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10 Hypermiling Tips Article
10 Hypermiling Tips
from: Beverly Saltonstall, Environmental WriterIn recent months, gasoline prices have skyrocketed, and more and more people are looking to hypermiling as a way to save gas. Since 2006, this gas saving method is slowly gaining popularity. This technique is called hypermiling in the United States, and Ecodriving in Europe.
Followers of the hypermiling trend are called hypermilers. Hypermilers are experts at making every drop of gasoline work to its full potential. Hypermilers have been known to get up to 100 miles per gallon (mpg) in their automobiles.
For those who are not die hard followers of hypermiling, common sense driving techniques go a long way to improve gas mileage. Listed here are ten techniques that can help you get the best mileage out of your vehicle.
1. Accelerate gradually. Drive as though you have an egg between your foot and the gas pedal. (A raw egg not a hard cooked egg).
2. Drive slowly, and keep within the speed limit. Driving at slower speeds can significantly increase your miles per hour. Using hypermiling techniques will sometimes cause drivers behind you to get aggravated, but grin at them and know that you are saving gas. Use your judgement as to whether you are creating a traffic hazard by driving slowly.
3. Avoid unnecessary braking.
4. Hypermiling involves the anticipation of stops and taking you foot off the gas pedal well before a red light. Coast to a stop.
5. Maintain your vehicle by changing the oil and air filters regularly and use the lightest weigh motor oil recommended.
6. Inflate your tires to the recommended pressure. Flat tires create drag and slow your vehicle down.
7. Put your automobile on a diet. Get rid of all the junk and unnecessary items that are in your trunk and lying all over the car. Extra weight in your car uses more fuel.
8. Plan your route. Hypermiling involves avoiding roads with high traffic, traffic signals, and stop signs. Longer routes may actually be better if they avoid lights and stop signs. Avoiding construction zones will minimize stop and go driving. Many local television stations give traffic information as part of their news cast. These traffic updates will help you avoid construction areas and accident sites.
9. Coast down hills. Slowly accelerate when you approach a hill, and maintain your speed climbing the hill. After reaching the crest of the hill, shift your car into neutral (if it is safe to do so) and coast down the other side of the hill. This skill takes practice and can a be bit scary when you first try this technique.
10. It goes without saying, the more extra options you have in your car, the more power it takes to move the car. Hypermiling advocates recommend that you avoid the use of your air conditioner, but do not drive with the windows open more than a crack. Open windows cause more of a drag on the car than using the air conditioner.
Other than the technique of coasting down hills, all these hypermiling tips have been suggested for years. Make a conscious effort to use these tips and your fuel economy will improve.
One thing to consider is that driving slowly may aggravate other drivers. You need to use common sense when using some of these techniques. If you see a line of traffic building behind you, pull over when safe and allow those drivers to pass.
These hypermiling tips can be used with any type of vehicle. SUV's and large cars can benefit from using these techniques, but they work best with the new hybrid cars and smaller cars. Practicing these techniques can result in a noticeable savings in fuel costs.
Beverly Saltonstall is an environmental writer. This article may be freely reporduced with the resource box intact.