Patent ID: 7233855

Claim:
A fuel savings informational system for implementation on an alternative fuel vehicle the operation of which may be characterized by a first plurality of fixed parameters and a second plurality of variable parameters, the informational system for comparing the fuel consumption of the alternative fuel vehicle to that of a virtual comparison vehicle characterized by a third plurality of fixed parameters, the system comprising: a plurality of sensors for monitoring the second plurality of variable parameters; and a processor coupled to said plurality of sensors, said processor configured to (i) recall the first and third pluralities of fixed parameters; (ii) capture data corresponding to the second plurality of variable parameters; (iii) determine the fuel consumption of the alternative fuel vehicle from the second plurality of variable parameters; (iv) estimate the fuel consumption of the comparison vehicle from the second plurality of variable parameters and from the first and third pluralities of fixed parameters; and (v) compare the fuel consumption of the alternative fuel vehicle to the estimated fuel consumption of the comparison vehicle.