Hypermiling Makes Driving Fun
I've been seeing random news items for the past few months (since gas prices approached and passed the $3/gallon mark) about hypermilers and hypermiling. What is it? It's a host of driving techniques that combine to increase a vehicle's fuel efficiency and reduce gas consumption.
Hypermilers practice the following tricks of the trade:
- avoid jackrabbit starts
- avoid hitting the brakes
- drive with the windows up
- drive 55-60 mph on the freeway
- avoid traffic congestion
- park as close to the exit as possible at stores
- park at the high point of a parking lot
- shift into neutral on downhills and coast
- keep your tire's pressure up to reduce friction with the road
- reduce the weight of the vehicle by clearing out the trunk/backseat of junk
- use super-thin motor oil in the vehicle
- change the motor oil more often
- replace the vehicle's air filter
- attempt to "time" lights so the vehicle does not come to a complete stop
- keep the car washed to reduce drag
- draft larger vehicles on the highway
I've been hypermiling for at least 2 years. I rarely drive above 60mph on the freeway and I'm very conscious about how much pressure I use on the gas pedal. I've always been the type of person who likes to "time" the lights, and I find myself parking in a central part of a stripmall parking lot and walking to each store (as opposed to driving from one end of the complex to the other). There are tons of little things you can do to get better mileage ... I like to look at hypermiling as a challenge. It's fun to try and squeeze more out of the car and it's fun to save some pennies while doing it.
