'60 MPG ... achievable by trained hypermiler'

[mr_Cash]

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/revie...rtwo-7133.html

[SmartBob]

So what's a hypermiler? This is a number achievable if your drive hwy at an average spped between 48 and 58 mph? That'd help me. I spend half my trip to work at hwy speeds. Hmmmmm

[mr_Cash]

Originally Posted by SmartBob

So what's a hypermiler?

how to hypermile:
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/artic...mile-1510.html

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by Mr_Cash

how to hypermile:
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/artic...mile-1510.html

Reading the article will enlighten you insofar as the meaning of the term and you may find that you are already a hypermiler without even knowing it. I found that I fit into the category pretty much except for my hiway speeds (usually around 70-75).

Without exception, anticipating stops ahead of time, staying off the brakes as a result is a biggie. Notice other drivers while in traffic and you'll see that many are on the brakes ALL THE TIME because they aren't even trying to conserve. I learned a long time ago when I was a young man that changing driving style can reap big benefits if you want to stretch your commuting dollars farther. Egg pedaling, as it is often called, will do much to help as well. I think most of you know what that is. Applying the gas pedal as if you had an egg between your foot and the accelerator (and wanting to NOT BREAK IT)is the essence of it. Another problem some drivers have is not knowing how to drive an automatic, believe it or not. Two footed drivers is what they are called....left foot on the brake and right on the gas is NOT the correct way to drive automatics. Many who drive like this inadvertently rest their foot on the brake pedal, in anticipation of using it, and create slight brake drag as they drive along and they aren't even aware of it....Very bad practice, indeed, and soooooo uneconomical, too. Another disadvantage of this driving style is if the driver gets into an accident avoidance situation, he will sometimes panic and just push with both feet DOWN! And guess where that will get him ?

The article above gets really technical with some terminology that I wasn't even familiar with and I found it to be very informative. The part about picking a parking space highest in the parking lot didn't make too much sense to me really but overall the article was good I thought.

Owners of hybrids will understand what the article says, without knowing some of the terminology because they have instrumentation in their cars that tells them when they are doing something no condusive to good economy.

More cars will have that instrumentation as time goes on...good idea. Our rapidly rising gas prices right now will also be a good teacher of fuel economy as did the rising gas prices of '73 and '79 to those of us who paid attention to what went on then....

Happy Motoring!

[Old smart]

The back-and-forth with the UK folks indicates that the cars won't get to their expected MPG figures until about 5,000 miles. The small engines and transmissions are built to pretty tight tolerances.

[Peddlecar]

Look Ma, I can copy and paste!!!! How to save gas according to the site.

Do not use quick accelerations or brake heavily: This reduces fuel economy by as much as 33 percent at highway speeds and 5 percent around town. EPA tests do not account for this kind of vigorous driving.


Do not idle excessively: Decreases average FE. The EPA city test includes idling, but drivers that experience more idling experience lower MPG.


Do not drive at higher speeds: This increases aerodynamic drag (wind resistance) and mechanical friction which reduces fuel economy. The EPA test accounts for aerodynamic drag up to highway speeds of 60 mph, but drivers often exceed this speed.


Cold weather and frequent short trips reduce fuel economy, since your engine doesn't operate efficiently until it is warmed up. In colder weather, it takes longer for your engine to warm, and on short trips, your vehicle operates a smaller percentage of time at the desired temperature. Note: Letting your car idle to warm-up doesn't help your fuel economy, it actually uses more fuel and creates more pollution. Drive to your furthest destination first and then as you are heading home, stop at the closer destinations in order from furthest to closest as the car is warmed up for longer portions of your drive.


Remove Cargo or cargo racks: Cargo and/or racks on top of your vehicle (e.g., cargo boxes, canoes, etc.) increase aerodynamic drag and lower FE. Vehicles are not tested with additional cargo on the exterior.


Do not tow unless absolutely necessary: Towing a trailer or carrying excessive weight does decrease fuel economy. Vehicles are assumed to carry three hundred pounds of passengers and cargo in the EPA test cycles.


Minimize running mechanical and electrical accessories: Running mechanical and electrical accessories (e.g., air conditioner) decreases fuel economy. Operating the air conditioner on "Max" can reduce MPG by roughly 5-25% compared to not using it.


Avoid driving on hilly or mountainous terrain if possible: Driving hilly or mountainous terrain or on unpaved roads reduces fuel economy most of the time. The EPA test assumes vehicles operate over flat ground.


Do not use 4-wheel drive if it is not needed. 4-Wheel drive reduces fuel economy. Four-wheel drive vehicles are tested in 2-wheel drive. Engaging all four wheels makes the engine work harder and increases crankcase losses.
Maintain your Automobile: A poorly tuned engine burns more fuel, so fuel economy will suffer if it is not in tune. Improperly aligned or under inflated tires can lower fuel economy, as can a dirty air filter or brake drag.

Try and purchase high BTU content gasoline if available: Fuels Vary in Energy Content and some fuels contain less energy than others. Using oxygenated fuels or reformulated gasoline (RFG), can cause a small decrease (1-3%) in fuel economy. In addition, the energy content of gasoline varies from season to season. Typical summer conventional gasoline contains about 1.7% more energy than typical winter conventional gasoline.

Inherent Variations in Vehicles: Small variations in the way vehicles are manufactured and assembled can cause MPG variations among vehicles of the same make and model. Usually, differences are small, but a few drivers will see a marked deviation from the EPA estimates.

Engine Break-In: New vehicles will not obtain their optimal fuel economy until the engine has broken in. This may take 3-5 thousand miles.