Kia Optima Hybrid new record for fuel economy

Drivers Wayne Gerdes and Chris Bernius successfully piloted a factory-standard 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid sedan through a 12,712 km route acros...

Drivers Wayne Gerdes and Chris Bernius successfully piloted a factory-standard 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid sedan through a 12,712 km route across America and achieved an average fuel consumption of 3.64 L/100 km, beating the car's official EPA highway fuel consumption figure by 61.37 per cent.

At the end of their journey the American team had set a new record for fuel economy with 64.55 mpg. The American team used hypermiling techniques, as did the Australian team. Hypermiling is a common tactic used by hybrid and electric vehicle drivers.
2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

The American team did use a hybrid vehicle to set the record, a 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid; while the Austrian team used a Chevy Cruze Eco in their record attempt. The Eco is not a hybrid or electric vehicle—the Eco runs off gasoline. As for the vehicles themselves, the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid is estimated to get a solid 40 mpg on the highway while the EPA puts an automatic Chevy Cruze Eco at 37 mpg highway and a manual Chevy Cruze Eco at 42 mpg highway.

Travelling through 48 US states over 14 days, the Kia Optima Hybrid logged a 12,712 kilometre journey and achieved a Guinness-confirmed fuel consumption average of just 3.64 l/100km - besting its EPA-approved figures by 61 percent.

"While travelling across the United States the Kia Optima Hybrid experienced temperatures ranging from more than 47 degrees celsius to less than freezing point. The record set is officially titled "Lowest fuel consumption driving through all 48 contiguous US states in a gasoline hybrid car," which is a new category created by Guinness World Records.


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