With gas prices at all-time highs and no signs of a decline any time soon, it seems time for some tips for saving gas while driving.
The first technique is known as “hypermiling”. There are 2 basic components to hypermiling: momentum conservation and low fuel economy.
Let’s address these individually.
Momentum conservation. To achieve this, you should aim for the smoothest ride possible, only hitting the brakes when necessary. Accelerate to a stop at traffic lights or signs, putting you in neutral along the way. Every time you get some speed, try to keep it as long as possible without stopping. It’s all about using the fuel you’ve already burned for as long as you can. Do not press the accelerator more until you have to apply the brakes.
Low fuel consumption rate. This has to do with rpm. Most of you have probably noticed that keeping your RPM down burns less fuel – it’s basic mechanics. One of the keys to doing this is to accelerate slowly. Acceleration is a particularly fuel-intensive time: not only are the rpms likely to be higher, but the percentage of fuel burned is also lower. Has everyone seen the thick clouds of black soot when a diesel rig starts up? That’s unburned fuel, and your car does the same, though not as noticeably. So throttle slowly and evenly for best efficiency.
Another way to keep fuel low is to simply not accelerate. The key to realize here is that while speed is linear, resistance is exponential. That means that while 120 km/h is only 20% faster than 100 km/h, the resistance at 120 km/h is much greater than a 20% increase in resistance at 100 km/h. So the faster you go, the higher your fuel consumption rate will be due to drag.
And hey, it’s also safer to drive slowly.
The final tip is to simply plan your excursions. When gas was cheap, it was nothing to go to the store to pick up something you forgot to buy, and over time, most people developed the habit of not planning. It didn’t make sense, because if you forgot something, it wasn’t a big deal to go looking for it. But all those little trips add up, so these days you’d better write down your wanderings and shopping needs to avoid extra travel.
These tips will help you save gas and lower your fuel costs if you follow them.
