Chevrolet Cruze Eco 43 MPG

Many people in the car industry want to know how the Chevrolet Cruze Eco gets 43 MPG on the hwy.  People are stumped by this because the Eco is not a clean diesel nor a hybrid, so is the number inflated by Chevrolet or does the Chevrolet Cruze get 43-MPG.  Well we are proud to say that the number is NOT inflated and the Cruze Eco really does get 43 MPG.  So what is the secret for the Cruze to get such amazing fuel saving numbers.

Chevrolet wanted to address three key areas to maximize fuel efficiency. The specific areas of focus to help get the Cruze Eco to 43-MPG was to work on the aero-dymanics, make the Cruze lighter and fine tune the engine.

The first place they started was aero-dynamics.  Chevrolet and its engineers put an under body covering or tray to reduce wind turbulence and control airflow under the tires.  The next step was to close off the front grille but still maintaining the correct engine temperature.  One of the biggest tricks that Chevy came up with was when the Cruze Eco reaches about 38 MPH and calculating temperature gauges throughout the car a set of slates drop down in the front bumper area to help the Cruze to drop its coefficient of drag by over 10% compared to the sedan.  Now think of this set of slates dropping like the Bugatti Veryon’s spoiler that magically appears when it reaches certain speeds.

The egineers wanted to put the Cruze Eco on a diet and drop as much weight as possible, but they were only to drop the weight by 214 lbs.  Over 42 changes were made to shed the 214 Lbs.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco comes with a 1.4L turbo-charged four-cylinder engine with a 6-speed manual transmission.  To save a little extra fuel the air conditioning compressor now has a clutch to reduce drag on the engine.  Also, there is an intelligent charging system set up that only engages the alternator when needed.

Now there isn’t much difference cosmetically from the Chevrolet Cruze and the Cruze Eco.  There is not graphics down the side like the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrids.  If you were to put the Eco next to one of our many Cruzes on the lot you would only notice the difference with the green Eco logo on the back and the slightly modified grille in the front.

At Art Gamblin Motors we are excited about the new Chevrolet Cruze Eco and its staggering 43-MPG hwy.  We suggest if you are in the market for a gas saving vehicle to put the Cruze Eco on your list, we know you won’t be disappointed.