Hypermiling, Technique to Save Gas
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I was doing a little surfing and came across the term “Hypermiling”. It peaked my interest so I kept looking.
Hypermiling is a technique to get the most gas mileage from your vehicle. Some do it for sport, like a team that got 110 MPG from a regular Toyota Prius and another team that boasted 95 MPG.
Mastering hypermiling takes some dedication, but the basic principles are easy enough to learn.
1. Pump your tires to the maximum rating on the side walls, which may be higher than the reccomended tire pressure listed in the car manual. This reduces resistance when rolling.
2. Use a lower viscosity engine oil
3. The controversial practice of “drafting”
4. Keep speed down and accelerate gently
5. Coasting to slow down and only using the brakes when needed (remove your foot from the gas as soon as you see a red light, rather than waiting until you’re almost on it).
Click HEREfor more information on hypermiling and how to make it a success.
3 Comments
Bill
June 15th, 2008
at 7:41am
It works! I have and 8 year old chevy blazer. I have always driven this way. I also have the original tires. It has 60000 miles on it. YES I am changing the tires…
I did not know there was a name for driving this way. Before you laff…try it!.
23 Miles per gallon is not bad with an SUV on the road.
Pal
June 15th, 2008
at 1:55pm
There are sites that talk about this, and these days it can save some bucks.
HOWEVER, the max tire pressure can vary a LOT based on whether you;’ve driven a few miles or are in the garage, and the time of year. If you inflate to the max in the morning before you’ve driven much, then the day warms up and you get on the highway, you have a great chance of blowing out 1 or more tires at high speed.
Rumor has it, destroying your car and possibly dying might not be worth the extra 2 mpg.
Butch Adams
June 16th, 2008
at 10:30am
As a hypermiling rookie, I have found leaving the car in its recommended configuration and just accelerating slowly trying to coast through a red light cycle and observing the speed limit nets me over 15 extra miles per tank. (A Jeep Wrangler that takes 15 - 16 gallons to fill up when I stop)
I have noticed no increase in my commuting time.