How to Get Better Gas Mileage

With gas prices quickly approaching $4.50 a gallon, and a hybrid out of the reach of many drivers, there are a few techniques you can use to increase your gas mileage by up to 30%. These techniques are called "hypermiling", and some people have managed to get on average 50 mpg from a NON hybrid Honda Accord.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Common sense
• A Change in the way you drive
• A little patience

1. 

   Before making any changes, as described before, you should calculate your baseline MPG. Please see my other article on calculating MPG. You should also recheck your MPG at regular intervals using the same technique, to see if your driving changes are paying off.

2. 

   Maintain your car. Ensure your tires are at their correct pressure. Check your air filter and make sure it is clean. Use a lower viscosity oil.

3. 

   Change your driving style.
   
   Changing your driving style can not only increase your gas mileage, but also make you a safer driver. The following things can be done to increase your mileage:
   
   Accelerate slowly after stops. Do not step on the gas to accelerate from a stop. If you have an automatic car, allow the automatic trasmission to start your car moving my just taking your foot off the break. Then when you accellerate, use the gas pedal lighly.
   
   Look ahead at the traffic, and traffic lights. If you see the traffic lighs change, do not continue accelerating, take your foot of the gas and allow the car to roll up to the stopping point. Rememver whatever energy you put into the car (using gas) you have to remove by using the break.
   
   Drive slower. Taking an extra 5 minutes to get to your destination may save you a couple of MPG, which overall adds up to a few dollers per day.

4. 

   Do your best to avoid stopping and going in traffic jams. Allow a little more room between you and the car in front so that if that car stops, you can continue to slowly move towards it until that car moves again. Thus alleviating the need for you to come to a complete stop. Remember, getting your car moving from stop requires more energy (i.e. gas) than to keep your car moving at a crawl.

5. 

   Use cruise control. Not just to maintain speed, but also to manage acceleration and speed changes. To do this, once you reach about 25-30 mph, activate the cruise control, and then adjust your speed using the 'Accel' and 'Decel' buttons.

6. 

   Once again, record your gas mileage, and adjust your techniques to find the optimum driving style.

Tips & Warnings

• Look ahead - predict road traffic and conditions, and adjust your driving to take advantage of not having to break.
• When comparing MPG over time, drive the same route in the same way. Fill up at the same gas station, and use the same gas pump if possible.
• Install a MPG monitoring system.
• Coasting in neutral is illegal in some states, so please check your local driving laws.
• Never turn your engine off before coming to a complete stop. This is very dangerous, as the gas engine in a normal car provides power to the breaking system as well as the power steering system.
• Low viscosity oil can break down under high temperature environments and cause severe damage to engine components. In temperate climates and low engine load conditions this may not be as much of as concern
• Starter motors on non hybrid and "start-stop" technology vehicles may not be designed to handle starting the engine 20-50 times a day. Be sparing when you use this technique.

[ar1jh]

on 7/21/2009 Great Article! I added the use of the driving coach on my Bully Dog Watchdog and increased my mileage even more. It alerts me through a grade, visual and audible alerts to optimize my acceleration and deceleration even more!! I love it! Thanks again for the tips!

[mcguire5]

on 2/28/2009 You did a great job! Thanks!

[rleeevans]

on 7/21/2008 Saving gas is becoming a necessity! Good tips. Also, remember that standard drive cars (when driven efficiently) also use less gas than automatics.

[ravenbroom]

on 7/9/2008 Quite interesting. I shared this with a couple of friends and family. Thank you.