How would you like to save money at the pump? How would you like to drive further than you have ever driven before? Wouldn’t it be great if you could help the environment and save some money? Find out how you can but some Green back in your wallet.
Go Green With Hypermiling
1. Drive your car at the speed limit or slower.
Scientists have shown that gas mileage increases significantly when you drive at slower speeds. So when hypermiling, do not put a heavy foot on the accelerator..
2. Plan your route ahead of time.
Try choose the smoothest route with has the fewest traffic signals and stop signs. It is also a good idea to avoid construction zones and known traffic tie-ups. You can listen to the radio and keep update with the traffic situation in your city. Sometimes the longer route may be the best if the road is smooth and with fewer stops.
3. Coast your car on hills.
This is a little scary and takes a little practice. Accelerate when you are approaching a hill and maintain that speed as you climb the hill. When you reach the top put your car into neutral coast down the hill on the other side.
4. Cruise Control
When hypermiling, use the cruise control, anywhere you are driving. It is also a way to drive in consistent speed and avoid getting a speed ticket. If you have enough distance, you can take off the cruise control and let the car decelerate toward the stoplight. Practice this maneuver around a quiet neighborhood until you master it.
If your car has cruise control then use it, as this is another way to improve your fuel economy. A 2005 study carried out by the Automotive Website Edmunds.com showed that using cruise control at highway speeds could give you on average a fuel economy saving of 7%.
5. Minimize the use of extra options on your car.
The more options your car has on the more power it takes to move it. You can avoid things like air conditioning and power windows. If you have to open a window only open a little bit because open windows create a wind drag. If you drive a manual transmission try to shift to the highest gear as soon as you can.
6. Always be patient.
You don’t necessarily have to be the first to arrive and you don’t have to catch up with the car driving in front of you. Also When hypermiling, do not try to race to the stoplight, and instead just let the car glide to a stop. It takes less power to stop from lower speeds than to suddenly hit the brake
One thing to keep in mind is some of these hypermiler techniques cause you to drive slower and this may irritate other drivers, so always be careful when you hypermile. If you run into an impatient driver simply pull over when it is safe to do so and let them pass.
Hypermiling works best with hybrids and smaller cars but can work with sports utility vehicles and larger cars too. The use of one or more of the techniques above could save you a lot of gas and money, just practice and be safe
7. Tire pressure
Remember to make sure that your tires are inflated to the correct air pressure, according to the instructions of the manufacturer. This is a popular and often overlooked hypermiling technique. That might sound like a minor detail to some people, but under-inflated tires make your engine work harder and consume more fuel. Try riding a bicycle with badly inflated tires sometime, and you will understand what I am talking about. A car handles better with correct tire pressure, which also gives you a lot more control when you are driving (and is thus safer).
8. Excess Weight
For instance a heavy car that is loaded down with excess weight is going to use more gas than one that is running lighter. With the minimum amount of weight being carried around in the form of useless baggage the gas mileage improvements can be considerable. Even by removing things that you will not need on a daily basis such as a heavy bag of golf clubs from your trunk could save you a few cents a gallon.
The fact is, hypermiling is a safe and sensible way to improve gas mileage. Not only can one live a greener lifestyle but save some money while doing it.