Fuel efficiency. Interesting numbers...

[MinisterofDOOM]

I got bored tonight and read this article: Don't Be Fueled: Gas vs. Diesel vs. Hybrid Power

The statement concerning the Mercedes E320 got me thinking. I sent this letter to the author of the article. I did the math as I went, not sure if I'd end up proving her point or mine. I was very surprised with the results.

The letter:-----------------------------------------------------------You wrote "The six-cylinder-powered Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI sips diesel fuel so judiciously this luxury sedan can travel more 625 miles on a single tank." That sounds...terrible. I read that and thought, "My Maxima will get 450-500 miles per gallon, and it's a 12 year old SOHC gasoline engine." So I did the math. My car averages about 23 mpg. I have gotten as high as 27 on long highway trips, but I used 23 for this example. My car's fuel tank capacity is 18.5 gallons. 18.5 gallons, multiplied by 23 miles per gallon, equals out to 425.5 miles per tank. Just as I thought. So I did a little searching, and found the MB E320 CDI's fuel tank capacity: 21.1 gallons. I ran that math. 625 miles, divided by 21.1 gallons equals 29.6 miles per gallon. Hmm. Maybe that wasn't such a great example after all. Think about it...only six mpg better than my old, SOHC, non-VVT gasoline engine. One last set of numbers: pricing. To fill the E320, it would cost 43.04 (this is based of the current Utah average price as determined by AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report [http://198.6.95.31/sbsavg.asp]). To fill my Maxima (with mid grade [97 octane]), it would cost 35.89. So 43.04 for 625 miles equals 14.52 dollars per mile. 35.89 for 425 miles equals 11.85 dollars per mile. In the end, my car saves 2.67 dollars per mile compared to the diesel powered Mercedes. And that's what really matters. Dollars per mile. How much do you pay to go how far.-------------------------------------------------------

I thougt my fellow Niconauts might find those numbers interesting.

Modified by MinisterofDOOM at 3:45 AM 1/7/2005

Oh, damn. I just realized. It should be miles per dollar, not dollars per mile. The MB is better by 2.67 miles per dollar. Hmmmm...As I said I did the math as I went.
Modified by MinisterofDOOM at 4:05 AM 1/7/2005

[Jesda]

How does the weight of the E-320 compare to your 93 Maxima?

[MinisterofDOOM]

The E320 weighs 3,835 lbMy car weighs 3,129 lb

[DAEDALUS]

6.8 cents vs. 8.4 cents, in favor of the Benz.

[cdlong]

i was going to say, those numbers aren't right. and i don't know what that guy is thinking, but a 6 mpg improvement is a ****load, about a 26% increase in a heavier car that is probably faster and probably puts out fewer emmissions