hybrid

40 MPG Ford F-150?

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The Ford F-150 pickup truck has been an unparalleled sales success throughout the era of cheap gasoline. There are millions upon millions of F-150s on American roads. But with the days of cheap gas and chart-topping full-size pickup truck sales past us, we are left with a big question.

F-150 gas mileage figures have languished for decades. As a consequence, countless companies and individuals are burdened with trucks that have become too expensive to operate. As this cloud has settled upon the country, owners have been asking, “is there an honest-to-goodness way to dramatically increase the gas mileage of the F-150s that are prowling our streets?”

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100 MPG Plug-In Prius: Pat’s Garage

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One hundred miles per gallon (MPG) might seem like a far fetched dream to most folks. But to those on the cutting edge, it’s a reality. With a conversion kit, a half a day of work, and a pocket full of cash, a second-generation Toyota Prius can be quickly and seamlessly converted to a 100 MPG plug-in hybrid. Camera gear in hand, we stopped by the the A123 Systems/Hymotion booth, on the Plug-In 2008 conference show floor, where Pat Cadam (of Pat’s Garage and greengears.net) shared how simple it is to achieve 100 MPG.

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Toyota Prius Gas Mileage

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Since its introduction in the 2001 model year, the Toyota Prius’ gas mileage ratings have consistently placed it among the most fuel-efficient vehicles sold in America. Although the Prius was not the first, nor most thrifty hybrid – that honor having been held by the (gone but not forgotten) Honda Insight – the Prius has endeared itself to over a million owners. As of this writing, the Prius holds the US gas mileage crown.

2008 Toyota Prius

But for many, it’s more than just the great gas mileage. The green aura surrounding the Prius is unequaled.

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Honda Insight Gas Mileage

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The first hybrid car to hit our shores, the Honda Insight set the bar high and put gas mileage front and center. The Insight returned in 2010. The original two-seat Insight’s in-your-face design used the Civic CRX as a starting point, hearkening back to the eighties, when the CRX HF was Honda’s gas mileage champ. While both the Insight and CRX HF were lightweights when it came to the scales, they were true heavyweight contenders when it came to fuel economy.

2005 Honda Insight

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Hybrid Gas Mileage Ratings

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While today’s hybrid gas mileage ratings may seem impressive when compared to the majority of conventional vehicles on the market, there’s still a long way to go. This unfulfilled dream is clearly evident when studying the historical chart of hybrid gas mileage. The earliest models of the Honda Insight set the bar remarkably high (regardless of the change in the EPA’s testing procedures implemented in 2007); so high that they remain to be equaled by a production vehicle today.

Viewing the statistics, it’s easy to understand how the Insight hybrid achieved those remarkable gas mileage results. Weighing in at under a ton, Honda’s little spaceship had a big head start, with a diminutive 1.0 liter three cylinder engine providing just enough oomph and efficiency to land the micro hybrid’s gas mileage in the stratosphere.

With the Insight put out to pasture after the 2006 model year, the Toyota Prius snatched the hybrid gas mileage crown, edging out the Honda Civic Hybrid.

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