mileage. But it's premature to toast the end of our high-octane bender.

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  • Tuesday, July 3, 2007 07:16 PM

    Hi Chickadee

    You might be right on the acceleration, but consider this: rapid acceleration implies wide open throttle with its reduced pumping losses. Over-acceleration which would require excess braking would consume more fuel, but rapidly accelerating to a steady speed might be more fuel efficient than slower acceleration. Ideally, the way to accelerate is to get in the highest possible gear so that large throttle openings are required for adequate acceleration. Most automatics shift down under those conditions, but I have noticed that my Odyssey is reluctant to downshift unless I give it lots of throttle. And I have never gotten less than 20 MPG, even in town driving.

    My approach to getting good mileage is to treat the brake pedal as forbidden territory, and to drive so as touch it as little as possible. After all the frictional heating of the brakes is directly equivalent to wasted gasoline.

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