[extropy-chat] Hybrid cars not fuel economic in real world driving

[Gregory Propf]

>The effect on a motorcycle is even more than twice
>the fuel economy because bikes use a larger percentage
>of their gas pushing air out of the way.  Recall that
>the energy use increases as the square of the velocity.
>  
>
I think you might get much the same effect by going really slow and 
keeping the engine in the highest gear you can without causing it to 
stall.  So the engine is just barely turning over and you aren't 
fighting the air as much.  This is basically why the simplest recipe for 
a high mileage car is just a well streamlined car with a really low 
power motor.