Driving Techniques to Save Gas (Hypermiling)

Introduction

For years now I've been using certain techniques to improve my vehicles' fuel efficiency. These are easy to do and take little effort on the driver's part, and yet can provide 5-20 miles per gallon improvement in fuel efficiency. In the media, this has been termed "hypermiling".

Driving Techniques

Let's cut to the chase.

Speed

The first rule to getting good fuel efficiency is to drive between 45 and 55 mph. Yeah, it seems boring at first, but here is a key insight that may surprise you: The wind resistance against your car increases dramatically with speed.

Wind resistance is 40% greater at 65 mph than it is at 55 mph.
Wind resistance is 62% greater at 70 mph than at 55 mph.

The force of wind against you reduces fuel efficiency.

Hills

If you live in a hilly area, you can use up a lot more gasoline than people who live in flat areas because you're moving several thousands pounds up and down hills.

Therefore you should use any momentum that you build up to your advantage. You should coast down hills and use the speed that you build up to ride up the next one. Imagine you're on a bicycle: you really want to avoid work.

However when coasting uphill, don't slow too much. If you go below 40 mph (or rather if you use any of the lower gears) your engine will operate less efficiently. You want to switch from coasting into a high gear, typically 4th on a manual-stick vehicle.

Approaching a stop sign or red light

If you see that you will have to stop, get out of gear and coast to the stop.

Some people whose vehicles do not have power brakes, when they are approach a red light, will turn off the engine. Obviously if you do this in a car that has power brakes an emergency situation could result if you can't stop in time, so don't do it.

Making turns

Most people when they are going to make a turn do this:

Brake
Turn
Accelerate

While this is often very necessary for maintaining personal and public safety, on occasion it is not. When possible, avoid it. But by all means drive safely.

Rush Hour

It's best to avoid rush hour entirely if possible. Major arteries are blocked at these times and people waste fuel driving slowly or stopping.

The trick to driving during rush hour is: learn the back roads. You may be surprised that some are virtual straight shots and yet are barely used during rush hour. Most people perhaps assume back roads take longer. Or perhaps they are too lazy or too tired to learn the back roads. Regardless, what they don't know is to your advantage.

If you can, find a cafe or restaurant to take a break during rush hour. It's a relief to sit and watch everyone else trapped or gnarled in traffic especially if you are eating healthy food.

Traffic lights

If you will be at a light for more than 10 seconds, turn off your engine. Cars nowadays are efficient enough that turning on the engine does not use much fuel, whereas idling at a light does.

Vehicle Maintenance

Keeping your vehicle in good running order is important for saving money by avoiding avoidable maintenance issues.

It is also important for achieving fuel efficiency. For instance, check your tire pressure regularly. Note:

Check the pressure when the tires have not been driven on for a few hours.
Adjust for differences in outdoor temperature from 'normal' by using the following rule of thumb: 10 degrees difference Fahrenheit means 1 psi of tire pressure.

Recent performance

By keeping track of my fuel use I've learned that I have gotten in recent time as high as 32 mpg out of Toyota truck using ethanol-based fuel. The normal mpg rating is 25 highway, however that assumes fuel that is not 10% ethanol. Ethanol reduces fuel efficiency. In addition, I have a shell or "cap" on the back of my truck that increases drag. Therefore I am pretty happy with 25 mpg.

Contact

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Driving Techniques to Save Gas (Hypermiling)

Introduction