I met up with ‘Walter from Wadena’ Saturday afternoon after arriving from Birch Hills in a strong headwind, and an otherwise unremarkable fuel economy result. After chatting with Walter for a couple hours, and showing him this blog, I filled up at the Co-op, and headed due north. The Scangauge had me pegged as low as 3.4 L/100 km when I arrived in Tisdale.

Prerssing onwards west to Melfort, the wind was less favourable, and I ended up with a 3.6 L/100 km, which is 78 mpg (imperial)

Realistically, if I had been running the OEM width tires as opposed to the wider Vredesteins, I would have done 0.3 L/100 km better. Which means the 2008 gasoline smart would be capable of 3.1 L/100 km in ideal conditions, driven at 80 kmh. That’s 91 mpg Imperial or 76 mpg US. And that’s without any other modifications…

So there you have it… the gas smart is quite capable if driven nicely. I’ve actually got the 2008 up for sale now, and hope to find a good home for the car.

I’m looking to return to SK in September with the ‘canada1′ diesel, and make an attempt at 2.1 L/100 km over a 1200 km stretch. That would be 135 mpg (imperial) or 112 mpg US.

Just a quick update before I depart from Birch Hills, SK.

My mileage between Prince George and Lloydminster was a fairly respectable number. 973 kms on 39.16 litres for 4.02 L/100 km. That’s 58.5 mpg US, or 70 mpg imperial. And that is running on 175/55/15 on the front and 195/50/15 on the rear, which are each 20 mm wider than stock, and likely costing me 0.2 L/100 km, or 2 mpg US.

Today, I’m heading for Wadena, SK, and hope I do a bit better.

As I write this, I am in Edson Alberta, preparing to head out Friday for familiar hypermiling territory in Saskatchewan.

I’ve brought my 2008 gasoline smart, also known as the 451 model. It’s rated for 4.9 L/100 km on the highway, but already this trip, I have achieved 3.9 L/100 km between Prince George, BC and McBride. I’ve not made any serious attempt to beat 4.0 with this car until now. I am looking to see what it is capable of, and am hoping to beat 75 mpg (imperial).

The car is stock, except I actually am running LARGER wheels and tires, 175 mm on the front and 105 mm on the rear, versus the 155/175 set-up as delivered. This should be costing me about 0.2 L/100km. Also note - I have a full compliment of camping gear in the car.

Friday, I’ll be passing through Edmonton and will be making a stop in Mont Nebo, SK, before finishing the day in Birch Hills, SK. Saturday will be the real test, as I head off for Wadena and possibly Yorkton, in search of the best mileage I think I will get. I took my first diesel smart here in 2005 and 2006, and achieved my best mileage record to date, surpassing 100 mpg US on the 2006 run.

Interestingly, I did not have the benefit of real-time feedback that the Scangauge II provides in either od those years. Although the gas smart won’t touch the numbers the diesel can reach, I’m fairly confident I can get a pretty respectable number. I’ve got a handful of Scangauges with me on this trip if anyone is interested in purchasing one. You can reach me at ’six oh four, six three six, twenty-one eighty’. I’ll be heading back to BC westbound, possibly through Calgary on Sunday.

More updates and photos will be posted as they are available.