All New Nissan Models to Feature Fuel Efficiency Gauge
21 August 2007
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Sample fuel economy gauge (for the Infiniti). Click to enlarge. |
Nissan Motor announced that all future new models will be equipped with a fuel efficiency gauge to give drivers more information on how their driving style directly relates to fuel economy. The fuel efficiency gauge will also be equipped in current models scheduled for minor product freshenings, including the Skyline, Lafesta and Atlas in Japan, and the Altima and Infiniti G35 in the US.
The gauge provides the driver with both instant fuel-efficiency and average efficiency readings. For example, by accelerating, the driver would instantly see an increase in fuel consumption reflected on the gauge.
Based on Nissan’s trials, drivers have tended to improve their eco-driving habits over time, prompted by the real-time fuel-efficiency readings. Driving improvements also included smoother acceleration and braking, which potentially could lead to an average 10% improvement in fuel-efficiency, based on internal testing at Nissan.
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Sample gauge for HDD navigation system, which is compatible with CARWINGS. (Fuel consumption here in l/100km.) Click to enlarge. |
In January 2007, Nissan introduced the eco-driving information service through its CARWINGS navigation system to promote more economical driving habits. (Earlier post.) Through the installation of the fuel efficiency gauge on the instrument-cluster as a standard feature on all new models, Nissan says it will extend the awareness of eco-driving to a wider driving audience.
Nissan says that its introduction of the fuel efficiency gauge is in line with the company’s overall efforts to launch a wide range of environmental technologies under the Nissan Green Program 2010 mid-term environmental action plan.
A very good idea. This should be required on all new cars sold.
Posted by: KJD | 21 August 2007 at 06:39 AM
Naturally the Prius always had this and yes, it will help you learn to optimize your fuel mileage. A company in Florida sells cool stuff for the Prius, one of the items being a light that comes on whenever the friction brakes are being used. One of the keys to getting fantastic around town mileage in a Prius is in the stopping. The car provides a surprising amount of dynamic braking....
Posted by: Bud Johns | 21 August 2007 at 06:46 AM
This is similar to the trip computer fitted on the Yaris since it was first released back in '98. If they could fit it on such an affordable car, it really can't cost so much and as mentioned would be a worthy addition to any car, even so you know how long you can drive b4 you run out of fuel.
Posted by: rog | 21 August 2007 at 06:58 AM
I use a product called scanguage in my car. It plugs into the OBDII port so it can be moved from car to car. It's a great way to learn how to drive with gas efficiency in mind.
Posted by: | 21 August 2007 at 07:31 AM
I agree that this is a great idea! I also wish that this was standard in every new vehicle. I have one in my Camry Hybrid, and just being knowing what I am getting for mileage at the time in different circumstances makes a difference in my driving habits and also allows me to pick better routes for better mileage.
Bud Johns,
Do you happen to have a website for the company in Florida that sells the Prius stuff? Thank you!
Posted by: Travis Rassat | 21 August 2007 at 07:55 AM
http://www.coastaletech.com/ That's the site. I bought a stealth mode kit for my '04 prius that makes it work like in europe, if you wish, but I found out it would void the warranty so I decided to wait. There's nothing like driving away from someone and watching the befuddled look on thier face. Anyway, that Prius was totaled courtesy of my then 16 year old son (nobody got hurt) so I now have an '05 model, but I'm gonna leave it alone. Anybody want the kit, make me an offer. I paid 50 bucks for it from these people......
Posted by: Bud Johns | 21 August 2007 at 08:09 AM
While it may improve driving efficiency (at least initially while it is a novelty) by giving instant feedback on the results of their driving habits, but I don’t think that will last very long. Similar mileage meters are already available in currently available vehicles, and owners of them have told me that although they watched it when they first got it, they now just ignore it and have the display set to the outside temperature instead of MPG readings. And while people are paying attention to the MPG readings, they are paying less attention to the other vehicles around them and end up being worse drivers who get into more accidents. I test drove a Prius and found myself staring way to much at the display that showed whether the wheels were being powered by the electric motor or the gas engine, and whether the batteries were being charged or discharged. You thought cell phones were a distraction… just wait until lawmakers start trying to ban MPG readouts because they are too distracting and cause accidents.
Posted by: dwf | 21 August 2007 at 08:17 AM
It can be distracting. On the Prius you simply shut off the screen and it only briefly displays things when you adjust the cabin temperature or the cd player, etc. and goes back off right away on that setting. I always have it in this mode at night.
Posted by: Bud Johns | 21 August 2007 at 08:24 AM
It may be distracting, but it is worth it as it gets it home to people the cost of aggressive acceleration.
They should probably be mandatory.
If you can change people's driving habits, you should be able to get a 1-3% increase in mpg without any engineering.
It is not that much, but it is there for the taking.
P.s. does anyone have tables of tyre rolling resistance ?
Posted by: mahonj | 21 August 2007 at 08:47 AM
My Peugeot 307 and my Renault Laguna, both from 2002, are showing instant and average fuel efficiency.
This is an information most of european cars have been giving for years (+ remaining milage).
Very useful and less distracting than listening to the radio for ex. Who thinks radios and cd players should be forbidden in personnal cars ?
Posted by: gag | 21 August 2007 at 08:52 AM
While it may improve driving efficiency (at least initially while it is a novelty) by giving instant feedback on the results of their driving habits, but I don’t think that will last very long.
Obviously, one person's experience is meaningless in the overall picture, but in our case this has proved to not be true.
Our '04 RX330 (which we purchased new) has this feature in the trip computer, although we leave it set to show the overall MPG across the whole tank, not the instantaneous gas mileage. Even so, whenever my wife and I switch drivers during a trip, we usually chide each other not to mess up the gas mileage that the other person achieved.
Perhaps partly as a result of this, we actually got slightly above the EPA highway estimate for a couple of tankfuls on our recent Atlanta-Syracuse road trip.
Posted by: Matthew | 21 August 2007 at 08:53 AM
Many cars have a instant/average mpg readout on an information display somewhere...the difference here appears to be that it would be a guage that is "always on" and not one of many selections from an information display.
I like the idea of taking the info and making it always present.
Posted by: Patrick | 21 August 2007 at 09:04 AM
dwf,
How obtuse, perhaps we should get rid of the speedometer because people look at it too much, and definitely get rid of the radio because its sole purpose is to distract drivers, and we should definitely get rid of cell phones regardless of whether they are hands free or not. I think it would be a great idea to only allow individuals in cars, so they cannot be distracted by passengers, especially children, they can be really annoying. We should also get a health check before driving because of the distractions caused by colds and flu etc.
So here is my thinking, you cannot manage your fuel consumption without data, so this addition is key, and a great move by Nissan, I remember some Toyota research that said this alone would improve fuel consumption by at least 4%, I also believe that everybody is short of cash sometimes (at the end of the month etc) so even if it was only used to stretch the fuel under these circumstances it is overall a worthwhile contribution to overall energy policy
Posted by: Kevin | 21 August 2007 at 09:06 AM
What is the chance of shaking off the ICE paradigm and reporting miles per mega joule?
Posted by: jcwinnie | 21 August 2007 at 09:07 AM
I once owned a 1984 Audi with this feature.
Posted by: Bob Bastard | 21 August 2007 at 09:23 AM
Gigits like this help Nissan improve its image as a company concerned with mileage and buys time while they develop higher mileage cars. As you might know they licence their present hybrid technology system from Toyota and that can be a PR slap in the face. From my readings, it appears that most of the auto companies will be standing pat for the 2008 model year and the next moves will be to diesel ICEs and HEVs. Only Toyota has announced a PHEV and it's very enmic with a very small NiMH battery pack.
It is also interesting to see that our American makers are stuck having to produce big SUVs and freight car sized trucks because they can't build efficient vehicles. Instead they persist in financing non-value-added projects using Lawyers, lobbyists and PR firms instead of funding R&D. I'm keeping the old Volvo and waiting for them to wise up and start building efficient electric powered autos. If enough of us keep our old cars, they might get the message.
Posted by: Lad | 21 August 2007 at 09:42 AM
Bob,
I love it. 1984! I also had a 2001 Oldsmobile (yes, GM) that had this feature. Now, 6 years later, or 23 for your example, it is a great move for Nissan? What a joke, it just shows they are trying to play catch up and preserve their public image. Funny how that image thing works, isn't it, too bad GM's marketing team didn't through the "eco-driving habits" label on it, or they could have had this exact article 6 years ago.
The one dimensional comments on here never cease to provide my daily entertainment. thanks
Posted by: Kevin | 21 August 2007 at 09:49 AM
Oh yeah, and I was getting 31 mpg with that Oldsmobile, with a 3.5L V6. You don't see many imports putting up those numbers on a 3500+ lb car even today.
So yes, detroit can and does make efficient vehicles, they just prefer to sell trucks.
Posted by: Kevin | 21 August 2007 at 09:52 AM
Oh yeah, and I was getting 31 mpg with that Oldsmobile, with a 3.5L V6. You don't see many imports putting up those numbers on a 3500+ lb car even today.
What was the model?
Posted by: jack | 21 August 2007 at 10:59 AM
Kevin,
I wasn't saying that it should be banned because it was distracting. I was saying that some politician (or liberal protectionist group) would want it banned because it was distracting (but really because it is just one more way to control people). But that wasn't the MAIN POINT of my post anyway. The MAIN POINT was that after the novelty wears off, most people WILL IGNORE IT and just concentrate on getting where they are going. They know that different driving styles result in better/worse mileage, but in the end they DO NOT REALLY CARE because it all averages out in the end. The techniques required to get the good mileage are rarely compatible with what they are trying to do with their driving at the time. They NEED to carry a heavy load, or "NEED" to get in front of some other vehicle, or NEED to keep traffic moving at a reasonable and acceptable rate. All those things will drive down their MPG, but good MPG is not the goal at that particular moment, so they ignore the readout and say 'Oh, well... Que Sera Sera...'
P.S. to Lad: I've heard of gadgets, but what are gigits? ;-)
Posted by: dwf | 21 August 2007 at 11:31 AM
Kevin, my Dad used to regularly get 30 mpg out of his 3.8L V6 powered full sized 1987 Delta 88. I'm not sure what the EPA numbers were. Contrast this with, for example, the new Accords which are smaller weight wise, with smaller displacement engines, yet are rated at only low 20's mpg. I think the issue comes down mainly to horsepower and gearing. That old 3.8 with cam in block was only rated at less than 150 HP, but the new, smaller and higher tech V6's are pumping out 250+. Also, the gearing was pretty high on most of those older cars, because the torque curve of the engine still provided a responsive feel. The gearing of newer V6 sedans is probably also lower than necessary to make 0-60 times look sexy for magazine reviews. That combined with a cam profile necessary to produce 250 ponies out of an engine that size means sacrificing low end torque, which will need to be compensated for, again, by reduced gearing. When did we decide that our 4-door sedans, minivans, SUVs and pickups need to have sports car performance.
Posted by: Bob Bastard | 21 August 2007 at 11:42 AM
Kevin, my Dad used to regularly get 30 mpg out of his 3.8L V6 powered full sized 1987 Delta 88.
That's incredible! 30 mpg from a car that gets 19 mpg!
Your Dad sure is some driver!
Posted by: jack | 21 August 2007 at 12:13 PM
A relative has a 90's Oldsmobile with V6 engine. It has a MPG meter(average and instant reading) in it. He routinely averages 25 to 28 MPG.
I would not doubt that if your took some care in driving you could get the car up over 30mpg average.
Posted by: Rich | 21 August 2007 at 12:48 PM
A relative has a 90's Oldsmobile with V6 engine. It has a MPG meter(average and instant reading) in it. He routinely averages 25 to 28 MPG. I would not doubt that if your took some care in driving you could get the car up over 30mpg average.
These people should start driving academies. Think of all the money they can make!
"We'll teach you how to get 30 mpg out of a 19 mpg vehicle with little or no effort. Just $69.95 for two easy lessons. Call today!"
Posted by: jack | 21 August 2007 at 01:05 PM
dwf
I am not sure about the effect wearing off, if people concentrate early on, that sets their expectation, I agree that when they NEED to do something, they will do it, but at least they understand the price. I think in the long run they will try and get to their expected figure, and fail sometimes, this is still probably a better situation than if they have no information.
Posted by: Kevin | 21 August 2007 at 01:34 PM