Ernie Rogers tweaks a VW Bug to get 65-70 mpg
Think you need a plug-in hybrid to get over 65 mpg? Not if you're Ernie Rogers. He took a Volkswagen New Beetle, made a few tweaks (the obvious "wings" you can see on the back of the Bug) and now can get up to 65 mpg. According to Gas 2.0, sometimes that number gets as high at 76 mpg. These aren't constant results, but they are possible. On a long-distance (2,985 miles) trip from Salt Lake City to Anchorage in 2004, Ernie used just 52.7 gallons of diesel, which means he got 56.6 miles per gallon for the entire trip, and that's not an easy drive.
As stated on his website, Ernie's mission is straightforward: "To promote fuel conservation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by researching, developing and commercializing novel technologies that simply and cost-effectively improve the efficiency of cars and trucks." Some of those novelties are the additions to the rear end, which give the Beetle a better drag coefficient and improves fuel economy by 5 to 8 percent, as Ernie explains here. By adding "lower-rolling-resistance tires, low-friction engine oil, and use of a B5 biodiesel blend fuel," the Beetle's efficiency just keeps creeping up.
Aside from Ernie's Max MPG website, you can also check out Ernie's infrequently updated blog here.
[Source: Max MPG via Gas 2.0, h/t to Thunder]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
muffyann 5:50PM (3/08/2008)
Hi newbie here. Question, is it safe or recommended to add any type of additive to a vw beetle tdi at 35k with automatic to help to control or reduce carbon buildup in the engine or manifold?
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Chris M 4:09PM (3/08/2008)
I used to drive a VW Rabbit diesel, now I drive a Prius. Both get excellent milage, but the Prius is quieter, smoother, a nicer drive and a bit roomier inside. The Rabbit had cold weather starting problems and cranked out a lot more pollution.
Yes, I know that diesels have improved, and will soon have emissions reduced to acceptable levels, but I still prefer hybrid electric drive.
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Dad 7:24AM (12/15/2007)
Very nice article. But, anyone know his average mph? Average MPG is great, but without average mph, average mpg is sort of meaningless.
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Domenick 9:28AM (12/15/2007)
Well, he probably stays within the speed limit.
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john1701a 12:38PM (12/15/2007)
Yup, without the complete data, that quoted MPG most likely just means the vehicle was only driven under very particular circumstances.
But when I point out that my calculated average over the past 89,340 miles in my Prius is 48.4 MPG, you can rest assured that it is a real-world representation including a very wide mix of driving conditions. (Heck, you can even look up the spreadsheet on my website http://john1701a.com )
Data from just limited sampling should always raise concern. Enough detail should be provided so you can draw your own conclusion.
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Randy 9:51PM (12/17/2007)
I dont't doubt Ernies numbers. My 2002 Beetle has averaged 49.2 since I bought it new. It's ran mostly on b99 biodiesel. Go Ernie! A Beetle for those who are interested needs one battery, has an engine the is 25% more efficient that a gas engine, has no harmful EMF's, and fewer parts that a hybrid. The torgue from a 90hp TDI is also amazing.
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Phil L. 10:50PM (12/16/2007)
I suspect many of these high-mileage experiences rely on serious hypermiling techniques (pulse-and-glide, etc.). My annoyance: They're interesting ways to go for high numbers - but don't reflect anything that can be replicated on a wide scale. Pulse and glide doesn't work in rush-hour traffic or many of the other conditions in which most of us drive on a daily basis.
I'd be more interested in how well his vehicle modifications do in typical traffic conditions in my area (Washington D.C./Baltimore corridor).
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Mike 6:24AM (12/17/2007)
Yeah! I think we should keelhaul him for trying to get maximum mileage, just who does he think he is anyway?
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Phil L. 7:02AM (12/17/2007)
I'm hoping for high mileage that all of us can attain!
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Brian Hague 4:07PM (12/17/2007)
I have a 99.5 Golf that I regularly get 49 on the highway driving 80 MPH. I get about 43 in city with traffic (no clue how slow... 25MPH average stop and go???). My best in town was 48 and my best on highway was 52, no modifications for fuel economy (some performance mods, injectors, chip)... as a matter of fact, I have 260 ftlbs of torque on tap at the wheels.
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Steve 6:47PM (12/18/2007)
If you go read his web page, he notes on at least 3 tanks average MPH as 65,65,and 62 MPH... So there you have it. Average speed 62-65 MPH. 56.6 MPG on a pretty rough drive...
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Paneuro 11:04AM (12/19/2007)
If the Pious faithful would bother to look, they would see that Ernie's stated speeds are not in the serious-hypermiling range. He was covering about 650 to 900 miles per day.
Among TDI owners, many have acheived 60MPG on long trips with little more than careful, speed-limit-obeying driving style. The not-so-real-world technique guys are striving for fuel mileage in the 70s. (That's statute miles per US gallon, BTW.)
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Michael 1:34PM (12/19/2007)
I've owned my '02 Jetta TDI for 491 days. I've never driven it for "economy". In fact a have larger injectors and a tuning box for more power than stock. Mixed driving - 30% city, and 70% highway @ 80mph+. I've kept exact fillup/mileage records. With that said, I've traveled 37245 miles with an avg of 45.25 mpg. Real world fact.
“The truth may be puzzling. It may take some work to grapple with. It may be counterintuitive. It may contradict deeply held prejudices. It may not be consonant with what we desperately want to be true. But our preferences do not determine what's true.” —Carl Sagan
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Beechnut 11:10AM (12/21/2007)
I used to have a VW Jetta TDI wagon with the newer (100 hp, 2004) engine until my wife wrecked it. I consistently got 50 mpg highway with it; I used it for a long daily 65 mile (each way) commute and even with stop-and-go traffic on the last 5 miles or so, I would average around 48-49 mpg. Before that I had a 99.5 Jetta TDI sedan that had the 90 hp engine. My best run was 57 mpg, with the only method to achieve that being sticking to speed limits and driving smoothly. My wife has a much larger 05 Passat TDI and it can do 44 mpg highway, and it averages about 38 mpg (it is automatic). Sadly I now have a gasoline Passat with the 2.0T turbocharged engine and best I can do is 35 mpg highway, 32 average.
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Bruce P. 10:03PM (12/19/2007)
I have a totally stock 2003 VW Jetta TDI and can repeatably get a MEASURED 56MPG on highway trips. This is with 3 adults, 95F outside and AC blasting!
I have a log of every drop of fuel that has been pumped into my Jetta so these MPG numbers are real and repeatable.
It is not a "trick" to get high MPG with a diesel engine... it is almost hard to NOT get that kind of MPG with the cruz-control set at 65MPH.
If I dont get at least 700-800 miles on a tank of fuel...somthing is seriously wrong with my Jetta!
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YLeeJuan 9:19AM (12/20/2007)
There is absolutely no need to resort to hyper-miling techniques to achieve those numbers. I have a 2000 Beetle TDI that averages 45+ MPG in all kinds of traffic. On long trips IF I travel the speed limit, I average 50+MPG. I might add that I am the second owner of a poorly maintained Beetle with 189,000 on the odometer, and I still achieve these numbers. If it was a Jetta, I'd probably achieve 5+ more mpg.
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Will Alibrandi 11:02AM (12/20/2007)
My '98 Jetta TDI just turned 200k and never goes below 40mpg city (avg 42) and if I keep the speed to 65 on the highway I can get the EPA-rated 49 mpg easily. The newer TDIs do even better than mine.
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Don 6:41PM (12/27/2007)
I have a 98 Jetta TDI that currently has 215,642 miles on it i have kept a written record of every gallon of fuel that has gone into it and over the last 14 fill ups it has averaged 47.83mpg combined hwy/city driving and since we are in south Florida it rarely is driven without the air conditioner going. When the battery needs to be replaced it will probably cost around $60 and its current resale value is almost double that of a gas Jetta with 1/2 the mileage(not that i would consider selling it)I dont know how you can beat that for overall economy!
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ctbiodzl 9:43AM (1/02/2008)
I have a '98 VW TDI that gets 48 MPG over my weekly commute that is 3/4 highway at 60-70 MPH. And it runs on REAL alternative fuel, vegetable oil, unlike a hybrid.
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dave 10:41AM (1/16/2008)
It's too bad more manufacturers don't offer their diesels from europe in the US, the efficiency is unbeatable, meanwhile Hybrids are able to get efficiency from gas that couldn't be attained otherwise. Someday I'm sure we'll see diesel hybrids in the 80mpg range. But for now I'm trying to get my 92 Jetta Eco diesel to 500K, currently it has 330K and averages 43mpg, but the idea of a new beetle tdi getting 30% better mpg is very appealing, a newer car would be nice too.
Auto vs Manual - Does anyone have a bettle automatic? My wifes automatic 2000 jetta TDI averages 44mpg and I'm finding mixed reports about the economy of the manuals vs auto on vw's, I've never gotten much better then 45 or so on long trips with her car, so are the reports of people getting in the 50mpg range all using Manuals?
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