Wayne Gerdes is credited with creating the term “hypermiling” as a conscious way to squeeze the most miles per gallon in fuel economy for any vehicle. The goal for drivers is to meet (or even exceed) the mileage of a comparable size hybrid vehicle.
Smart driving strategies are used as a tool for hybrid owners to possibly exceed the figures given by the EPA. It can be a sport of kinds that’s won at the gas pump. You will still need to know how many miles per gallon your car is putting out before trying to improve its mileage.
If you have just purchased a new car, take a look at the sticker for information. It would still be necessary, though, to test for both city mileage and highway mileage as these would both be different for each vehicle.
Have your car service and have the engine tuned up for optimum results. You may get lower fuel economy figures due to engine problems or a sticky and clogged fuel filter, so you need to make sure your car’s maintenance is well taken care of.
Most drivers can learn how to hypermile as long as they put their mind to it. Most vehicles can benefit from improved fuel economy by using simple hypermiling procedures. For example, one very easy technique is to avoid being lead footed when accelerating.
Avoid racing to the stoplight and let the car glide to a stop. Your tires can also benefit from lesser wear and tear, and more importantly, your car uses less power when stopping from a slower speed. Don’t go full on at full speed when the light turns green.
You can even use cruise control while driving in town. Many people think cruise control is solely for highway drivers, but it isn’t – you can use it in town and maintain a safe speed while avoiding a speeding ticket. And when driving to a stop, you can take out the cruise control and allow your car to stop smoothly as the light turns red.
Practice this maneuver around a quiet neighborhood until you can do it smoothly. Speaking of smooth, a hypermiling driver is a calm driver. Getting too passionate about your driving could lead to poor fuel economy – or even an accident, so take care and watch your temper.
An aggressive driver makes use of his or her brakes up to four times more than relaxed drivers. This is a less stressful way to drive because by moving at a relaxed pace – in fact, the lowest possible pace – as the traffic slows down makes for effective vehicular movement and improved fuel economy.
Hypermilers are almost obsessive-compulsive when it comes to watching their driving, which makes them so unique in a good way. Hypermilers always want to save that extra dollar off on their next trip to the pump by any means possible. Hypermiling, at the end of the day, is a very rewarding activity, and it doesn’t matter if you’re doing it for sport or doing it as a way to deal with the fuel crunch. This is a game where everyone’s a winner.
About the author: Writer Scott Hoyle publishes research and shopping guides. Buying diamonds online can be a great option for the informed consumer. With our diamond buying guide you have the opportunity to do the necessary research easily, comparing different offerings to one another, and making sure that you get what you set out for.