Scary fuel price swings and cross country adventures to discuss for a lifetime. [xfloat=left]http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/310X49_CleanMPG_Logo.gif[/xfloat]Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Jan. 1, 2009 What started out as a year with plans of ramping up CleanMPG turned out to be a lot more fun than toil What was possibly CleanMPG’s biggest news of 2008? Fuel price swings! Dateline: January 2, 2008 -- Crude oil prices settled at a new nominal record price of $99 per barrel with regular unleaded costing $3.05 per gallon. Dateline: July 7, 2008 -- Crude oil prices settled at a new nominal record price of $147 per barrel while the U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline climbed to an all-time high of $4.11 per gallon. Dateline: Dec. 31, 2008 -- Crude oil slid below $37 a barrel while the U.S. average retail price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline fell to a 4-year low of $1.61. Although little was released at the Detroit, Chicago and LA Auto shows this past year, the events attended certainly made up for it. In early February, six CleanMPG members with support from the Honda Motor Company undertook a grand plan to reenact the centennial of the world’s first and greatest automobile race. That being the CleanMPG members reenact the Centennial of the 1908 NY to San Francisco Race beginning on 2/12 and lasting through 2/16. Xcel and Tarabell at Times Square with HCH-II.--------------------HCH-II leaving Times Square 7th Ave and 43rd Street. CleanMPG members and the Hybrid vehicles near Fisherman's Wharf – San Francisco, CA. Left to Right: Tarabell, Ken, Sean, Bill, Wayne, and Brian. In March, many CleanMPG members helped the Milwaukee Hybrid Group as described in the MiHG volunteers show off their strengths at the 2008 Milwaukee Auto Show. The show was covered by MiHG members 100% of the time with at least 2-volunteers over a 9-day period too! Debbie Anders of the MiHG planning committee.---------------------Hymotion/A123 WPPI Prius-II PHEV Conversion. In April, we had a different kind of get together as the 2008 Live Green Expo in Plano, Texas. We gave a presentation on Hypermiling plus allowed the public to see first hand what it is we do and how we do it Andrew, Wayne and Rani at the CleanMPG table.---------------------Chuck answering questions about Honda Insight’s electric drivetrain. In May, a very unique challenge was presented to us and one we were apprehensive about taking on… For about a second Chicago to NY in a Prius on one tank of fuel? In June, CleanMPG members from all over the country got together for the following in Elkhart, IN: CleanMPG World Fuel Economy Championships - Records smashed. Smashed indeed… I think this pretty much described the weekend In July, our own Dan Bryant had the opportunity to work with Toyota on the Hybrid Texas Tour 2008 and Hybrid-Tech Texan mobile For almost a week, Dan drove, and drove and drove some more while pulling Back into Houston on the same tank of fuel he started off with Welcome to August… We all met Jennie Chen from Austin Texas as she took on a local correspondent in an impromptu hypermiling challenge as described in the following: Texas: We have a driver on the road in a FE_Challenge as I type… Over 100 degrees and Jennie’s CRV allowed 42.5 mpg over 325 miles. Only 26 mpg for Amy, the Channel 2 correspondent September and October were a bit quiet as we prepared for the LA Autoshow and the 48-Contiguous State FE WR drive. With the help of the entire membership, a route was optimized in the Calling every member from every state for help on World Record route planning. From the three choices, our final was the Red and Light Blue highlighted route November: While at the LA Autoshow as discussed in the following: Live from the 2008 LA Auto Show…, Justin, Randy, Rani and I had the chance to drive some very interesting vehicles. The Mini Cooper E and Mitsubishi MiEV BEV’s as well as the Honda Clarity FCX FCV. To finish off November and start December, the 48-Contiguous State FE WR Drive began and finished as described in the Hypermilers complete new Guinness verified World Record at 68.54mpg (US)! Washington was our first recorded state crossing with California our last just 12 days later. And an activity that involves a special vehicle although not much can be released until early next year CleanMPG Insight-II preview on Dec. 8th – 12th 2009 Honda Insight production version and the engineers who designed her. Finally,CleanMPG’s 2008 “Green Car of the Year” nominations which brought us the 09 HCH-II, 09 Prius-II and 09 VW Jetta TDI. These three are currently involved in a head to head to determine the winner in the final voting that is currently in progress. The winner should be decided on by late tomorrow afternoon. 09 HCH-II – 09 Prius-II – 09 Jetta TDI Review vehicles included an 09 Toyota Corolla XRS, 09 Saturn Aura XR, 08 Honda Civic Hybrid-II, Yamaha XT-250 and a Honda CRF230L. A look back at some of CleanMPG’s interesting stats. This is where we came from (CleanMPG’s 2007 Year in review), and here is where we are today. CleanMPG now has 9,230 members vs. just 2,287 a year ago, 16,897 threads vs. 7,417 threads through Year one and two and 172,743 posts vs. 60,426 posts from a year ago last night. My own upload pics, files and posts log: 15,490 total posts vs. 6,033 a year ago, 4,441 PM’s (sent and received) vs. 1,743 PM’s (sent and received) a year ago, 1,304 photos vs. 1,116 photos a year ago including 75.433 MB’s vs. 63,969 MB’s uploaded from a year ago yesterday. And finally, my own CleanMPG 2008 Word stats revealed the following: Column1Column2Column3Word documentCleanMPG News 2008CleanMPG Posts 2008Pages w/ 10 pt. font7141,623Paragraphs12,82040,918 Lines42,04290,374Words331,693604,448Characters (no spaces)1,997,4123,295,617Character (with spaces)2,321,7213,870,973 What can we expect for 2009? Group Meets, 2009 Detroit, Chicago and LA Auto shows, a 2009 Prius-III and Insight-II review/pre-view, hopefully a 2009 VW Jetta TDI review, new events that we currently have no idea what they may be same and who knows what else we will have in store as the year passes. My wish would be that you all have a Great and Happy New Year!
Amazing accomplishments and achievements unparalleled! Wayne....Good job. You have done well. As for all the cleanmpg members, let us keep this fire burning, eventually we will have reached our goal.
Re: CleanMPG?s 2008 Year in review Congrats on another great year. Since hypermiling added to the current lower oil prices. I'm thrilled. Next time you standing in Times Square. I'd like to meet you. Hell, I'll buy lunch. I work right there. I only wish there was better coverage on the around US trek. I found it very hard to follow your progress. Keep up the Great work and Thanks, Tom ________ thai girl Cam
Is there any way to determine how many members joined us in 2008? I'm guessing it would be quite a lot.
