The Gas Guzzler Meter is an attempt at putting an immediate dollar value on your current driving techniques: a digital meter that displays exactly what you’re spending as you motor along. Stomp on the pedal and see the bucks zoom out your tailpipe faster than a NASCAR driver competing for the Nextel Cup. Before we begin this project, however, please heed these words of caution: the Gas Guzzler Meter is not a precisely calibrated scientific measuring instrument. Rather it is a playful, tongue-in-cheek study on managing your own personal fuel economy. While many of the calculations are based on EPA studies, some of the variables are “best guess” approximations. Feel free to modify our code for achieving more accurate results. The Arduino Sketch code has been thoroughly documented for helping you insert your own variables/calculations. These sources were used for developing our gas consumption and fuel economy calculations:
Results of the Computer Simulation of the Fuel Consumption of Automobiles in Acceleration ProcessOperational Efficiency on BRT SystemsQUANTIFYING THE IMPACT OF TRAFFIC-RELATED AND DRIVER-RELATED FACTORS ON VEHICLE FUEL CONSUMPTION AND EMISSIONSComparative field evaluation of vehicle cruise speed and acceleration impacts on fuel-consumptionFuel Economy in AutomobilesFuel Economy
TIME: 8 HOURS COST: $58.59 DIFFICULTY: MODERATE PARTS
Rock bottom Freeduino kit plus (Wulfden at Hawk’s Mountain #RBFK+; $12)Parallax Memsic 2125 accelerometer (Mouser #619-28017; $29.00)Kingbright LED green display (Mouser #604-BC5612GWA; $2.73)PacTec plastic box (Mouser #616-69313-510-000; $2.19)Hammond nylon belt clip (Mouser #546-1599-CLIP; $1.00)Resistor 220-ohm (Mouser #660-CFS1/4CT52R221J; $0.03)SPDT switch (SparkFun Electronics #COM-00102; $1.50)8-pin IC socket (Mouser #571-1-390261-2; $0.15)(1) Hookup wire (RadioShack #278-1224; $5.99)(1) 9-Volt battery snap (All Electronics #BST-3; $1.00)9V battery (local purchase; $3.00)Custom Arduino Sketch code (free)
STEPS Now take your Gas Guzzler Meter for a test drive. Just clip it under one of your front windshield visors and turn it on. Ensure that the accelerometer is perfectly level and its arrow is pointing towards the front of your automobile. The display shows a calculated value for the amount of money being consumed by your engine. This value is displayed in U.S. dollars format (e.g., X.xx). Impress your friends, drive responsibly, and keep those dollars in your pocket.
