Volkswagen Golf TDI set Guinness World Record for lowest fuel consumption

Yet another Guinness World Record for fuel economy was recently announced, this time coming from the U.S. and the folks over at VW. The latest is that a 2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI managed to set a new benchmark in the category of “lowest fuel consumption – 48 U.S. contiguous states for a non-hybrid car” by eking out 2.89 L/100 km or 81.17 mpg, besting the previous record of 3.01 L/100 km or 77.99 mpg. The super efficient run even managed to beat out the standing hybrid vehicle record of 3.16 L/100 km (74.34 mpg).

The Golf managed to visit each of the 48 contiguous states in an 13250 km (8233.5) mile mega journey that lasted 16 days and burned just 383.95 liter (101.43 gallons) of diesel fuel. Only $294.98 was spent on fill ups.

The record-setting vehicle set off from the Volkswagen of America headquarters in Herndon, Virginia, on Monday, June 22nd, returning a little over two weeks later on Tuesday July 7th.

At the wheel was Wayne Gerdes, an automotive journalist and the founder of cleanmpg.com. Gerdes has extensive experience in the realm of hypermiling, having set mileage records in more than 100 different vehicles, including the previous record of 3.01 L/100 km (77.99 mpg) set in 2013 driving a 2013 VW Passat TDI. Bob Winger, an electronics engineer involved in energy and conservation projects, joined him as co-driver.

The car was outfitted with Goodyear low rolling-resistance Fuel Max tires, a Linear Logic ScanGauge II device to measure fuel economy, G4 smartphones from LG and a GPS nav system from Garmin to meet the Guinness tracking requirements.