About.com has this to say about it:

The Forced Auto Stop (FAS)

The first technique I learned and tried is Forced Auto Stop (FAS), but executing a FAS in a regular car takes a soul braver than I. This task involves coasting down a hill with the car in neutral and the engine shut off. What? Too difficult to control, and WAY too dangerous for my taste—with the engine off, the power brakes and steering are compromised and the steering wheel could lock. No Way! I've tried a similar trick that involves only putting the car in neutral to coast, but leaves the engine on. This method at least keeps the power steering and brakes fully functional, yet allows a slight increase in fuel mileage since the engine is only idling at 700 RPMs instead of perhaps rolling at 2500 RPMs.

The trick, and in my opinion, the Achilles heel of a FAS, is putting the car back into gear to resume acceleration. I've learned that I need to do a rev match (accelerate the idling engine to match the freewheeling transmission speed) so the tranny gears and clutches don't detonate when the slow rotating engine and fast turning tranny re-engage. Just as important though, maybe more so, a proper rev match keeps the drive wheels from momentarily locking up at the moment of re-engagement; loss of control on a slippery road is a real possibility. I think these concerns are slightly moderated with a manual transmission and clutch, but only slightly. I also wonder how this might affect internal transmission lubrication (at least in automatics), and further, how a continuously variable transmission (CVT) would react to repeated engagement and disengagements. Personally, I don't think it's worth damaging a very expensive component for questionable return. I've heard stories of folks using this technique for years with no problems, and that may be, but at best it's a roll of the dice.

eHow:

The forced-auto stop is when you turn off your car and coast. In hybrids, the internal combustion engine shuts off at stops to conserve fuel; the electric batteries keep the car running. To save even more fuel when decelerating, some hypermilers shift to neutral and turn off the engine while coasting to a stop.

Expert's say that this is highly dangerous.

WikiCars:

Stop shutdown

(Transmission mode in B, speed zero)

Often you will pull up at a stop light that has just changed. In some suburban areas this may entail a wait of several minutes, as the lights cycle through various simultaneous or sequential left turns, cross traffic, pedestrians, etc. If the gasoline engine is running when you approached the stop it will take the better part of a minute before the computer recognizes the situation and shuts off the engine. There is a trick to getting the engine to shut off promptly. If you approached the stop in B (engine assist braking), you may then when stopped with the brake on, command D (drive) - the engine will stop immediately - at least in 2004 US versions.

There is a difference of opinion about this technique in the YahooGroup, Prius Technical Stuff. Two senior NHW20 (04-current) Prius owners believe this at most saves 5 seconds of engine run time on the first engine stop event, normally 8 seconds long. The effect does not occur in the NHW11 (01-03) Prius as long as the blue "cold engine" light is on.

The most informative article is at Wikipedia:

Auto-stop, forced stop, and draft-assisted forced stop

In the auto-stop maneuver, the vehicle's transmission is put in neutral, the engine is turned off (a "forced stop"), and the vehicle coasts to a stop. It is possible to coast in neutral with either a manual or automatic transmission. Modern automatic transmissions/transaxles depend on an engine driven fluid pump for lubrication ^[17]and coasting with the engine off may lead to damage or failure of the transmission^[18]. To perform the maneuver, the driver shifts into neutral, and lets the tachometer stabilize, then keys the ignition back to the first position, referred to as "IG-I", to shut off the engine and electronics. The driver then keys forward to IG-II to start the electronics and continue coasting.^[5] The key should remain in the ignition in the IG-II position, and not the IG-I position ^[19], in order to avoid engaging the steering wheel lock.^[20] The driver recovers from "stealth mode" by starting the engine in the normal way, by turning the key to IG-III to crank the starter motor, and then releasing the key back to IG-II. Before putting the transmission in gear, if necessary, the driver may "rev" the engine to match the vehicle's gear and speed. The fuel economy from this advanced technique is increased noticeably over any short distance trip, largely because there are no engine idling losses (see figure below).^[5] Most modern automatics' computer systems do a very good job at keeping the transmission in the proper gear while coasting in neutral, and the driver should not be conscious of the tachometer when re-engaging, but rather just press half-way down on the accelerator when re-engaging.

Some, but not all, hypermilers use this maneuver, and some may use it more safely than others. The technique is used for general coasting, or as part of the pulse-and-glide maneuver, or when going down hills or in other situations when potential energy or momentum will propel the vehicle without engine power.^[1] Some hypermilers may use this maneuver while going downhill, around a corner, and without braking;^[19] however, that practice is in all likelihood more dangerous than an auto-stop on a level and straight road, where stopping distance is shorter and visibility is greater. Vehicle control may be somewhat compromised, and this can be more-or-less dangerous or safe depending on the situation. Turning the engine off will cause the power brake assist to be lost after a few applications of the brake pedal. Power steering is quickly lost, although it is not needed at high speed, only at low speed.^[5] Steering is still possible at low speed, but can often require considerably more arm strength to turn the wheel.

For safety reasons, the maneuver is not recommended for use in traffic, since the driver will want the car to be in gear if sudden acceleration is needed as an evasive maneuver. The driver should first look for traffic behind the vehicle before attempting the maneuver. It can be considered more courteous to not coast if another vehicle is closely following. ^[20] The proper etiquette and acceptable driving practices are controversial, and is worsened by a lack of communication between drivers. Both sides of the debate are often argued passionately, yet sometimes neither of the proposed driving methods is in complete accordance with the rules of the road. Both hypermilers and regular drivers may at different times violate the same rule yet blame the other type of driver.

Despite the potential risks, it does in fact save fuel to turn the engine off instead of idling. Traffic lights are in most cases predictable, and it is often possible to anticipate when a light will turn green. Some traffic lights (in Europe) have timers on them, which assists the driver in using this tactic.^[20]

Draft-assisted forced stop, a variation of the forced (auto)stop (sometimes abbreviated as D-FAS), involves turning off the engine and gliding in neutral while drafting a larger vehicle, in order to take advantage of the reduced wind resistance in its immediate wake (This practice is illegal in some areas due to its danger); while tailgating itself is inherently risky, the danger of collision is increased with D-FAS as hydraulic power for power brakes is used up after a few applications of the brake pedal, and there is a loss of hydraulic pressure that provides power steering, ^[21] however, there is less need for power steering at high speed.^[5]

Some hybrids must keep the engine running whenever the vehicle is in motion and the transmission engaged, although they still have an "auto-stop" feature which engages when the vehicle stops, avoiding waste. Maximizing use of auto-stop on these vehicles is critical because idling causes a severe drop in instantaneous fuel-mileage efficiency to zero miles per gallon, and this lowers the average (or accumulated) fuel-mileage efficiency.

The official Mini Cooper website says it will get between 37 MPG city and 28 MPG highway.

It does this with the following setup:

The 2008 Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper Convertible models are fitted with a 1.6 liter four cylinder engine producing 118 horsepower (HP) and 114 foot pounds of torque. Mini claims a 0-60 time of 8.5 seconds and a 1/4 mile time of 16.6 seconds for the hardtop and 8.9/16.5 for the convertible.

The car retails for between $18,000 and $22,000 base model MSRP for model year 2008.

For more information, here is some of what Wikipedia has to say about the Mini Cooper:

The Mini is a small car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The most popular British-made car ever, it was superseded by the New MINI, which was launched in April 2001. The original is considered an icon of the 1960s,^[2][3][4] and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout (that allowed 80% of the area of the car's floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage) influenced a generation of car-makers.^[5] The vehicle is in some ways considered the British equivalent to its German contemporary, the Volkswagen Beetle, which enjoyed similar popularity in North America.

This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis.^[6][7] It was manufactured at the Longbridge and Cowley plants in the United Kingdom, the Victoria Park / Zetland British Motor Corporation (Australia) factory in Sydney Australia, and later also in Spain (Authi), Belgium, Chile, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Mini Mk I had three major UK updates: the Mk II, the Clubman and the Mk III. Within these was a series of variations including an estate car, a pickup truck, a van and the Mini Moke — a jeep-like buggy. The Mini Cooper and Cooper "S" were sportier versions that were successful as rally cars, winning the Monte Carlo Rally three times.

Minis were marketed under the Austin and Morris names until Mini became a marque in its own right in 1969.^[8]

Design and development

Designed as project ADO15 (Austin Drawing Office project number 15), the Mini came about because of a fuel shortage. In 1956, as a result of the Suez Crisis which reduced oil supplies, the United Kingdom saw the re-introduction of petrol rationing. Sales of large cars slumped, and there was a boom in the market for so called Bubble cars, which were mainly German in origin. Leonard Lord, the somewhat autocratic head of BMC, decreed that something had to be done quickly. He laid down some basic design requirements: the car should be contained within a box that measured 10 × 4 × 4 feet (3 × 1.2 × 1.2 m); and the passenger accommodation should occupy six feet (1.8 m) of the 10 foot (3 m) length; and the engine, for reasons of cost, should be an existing unit. Issigonis, who had been working for Alvis, had been recruited back to BMC in 1955 and, with his skills in designing small cars, was a natural for the task. The team that designed the Mini was remarkably small: as well as Issigonis, there was Jack Daniels (who had worked with him on the Morris Minor), Chris Kingham (who had been with him at Alvis), two engineering students and four draughtsmen. Together, by October 1957, they had designed and built the original prototype, which was affectionately named 'The Orange Box' because of its colour.^[2]

The ADO15 used a conventional BMC A-Series four-cylinder water-cooled engine,^[9] but departed from tradition by having it mounted transversely, with the engine-oil-lubricated, four-speed transmission in the sump, and by employing front-wheel drive. Almost all small front-wheel-drive cars developed since have used a similar configuration. The radiator was mounted at the left side of the car so that the engine-mounted fan could be retained, but with reversed pitch so that it blew air into the natural low pressure area under the front wing. This location saved precious vehicle length, but had the disadvantage of feeding the radiator with air that had been heated by passing over the engine.

1959 Morris Mini-Minor interior

The suspension system, designed by Issigonis' friend Dr. Alex Moulton at Moulton Developments Limited, used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs. This ingenious design shrank the overall size of the suspension, meaning that it could take up less space. It was built into the subframes. The use of the rubber cones led to a rather raw and bumpy ride, but this rigidity, together with the wheels being pushed out to the corners of the car, gave the Mini its famous go kart-like handling. It was initially planned to use an interconnected fluid system — similar to the one which Issigonis and Moulton were working on in the mid-1950s at Alvis — but the short development time of the car meant this was not ready in time for the Mini's launch. The system intended for the Mini was further developed to become the hydrolastic system and was first used on the Austin 1100, launched in 1962. Ten-inch (254 mm) wheels were specified, so new tyres needed to be developed, the initial contract going to Dunlop.

The Mini was designed with sliding windows in the doors, thus allowing for storage pockets to be fitted in the space where a winding window mechanism would have been. Issigonis is said to have sized the resulting storage bins to take a bottle of his favourite Gordon's Gin. The boot lid was designed with the hinges at the bottom so that the car could be driven with it open to increase luggage space. On early cars the number plate was hinged so it swung down to remain visible when the boot lid was open. Although it has to be mentioned that this design was later discontinued as it was discovered that exhaust gasses could leak into the cockpit while the boot was open.

The Mini was designed as a monocoque shell with welded seams that are visible on the outside of the car running down the A and C pillars, and between the body and the floor pan showing where the joins are. To further simplify construction, the car had external door and boot hinges.

This cross-sectioned Mini demonstrates how passenger space is maximised.

All of these novel and elegant technical innovations resulted in a car with minimum overall dimensions yet maximised space for both passengers and luggage.

Production models differed from the prototype by the addition of front and rear subframes to the unibody to take the suspension loads, and by turning the engine around with the carburettor at the back rather than at the front. This required an extra gear to be placed between engine and transmission to reverse the engine direction. Making this a reduction gear had the beneficial effect of reducing loads on the gearbox and preventing the rapid wear on the synchromesh which had been a problem on early prototypes. Having the carburettor at the rear helped to reduce carburettor icing, but did expose the distributor to water coming in through the grille. The engine size was reduced from 948 to 848 cc, which reduced the top speed from an unprecedented 90 mph (145 km/h) to a more manageable (for the time) 72 mph (116 km/h) — a decision that was reversed in 1967.

Despite its utilitarian origins, the classic Mini shape had become so iconic that by the 1990s, Rover Group — the heirs to BMC — were able to register its design as a trade mark in its own right.^[10]

Read the rest from Wikipedia.

Q: What about drafting – following a large vehicle to reduce wind resistance?

A: Drafting is like NASCAR. Don't do that on the road or you'll be dead.

You really can't get much more explicit than that.

Drafting is the most controversial hypermiler trick, and for good reason. People associate drafting with racing and the Venn diagram of hypermiling enthusiasts and racing enthusiasts has a huge overlap. There's a certain romantic notion tied to drafting- it seems like a cool thing to do. The problem is that while the relative coolness of drafting might be argued, the relative danger of it is not up for debate.

When you draft while hypermiling you are in essence putting your safety into the hands of the driver you are behind. I don't know about you, but there aren't very many people out on the roads that I trust with my life.

Saving gas is certainly not worth risking my neck over.

The Baltimore Sun recently summarized the subject this way:

...some auto experts question the safety of advanced hypermiling techniques such as "drafting" - closely following tractor-trailers to cut down on the flow of air against a vehicle.

Leon James, a University of Hawaii professor who has written about the psychology of driving, said hypermiling can become a form of aggressive driving if, for example, drivers practice it in the fast lane, forcing others to drive around them, or if they coast through stop signs.

"If you were behind someone who's practicing certain features of hypermiling, you get very annoyed," James said. "Hypermiling can be a selfish thing to do."

Ed Kriston of AAA said that the automobile group encourages gentle driving to save gas but discourages aggressive types of hypermiling.

"Some of the things they do are very dangerous," he said. He pointed to drivers going below the speed limit on highways such as Interstate 795, where the limit is typically higher than those posted on most highways.

Full story

I shudder to think about the damage that will be done and the bad publicity that will arise after the first incident picked up in the media where people are injured as a result of someone drafting.

Here is a highlight from the article,

Adams' hypermilers group installed a miles-per-gallon meter in a reporter's car for a 10-mile test drive. Rather than the 8 miles per gallon the reporter had predicted, he averaged 21.1 mpg. Not only that, but there were periods of coasting with 111 mpg.

You can listen to the story by visiting NPR's website.

First, like this post from last year about the pulse and glide hypermiling technique from MetroMPG.com, we begin with a disclaimer,

Upfront, any discussion of pulse & glide (P&G) almost always includes a disclaimer that goes like this: this is not a "normal" driving technique; it's not particularly easy to do in a non-hybrid; it may cause more wear and tear on the vehicle; and it has the potential to drive fellow motorists crazy (depending on the spread between the min/max speeds of the pulse & glide); it may even be illegal where you live!

BUT... done correctly, in the right conditions, it works.

Alright, so now we have been warned.

Let's review a note from Wikipedia:

Fuel efficiency varies with the vehicle, but generally acceleration is most efficient at near full throttle openings ^[11] It is also important to keep the engine RPM in an efficient range, so acceleration is more fuel-efficient when up-shifting occurs at a lower RPM. Low-RPM up-shifting is easily executed with a manual transmission.

This blog over at Wordpress gives some great first-hand advice on how to use the technique:

Learning how to properly pulse and glide your way to 60+ MPG will take a little patience, a relatively straight, relatively level road where you can safely maintain speeds of 35-40 MPH for long stretches (a road with a lot of stop signs and traffic lights is not ideal), and careful attention to the consumption screen.

The first step, of course, is Pulse. Accelerate up to no more than 41 MPH (the point after which the gas engine will not shut off), using moderate pressure on the accelerator pedal. You should be able to reach 40 in six or seven seconds without “gunning it” (4.9 seconds with maximum throttle according to Motor Trend - but that’s not really good for fuel efficiency).

To glide, lay off the accelerator for a split second before reapplying just enough gentle pressure to get the blue (regenerative breaking) arrows to disappear...

You can accomplish a reasonable facsimile of this process, by the way, in any non-hybrid car with a manual transmission - pulse up to your desired speed, shift into neutral, and turn off the ignition. Do it on the highway, though, and you’ll likely end up dead, having been rear-ended by an 18-wheeler.

And,

This method consists of accelerating to a given speed (the "pulse"), followed by a period of coasting (the "glide"), and then repeating the process. The glide is most efficient when the engine is not running. Because some cars inject extra fuel when the starter is activated, this was originally best accomplished with a manual transmission.^[16] Hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, are ideally suited to performing this technique as well: the internal combustion engine, as well as the charging system, can be shut off for the glide by simply manipulating the accelerator.

Lastly, this guide tells us:

Assume you want to average 35mph.

Start at 40mph and allow your vehicle to decelerate, in Neutral, to 30mph -- this is called the glide.

Then, accelerate back up to 40mph in the same amount of time that your glide took -- this is called the pulse.

For the more intense, glide with your engine off. This will increase your FE number dramatically while gliding in gear will reduce them as you'll be combating engine braking.

This technique has been proven many times over to be an effective way to increase mileage. But, your mileage will vary based on traffic and other drivers. Other drivers will get quite pissed off at your pulse and glide, so use your best judgment.

Pulse and glide may be the most important hypermiling technique. It also has the potential to be the most dangerous and so it should only be performed under the right conditions. Use common sense, be courteous to other drivers, and remember that saving some gas is never worth risking anyone's well-being.

Known as 'hypermiling,' the method can double gas mileage, even in gas-guzzling vehicles that would normally get less than 20 mpg.

Promoted on a growing number of Web sites, hypermiling includes pumping up tires to the maximum rating on their sidewalls, which may be higher than levels recommended in car manuals; using engine oil of a low viscosity, and the controversial practice of drafting behind other vehicles on the highway to reduce aerodynamic drag -- a practice begun a few years ago by truck drivers.

and,

Deron Lovaas, vehicles campaign director at environmental group the Natural Resources Defense Council, said most hypermiling techniques are "sensible recommendations" that could drive down demand and even prices if widely adopted.

"We should be looking under every rock for potential energy savings," he said.

He said he could not recommend drafting behind fast-moving trucks because it could potentially lead to highway accidents.

Hypermiling can even make fuel-sipping gas-electric hybrid cars more efficient. Chuck Thomas, 50, a computer programmer from Lewisville, Texas, said he has been getting 71 mpg from his Honda Insight, a hybrid whose EPA rating is 58 mpg, in the two years since he has been hypermiling.

Among Thomas' techniques is "pulse and glide" in which he accelerates and then coasts with the engine off until around 15 mph when he kicks the engine back on and accelerates again. "It's the automotive equivalent of skateboarding," he said.

The rest of the article can be found here.

Step 1. Filling the vehicle's gas tank completely and writing down the vehicle's odometer reading (mileage).

Example: The last time the tank was filled, the odometer reading was 32,645.1 miles.

Step 2. When it's time to refuel, filling the tank completely and writing down the number of gallons it took to fill the tank and the vehicle's new odometer reading. Once two odometer readings are taken, MPG can be calculated.

Example: The next time the tank was filled, the odometer reading was 33,001.3. It took 13.5 gallons to fill the tank.

Step 3.  Calculating the distance driven by subtracting the previous odometer reading from the new one.

Example: The distance driven would be 33,001.3 minus 32,645.1, or 356.2 miles.

Step 4.  Dividing the number of miles driven by the number of gallons it took to fill the tank. The result is the vehicle's MPG for that driving period.

Example: 356.2 miles divided by 13.5 gallons equals 26.4 miles per gallon.

The MPG for that driving period would be 26.4.

Alternate Method using Odometer:

Step 1.  Fill the vehicle's gas tank completely and re-setting the trip odometer.

Note: Sometimes it's easy to get the main odometer and trip odometer readings confused, especially if the vehicle is new.

Step 2. When it's time to re-fuel:
* Fill the tank completely
* Write down the number of gallons it took to fill the tank
* Write down the mileage on the trip odometer
* Re-set the trip odometer

Example: It took 9.5 gallons to completely fill the tank, and the trip odometer reads 335 miles.

Step 3.  Dividing the number of miles driven by the number of gallons it took to fill the tank. The result is the vehicle's MPG for that driving period.

Example: 335 miles divided by 9.5 gallons equals 35.5 MPG.

]]> http://hypermilingfaq.com/how-to/calculate-your-mpg-fuel-efficiency/feed http://hypermilingfaq.com/cars/hypermiling-list-most-fuel-efficient-cars http://hypermilingfaq.com/cars/hypermiling-list-most-fuel-efficient-cars#comments Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:07:47 +0000 Brian http://hypermilingfaq.com/?p=6 Here are is an incomplete list of some vehicle models that would make good hypermiling cars:

Ford Focus
Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec
Nissan Sentra
Pontiac G5
Cheverolet Aveo
Geo Prizm
Toyota Corolla
Honda Accord
Toyota Prius

Here are the most (and least) fuel efficient cars as ranked by the Federal Government at FuelEconomy.gov:

2008 Most and Least Fuel Efficient Vehicles (ranked by city mpg)
MOST EFFICIENT OVERALL		MPG
		City	Hwy
	Toyota Prius	48	45
Most and Least Fuel Efficient Cars (by EPA Size Class)		MPG
		City	Hwy
Most Efficient Two Seaters
	smart fortwo Convertible 3 cyl, 1 L, Automatic(S5), Premium	33	41
	smart fortwo Coupe 3 cyl, 1 L, Automatic(S5), Premium
	Mazda MX-5 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual(5), Premium	22	27
Most Efficient Minicompact Cars
	MINI Cooper 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual(6), Premium	28	37
	MINI Cooper 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic(S6), Premium	26	34
Most Efficient Subcompact Cars
	Toyota Yaris 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Manual(5), Regular	29	36
	Toyota Yaris 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic(4), Regular	29	35
Most Efficient Compact Cars
	Honda Civic Hybrid 4 cyl, 1.3 L, Automatic(CVT), HEV, Regular	40	45
	Toyota Corolla 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual(5), Regular	28	37
Most Efficient Midsize Cars
	Toyota Prius Hybrid 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic(CVT), HEV, Regular	48	45
	Nissan Versa 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual(6), Regular	26	31
Most Efficient Large Cars
	Honda Accord 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Manual(5), Regular	22	31
	Honda Accord 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic(4), Regular	21	31
Most Efficient Small Station Wagons
	Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Manual(5), Regular	28	34
	Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic(5), Regular	27	34
Most Efficient Midsize Station Wagons
	Volkswagen Passat Wagon 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual(6), Premium	21	29
	Volkswagen Passat Wagon 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic(S6), Premium	20	28
Least Fuel Efficient Cars
Least Efficient Two Seaters
Lamborghini Murcielago, 12 cyl, 6.5 L, Man(6)		8	13
Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster, 12 cyl, 6.5 L, Man(6)
Least Efficient Minicompact Cars
Aston Martin DB9 Coupe, 12 cyl, 5.9 L, Man(6)		10	16
Aston Martin DB9 Volante, 12 cyl, 5.9 L, Man(6)
Least Efficient Subcompact Cars
Bentley Continental GTC, 12 cyl, 6 L, Auto(6)		10	17
Least Efficient Compact Cars
Bentley Azure, 12 cyl, 6.7 L, Auto(S6)		9	15
Least Efficient Midsize Cars
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, 12 cyl, 5.7 L, Auto(6)		9	16
Least Efficient Large Cars
Bentley Arnage RL, 8 cyl, 6.7 L, Auto(S6)		9	15
Least Efficient Small Station Wagons
Audi S4 Avant, 8 cyl, 4.2 L, Man(6)		13	20
Least Efficient Midsize Station Wagons
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Auto(S7)		12	18

The Ultimate Guide to Hypermiling: 100 Driving and Car Tips and Resources

Hypermiling, or driving your car “in a manner that maximizes mileage,” has become more popular among drivers worldwide, as concerns over increasing gas prices and environmental issues heighten. Whether you’re trying to make a difference by helping the environment, or you’re just aiming to save a few more dollars at the pump each month, check out this ultimate guide to hypermiling, which provides tips and resources for smart driving.

Driving Tips

Below is a list of hypermiling tips that drivers can implement while behind the wheel. We recommend practicing one or two tips at a time and gradually working your way up to the whole list so that you aren’t overwhelmed.

1. Drive a stick shift: If you’re used to driving automatic, switching over to a stick shift might take a little practice, but it’s definitely worth it. Once you have more control over the vehicle, you’ll be able to master more hypermiling tricks.
2. Stop speeding: The harder you press the gas pedal, the more gas you’re using. If you’re driving over the speed limit, you might save time, but you’re definitely wasting gas and money. Slow down a little if you can so that you’re driving at or just below the actual speed limit.
3. Coast instead of braking: When you see a stop sign up ahead or a traffic light turning yellow, immediately take your foot off the gas and let your vehicle slow down by itself. If you wait until the last possible minute to brake, then you’re wasting all the gas you used when you could have been slowing down.
4. Cruise Control: One automatic setting that actually helps hypermiling is cruise control, which prevents “you from “creeping” up in speed without realizing it,” according to Epistolary.org.
5. Put your car in neutral: Coasting with your car in neutral takes the burden off your gas pedal preventing you from wasting fuel. If you’re not driving in heavy traffic, experiment with this effective money saver.
6. Lighten the load: The heavier your car is, the harder it has to work to propel itself forward. Empty out your trunk and backseat of ice chests, beach chairs, and other items that you’re not using to lighten the load.
7. “Shift slow and low”: The site Epistolary.org urges drivers to “shift slow and low,” whenever possible to give your vehicle more mileage.
8. Drafting: This technique comes with a warning sign: according to many hypermiling experts, it is incredibly dangerous. A “deliberate form of tailgating,” the forced auto stop involves turning off your car’s engine and then following closely behind the vehicle in front of you “in order to take advantage of the reduced wind resistance in [the other car’s] immediate wake.”
9. Find a route that’s easy on your vehicle: A story in the Washington Post discusses the benefits of “optimiz[ing] your route” when implementing hypermiling tricks. Instead of taking the scenic route to work, which could include more hills, twists, and dips, try finding a route that features level roads and less traffic lights or stop signs. Generally, “a longer route with better driving conditions” can use “less gas.”
10. Park in the sun: The blogger Joe Future believes that parking your vehicle in the sun is a hypermiling tip for two reasons: “On a cold day, parking in the sun keeps your car warmer.” Also, a warmer car “will get to “auto-stop” mode faster than a cold car, so you’ll sit idling at fewer red lights while you’re waiting for auto-stop to kick in.”
11. Roll down the windows if you’re not on the highway: After the scorching hot temperatures of the summer have retreated, stop blasting the air conditioner and roll down your windows. According to Drive.com.au, “It is generally accepted that air-conditioning increases fuel consumption by about 10 percent but winding down the windows increases drag, which is also an enemy of good fuel consumption.” If you’re going to be on the highway, keeping your A/C on low is still a good idea, but if you’re taking a joy ride, think about getting a little fresh air.
12. Turn off the car before putting it in park: Joe Future suggests turning off your vehicle before putting it in park to save gas. If you don’t, “the gas engine will come on before you shut off the car.”
13. Don’t leave the car running: It may seem like a good idea to let your car idle while you dash into the store to grab the milk or drop off a rented movie, but doing so wastes gas. Take the extra few seconds to pull into a real parking spot and turn the car off first.

Maintenance Tips

Taking your car for regular check ups is another easy way to maximize mileage. Check out these helpful maintenance hacks that will keep your car running smoothly and efficiently.

1. Get an oil change: Keeping up with scheduled oil changes will help your engine run more easily. Adequate oil levels and lower-weight oil can also make a difference in how quickly your vehicle burns fuel
2. Check your tire pressure: Tires that are beginning to lose air and go flat put more stress on your engine, making it work harder and burn more fuel. Keep a tire gauge in your car and frequently check the tire pressure.
3. Engine Control Module: Your vehicle’s engine control module “controls various aspects of an internal combustion engine’s operation,” including the amount of fuel being used by the engine, the ignition timing, and the variable valve timing. Making sure your engine control module is working properly will help you gauge how much fuel your car is using on a regular basis.
4. Tire Balance: If your tires aren’t balanced correctly, you could end up wearing out certain tires faster than others, causing them to lose air and forcing your engine to work harder. Get a check-up for your tires if you think yours are out of whack.
5. Conduct a seasonal check up: During the winter, your car could become bogged down with extra weight from snow chains, heavier tires, or other items. During the summer, you’ll probably be using your air conditioner nearly every day. Before each season, give your car a check up to unburden it of needless weight and to make sure the engine, A/C and other systems are in proper order.

Articles

These articles are full of great hypermiling tips, which will teach you how to save yourself from driving to the gas station every week.

1. Drive Further — on less gas!: This simple guide provides tips for everyday drivers, “even if you don’t go to the crazy lengths” of obsessed hypermilers.
2. Jesus Would Drive a Stick Shift: This article details the pros and cons of driving a car with a manual transmission. Find out if it really is better for the environment.
3. Save Money on Gas the Way the Pros Do: The Hybrid Car Review offers tips and links for maximizing mileage and saving money at the pump.
4. Hypermiling: Quest for Ultimate Fuel Economy: This article from Edmunds.com explores creative hypermiling techniques, like babying the brakes and placing cardboard over the radiator.
5. This Guy Can Get 59 MPG in a Plain Old Accord. Beat That, Punk: This article chronicles the experiences of legendary hypermiler Wayne Gerdes.
6. Get 50 mpg — in your own car: It is possible to get great gas mileage in your current car. Learn how with the ideas presented in this article from MSN Money.
7. “Hypermiling” the law enforcement way: Forget about life threatening hypermiling techniques. This article offers advice on safe, legal methods any driver can practice.
8. How to Surge and Coast your way to better gas mileage: Find out how you can save gas money by hypermiling even if you have to drive in a major American city.
9. Hypermilers: Common sense or insanity?: The Environmental Economics Blog considers whether or not hypermilers are a little too obsessed with saving gas.
10. Slow and Steady: Hypermiler drivers make every drop of gas count: This article unveils the subculture of extreme hypermilers. Get tips and learn about other drivers’ experiences that could improve your car’s fuel economy.
11. Hypermiling your fuel economy — The greenest extreme sport cars: Discover the newest, most extreme trends in hypermiling, racing, and driving accessories.
12. Hypermiling: How I’m Fighting the Fuel War: This article explores how raising our cars’ mpg would cause us to “use that much less gas, save that much more money, be less addicted to foreign oil, and contribute to a greener planet.”
13. Beating the EPA — The Whys and How to Hypermile: This article, pulled from the CleanMPG Forums, dissects traditional EPA estimates and makes a clever argument for hypermiling, based on graphs, statistics and testimonials.
14. 73 mpg? Try to top that!: Follow the story of one Chicago hypermiler who aims to achieve the “best mileage ever.”

Hybrid Resources

Learn how to make the most of your hybrid experience by visiting the following websites and organizations which offer advice and information for hybrid car owners.

1. Great Hybrid Cars: Find information on hybrid cars made by Toyota, Ford, Honda, and Nissan.
2. HybridCars.com: This website includes guides for buying and maintaining hybrid cars, understanding the culture of hypermiling and driving hybrids, and general news about going green and preserving the environment.
3. GreenHybrid: GreenHybrid is an interactive website full of pictures, forums, and articles about all kinds of hybrid vehicles.
4. Hybrid Cars: Find out why you should buy a hybrid car with the information given on this website. Visitors can read a history of hybrids, find out how they work, and research the current cars already on the market.
5. Hybrid Cars — Pros and Cons: This article from physorg.com includes a diagram of a Mercedes hybrid and provides helpful links to more reviews and information.
6. How Stuff Works: Hybrids: Discover exactly how popular hybrid cars work, including the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight.
7. Hybrid Car Reviews: Compare prices, looks, and mileage with the help of this site.
8. Hybrid Cars Guide: This “quick and easy guide” to hybrid cars features a glossary of terms, a history of hybrids, and an overview of the concept “going hybrid.”
9. Hybrid Car Revolution: Stay on top of hybrid news and market updates by checking out the Hybrid Car Revolution.
10. Hybrid Car Club: Talk about world energy issues, market news, and other fuel economy topics with hybrid enthusiasts on this site’s forums.
11. Plug In America: This organization promotes “plug-in cars for a better America.” Check out the site for information and updates on plug-ins, networking and getting support for your car, and much more.
12. Green Car Club: The Green Car Club “unites owners and enthusiasts of environmentally cleaner cars.” Visit their website to learn about the benefits of driving a green car and to link up with other environmentally-conscious drivers.
13. Network for Good: The online community that puts everyday people in touch with their favorite charities also hosts a page just for hybrid lovers. Find out more about the movement, make a donation, or sign up to be a “virtual volunteer” and spread the word about how hybrids are helping the environment.
14. Better World Club: The Better World Club is “dedicated to balancing economic goals with social and environmental responsibility.” Call them if you need an eco-friendly rental car or roadside assistance.

Expert Hypermilers

These men are lauded as a few of the leading experts on hypermiling. Look to them to find out about the newest tips for increasing your mileage.

1. Wayne Gerdes: Wayne Gerdes is considered the inventor of hypermiling. Check out his interview with Marketplace Money to find out how and why.
2. Bradlee Fons: Bradlee Fons is a frequent commentator and all around auto expert who is especially enthusiastic about hypermiling. This video shows him explaining to viewers how to get better gas mileage.
3. Pat Goss: Pat Goss is the resident expert at Goss’ Garage on Washington Post Live and on the Motorweek TV Show. Tune in or email him questions to learn more about hypermiling and fuel economy.

Blogs

These blogs publish articles about fuel efficiency and hypermiling. Check them out for more information on increasing your vehicle’s MPG.

1. Environmental Economics: Tim Haab and John Whitehead often discuss the effects that cars have on the environment.
2. Foursprung: Foursprung “is the ultimate car gadgets blog,” but it sometimes includes posts about hypermiling.
3. Blog It Out Your Pie Hole: This blog covers a wide range of topics, including the economy, oil and gas, and hypermiling.
4. Autoblog Green: Catch up on what’s new in the world of environmentally conscious cars. Articles range from market news to upcoming events.
5. Green Car: This blog covers what’s new in the hybrid car industry, new car reviews, and more.
6. Green Car Advisor: The Green Car Advisor on Edmunds.com discusses “news and commentary on environmental automotive trends and technologies.” Recent articles include “White House Plans Own CAFE Plan If Congress Won’t Act” and “Fuel Economy, Greenhouse Gases Making News, But No Talk of Fuel Tax Hike.”
7. Green-Car-Guide.com: Paul Clarke’s blog considers the effects of cars on our environment.
8. Go Hybrid Blog: Still not convinced? Read the posts on this blog to find out why driving a hybrid car is better on your wallet and the environment.
9. Bike Commute Tips Blog: If you can, leave your car at home and get around town on a bike. This blog shares tips on how to do it safely and quickly.
10. Save Gas: This blog features stories about car news and shares tips for increasing gas mileage.
11. Energy Conservation Awareness Blog: If you’re a hypermiler because you’re concerned about the environment, check out this blog to find more great tips for preserving our planet.
12. Save Gas MPG Blog: Join others in the discussion about gas prices, mpg, and other hypermiling topics.
13. Daily Fuel Economy Tip: Recent articles include: “The Top 10 Ways to Reduce Your Gasoline Consumption” and “What’s Going to Replace Gasoline?”
14. Live Green Blog: Access great tips for living a green lifestyle; including hypermiling and remaining conscious of your car’s fuel efficiency.
15. Car Hacker: Car Hacker covers news about hybrid cars, fuel economy and more.

Best Cars for Hypermiling

If you’re in the market for a new car, check out these models for maximum fuel economy.

1. Honda Civic Hybrid: The 2008 model boasts 45 mpg on the highway and comes with an idle-stop feature.
2. Toyota Prius: The Toyota Prius is a favorite among green drivers. A push-button start, keyless entry, and “nearly 70% fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new vehicle” makes this car a smart choice.
3. Honda Insight Hybrid: The Independent Honda Insight website provides visitors with an interactive guide to this “cleaner and more efficient” model that is super aerodynamic and environmentally friendly.
4. Smart Fortwo: This adorable smart car has been popular in European countries for many years already. While it may have a hard time competing with gas-guzzling SUVs and monster trucks on American highways, its fuel efficiency is off the charts.
5. Toyota Camry Hybrid: The Toyota Camry Hybrid was voted the “best mid-sized hybrid sedan” by ConsumerSearch.com because of its roomier interior.
6. Toyota Highlander Hybrid: Driving a hybrid no longer means giving up your swanky SUV. The Toyota Highlander seats seven, but is still much more fuel efficient than a regular SUV.
7. Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid: The Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid is a distinctly affordable hybrid car. It also “gets 25 percent better fuel economy than the gas-only version.”
8. Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid: The Saturn Vue Hybrid is a compact hybrid SUV that costs much less than other gas-only SUVs, and perhaps “only a few hundred dollars more” than typical Saturn SUVs.
9. Lexus GS Hybrid: Lexus is known for creating quality vehicles, and the GS Hybrid is no different. This environmentally-conscious car still features a sleek exterior and a luxurious interior.
10. Nissan Altima Hybrid: The Nissan Altima Hybrid can run up to 702 miles on a single tank of gas.

Tips for Serious Hypermilers

These tips are for the truly dedicated. Hypermilers should consider themselves warned, however. Some of these techniques are very dangerous.

1. Pulse and Glide: This guide provides detailed directions for the pulse and glide hypermiling technique. Accelerate quickly to a few miles above the speed limit, and then coast down to a few miles below the speed limit.
2. Warp Stealth: Click here for a detailed guide for implementing Warp Stealth on a Toyota Prius. This technique is achieved when “the car moves solely under electric power without the engine running.”
3. Ridge Riding: If you want to save gas during or after a hard rain, hug the right side of your lane, or the shoulder if you’re already driving in the far right lane, to avoid driving in the puddles created by other drivers. A more detailed explanation can be found here
4. Drive in electric mode: Toyota Prius drivers know that driving in the all-electric mode is “advisable” at the very end of a trip because “the batteries will recharge [more] quickly on your next start-up.”
5. Downhill run: If you’re driving downhill, take your foot off the gas pedal and coast all the way down until you absolutely must brake or give your car a little more gas.
6. Gentle rise and descent: The gentle rise and descent technique is based on the concept that only a “small amount of additional throttle will accelerate the vehicle before the rise is reached,” so that “additional power may be maintained on most of the upgrade.”
7. Accelerate moderately: Unless you’re trying to merge onto a busy highway, accelerating slowly preserves gas.
8. Run all your errands during one trip: Instead of running your errands several different times a day or spread out during the week, try stopping at the grocery store, video store, dry cleaning and (heaven forbid) gas station during one single trip. If you’re driving an electric car, this cuts back on its start-up time.
9. Park at the highest point in a parking lot: This tip from MSNBC suggests parking at the highest point in a parking lot so that gravity will “get your car moving” when you turn it on again.
10. Cool yourself down with an ice vest: Hypermiler Wayne Gerdes refuses to turn on his car’s air conditioner even in the summer. Instead, he wears an ice vest to cool himself down inside his stuffy vehicle.

Other Helpful Resources

1. Hybridfest: Hybridfest is “an annual hybrid car show and more” where hybrid and hypermiling enthusiasts get together to swap tips, tricks, and information about fuel economy and being green.
2. CleanMPG Forums: Participate in hypermiling debates with other users while checking out informative articles about hybrids and the environment.
3. MPG Calculator: Found on the Sierra Club website, this MPG calculator tells you how many miles per gallon your car probably gets, the amount of money you spend on gas per year, how much pollution your car emits and your potential savings if fuel economy standards were modernized.
4. Valuing the Lives of Hypermilers: This tongue-in-cheek calculator from the Political Calculations blog bases its computation on the danger/benefits quotient of hypermiling. For example, is it really worth helping the environment if you’re putting your own life at risk by practicing dangerous hypermiling techniques?
5. Hybrid Lovers: This online store features designs for t-shirts, bumper stickers, and coffee mugs, and other promotional items. Choose from slogans like “Hybrids Make it Last Longer” and “If America is Addicted to Oil, Then I’m in Rehab.”
6. The Great Race: The legendary Great Race celebrates its centennial in 2008, as drivers race from New York to Paris. This year, hybrids will be joining the race.
7. HyperMilers: This website chronicles “the quest for ultimate efficiency.” Check up on the latest hypermiling and oil and gas news, network on the forums, or click through photos of hybrid cars.
8. Hypermilers: Who Are They and What Do They Do?: Read this article to find out more about hypermilers and their fuel economy obsession.
9. Hypermilers Go to Extremes for Savings: This story from Good Morning America brings the basics of hypermiling to everyday drivers.
10. Hypermiling.com: Discover the Hypermiling.com “how-to methods,” buy hypermiling t-shirts, and find links to more stories and news articles about “driving to save gas.”
11. Take It Slow and Save Big on Gas: This article from CNN.com urges drivers to stop complaining about over-the-top gas prices and start using basic hypermiling techniques like activating cruise control and driving at or below the speed limit.
12. How to Become a Hypermiler: Read the article and check out the comments to find the best tips for hypermiling.
13. Strategies for Smart Car Buyers: If you’re in the market for a fuel-efficient car, check out this guide to buying hybrids.
14. Tailgating That Semi? Bad Idea: This article from the Car Buyer’s Notebook cautions drivers against tailgating or drafting behind large trucks just to save gas.
15. 10 Ways to Boost Your MPG: Use Wayne Gerdes’ ten tips to maximize your vehicle’s mileage every time you get behind the wheel.

Microtrends: Hypermiling: The Times tackles the hypermiling trend in this article.

And from About.com,

Hypermiling (Saving Lots of Fuel) in a Hybrid

How to Get Maximum Fuel Mileage From Your Hybrid

Pulse and Glide (P&G)

This is the heart of effective hypermiling for full hybrid vehicles.Though it takes some getting used to, and it's really only appropriate for light suburban and town traffic, large FE gains can be had using it. Our first successful P&G was in a Nissan Altima Hybrid. This car is equipped with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive (Nissan licensed it from Toyota), but our car was lacking an energy flow monitor, so we had to rely on the EV mode display and the Kilowatt (kW) meter to execute the task properly.

To initiate a P&G, accelerate to about 40 MPH with the engine running (the pulse part), then ease off the pedal until the hybrid system goes into EV (electric vehicle) mode and the kW meter shows zero (or if equipped with the energy flow monitor, no arrows are showing energy flow). This is the glide part. The engine is off, the electric motor is disengaged and the vehicle is literally coasting for free. When the car slows to about twenty five or thirty MPH (depending on traffic conditions, of course) repeat the pulse part, then the glide and so on. If properly applied, this trick uses the engine only to accelerate, and it never has the chance to idle along, wasting fuel while providing no return.

Forced Auto Stop (FAS)

Forced Auto Stop is similar to P&G without the objective of re-accelerating. In a hybrid, it is usually a matter of lifting the accelerator below a speed of approximately 40 MPH and letting the engine shut-off. This allows the car to coast to a slower speed, or come to a complete stop without the engine running. However, many conditions can affect FAS (adequate battery state of charge, hybrid system temperature, engagement of AC compressor, cabin heat, etc.) and is not always so simple. Depending upon the hardware and software controls of the hybrid system, there are ways to "fool" the system into FAS. Unfortunately, they are many and varied, and beyond the scope if this article.

Draft Assisted Forced Auto Stop (D-FAS)

This technique involves riding in the wake of a large trailer truck at highway speeds (in FAS). It's not safe, DON'T DO IT. We only mention it here because it is part of some hypermilers' arsenal of tricks.

Driving without Brakes (DWB)

More hypermilers' tongue-in-cheek terminology. We like to think of this as driving with minimal brakes, but it must be done with a good dose of common sense--it's really not a good idea to take a 25 MPH curve at 50 trying to save gas. The main idea here is to not use the brakes to scrub off speed that has been achieved with energy (gasoline) spent. Anticipation is the keyword. Look far down the road to anticipate traffic stoppages, sharp curves and signal changes and begin to decelerate or coast beforehand. The benefit is three-fold: Not only does DWB increase brake life, it reduces the number of times the vehicle must be started from a dead-stop (overcoming the inertia of a stationary vehicle consumes an enormous amount of energy), and, with a hybrid, the coasting action (regenerative braking) helps charge the battery.

Ridge Riding

This is the practice of driving very close to the outside edge of the road in order to keep the the vehicle's tires out of the slight depressions (ruts) worn into the road surface by the constant pounding of daily traffic. For most purposes, this technique is really only effective on wet roadways. Staying out of the ruts, which are filled with a thin layer of water, reduces drag on the tires and increases efficiency. An additional benefit is improved safety by preventing the tires from hydroplaning (riding on top of the water) and loss of vehicle control.

Face Out Potential Parking

This is just plain common sense with a little bit of exercise, to boot. Search out open spaces in parking lots to eliminate the wasteful movement of backing out of a slot. Go one better by locating a spot that is on a bit of a slope, and then use gravity to help get the vehicle moving from standstill. Sound silly? Multiply those effects over hundreds of park jobs in a year; it really does add up.

Fuel Consumption Display (FCD)

This is the gauge on the instrument panel of hybrids and many non-hybrids as well. Dedicated hypermilers call this the "game gauge," and in many ways, that's just what it is. This device continuously calculates a vehicle's average fuel consumption expressed in MPG (or, in metric mode, kilometers/liter) and displays it to the driver who can then make a fantastic game of making the average FE go ever upwards.

Instant Fuel Consumption Display (IFCD)

This instrument is very similar to the FCD, except that it displays fuel usage, just as the name implies--instantly--as it is used. The display changes moment by moment in response to sundry dynamic physical conditions: throttle off, light acceleration, heavy load, hard acceleration, coasting and cruising. This gauge, more than any other on a vehicle, hammers home the relationship between fuel economy and driving habits. Keeping the instant fuel consumption display relatively constant and even, with a high reading, will probably net more consistent (and easily attainable) FE than any trick or gadget outlined in this entire article.

And from a blog scraper website called Auto Motto,

DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT
Goss says: Going slow can save gas. Goss says that once you go above 38 mph, you lose mileage. For every 5 mph above 55, you tend to lose 10 percent of your fuel economy.

DRIVING WITHOUT BRAKES: Maintain a steady speed if traffic is heavy.

Goss says: Do it when possible — but be careful especially in the Beltway.

TURN OFF YOUR CAR AND COAST: To save even more fuel when decelerating, shift to neutral and turn off the engine while coasting to a stop.

Goss says: Highly dangerous. You don’t have your car under control, says Goss.

OPTIMIZE YOUR ROUTE : To avoid traffic, try different routes. It so happens that a longer but smoother route saves a whole lot more gas.

Goss says: “Basic driving techniques. I teach this the first day,” Goss says.

WATCH YOUR TIRE PRESSURE: Some hypermilers recommend over-inflating tires as flat ones require more energy.

Goss says: It works but is very risky. “When you over-inflate a tire, you can compromise its traction and . . . make the tire wear out more rapidly. He adds that it is “very negligent to recommend that someone do that.”

STAY ON TOP OF OIL CHANGES: Use thinner oil.
Goss says: Goss reasons: It can have a significant effect on fuel economy, especially as the oil ages.The viscosity of engine oil is always increasing. . . . The thicker the oil is the harder it is to push through the engine.

From HypermilingForum.com,

1. Less Friction: It's simple, maintain proper air pressure and inflate to the maximum allowed by the specific model of tire you own. This will decrease friction and help your car get up to speed faster than tires that are at an improper pressure. In my experience, this is one of the most overlooked maintanence issues for car owners. Over the course of the next year, I will be doing experiments with tire pressure to show how much MPG's can be saved with properly inflated tires.

2. Remove the Junk in your Trunk: OK, it's not what you think. I'm not talking about getting rid of excess pounds off your rear end. I'm talking about removing items from your car that are not needed. These can range from books to trash to clothing to shoes, etc. I've personally dealt with this issue with my wife. She got into a wreck in my truck, so I bought her a newer car, and then I took her old car (Lincoln Mark VIII). Well, she didn't take good care of the car as far as the cosmetics go and the cleanliness. I found 70 pounds of books in the trunk that were supposed to be donated 6 months earlier and I found 60 pounds worth of dog food in the trunk that had been sitting in there for over a month. I also found some other odds and ends in the trunk and passenger area (blankets, cloths, probably 3 purses, trash, and more). The total weight loss after just cleaning up excess stuff out of the car was close to 200 pounds! I'm sure that didn't help gas mileage. Not everyone has a mess like this, but I'm sure everyone can take some items out of the car that will lighten it some. I will be experimenting with adding and subtracting weight in the car over the course of the next year and compare gas mileage.

3. Lighten the Load: This is similar as above. However, we're talking about lightening the car from it's original weight. Some things that could be removed and might not be necessary are trunk carpet, floor mats, rear seats (if you don't ever use them), etc. This varies based on car and use. You can also replace items with lighter models. In my case, I have two luxury front seats with power everything (they are pretty heavy). Since the seats are old, cracking, and the motors aren't working in them, I plan on removing bot of them and replacing them with lighter (but comfortable) racing seats for around 150 dollars. I will post how much weight this reduces in the forum when I'm done replacing them. Also, if you have a full size spare, you might want to consider downgrading to a smaller spare (these are pretty cheap at junkyards). There are many different ways of reducing a cars weight and I will go over my findings throughout the year.

4. Maintain your Car: As mentions in the Less Friction section, keeping your car properly maintained is extremely important to fuel economy. Change your spark plugs, oil, spark plug wires, coils, O2 sensors, tires, shocks, trans fluid, etc. at there appointed intervals. Sludgy oil, misfiring cylinders due to faulting spark plugs or wires, and badO2 sensors cause your car to run inefficiently and can lower your gas mileage.

5. Breathing is Good: Breath in, Breath out, Breath in.....Now imaging breathing through a stopped up nose. Not easy huh. It's the same with your air filter. Over time dust particles and such can block or slow down airflow to your engine. This causes your engine to work harder to produce combustion. Changing your air filter on a regular basis will help insure that your car is breathing right.

6. Brakes are not our Friend: Yea, I know. Everyone has to brake. But anticipating when you have to brake and braking at a slower rate can drastically increase your gas mileage. It's crazy sometimes, I've actually seen people speed up to stop at a stop light. They sit at the stop light getting 0MPH while you are coasting to the stop light still getting good gas mileage. Yes, you ultimately have to stop, but they sit at the light for 4 to 6 seconds longer than you, getting 0 MPG. Over the course of a year, that's a big savings. Video to come soon.

7. Aggressiveness: Do you use your accelerator like a crazed maniac, flooring it, then slamming on your brakes just to get in front of one car. If so, this is for you. I watch it all the time. I've seen cars weaving and out of traffic, slamming on the accelerator, then slamming on the brakes just to get around one or two cars, and then that same car takes a right turn just after making the pass. Not only did they affect their own gas mileage, they affected the car that they passed, because now that car must slam on it's brakes since the car that passed now is taking a right turn. Key here is to just be patient. Usually using this aggressive driving only gets people to where they want to go a few seconds or maybe a few minutes earlier than if they would have driven calmly. It could even be argued that you are wasting time by driving aggressively since you get worse gas mileage which means you probably have to the gas station more often.

8. Neutral: Use Neutral going down hills or when anticipating a red light. I've tried this a few times and my trip computer said I was getting 100 MPG at the time, and that's with a big V8 Mark VIII (granted, that is just the instant gas mileage gauge, not the full trip). This is much easier in a manual transmission as you can just push the clutch in and immediately go to neutral.

9. Rubbing is Racing (to quote Days of Thunder): This is somewhat a reference to drafting. Drafting is a technique used to lower wind resistance to your car by following closely behind a larger vehicle. Although, this can be dangerous if traveling too close and is illegal in some areas and states. This technique is used most often on long trips at higher speeds and doesn't help as much at lower speeds. 18 wheeler truck drivers have been using this technique for years.

10. Idle Time: If at all possible don't leave your car in idle longer than 10 seconds. This is probably the most inefficient part of driving since you are getting a constant 0 MPG the entire time the car is idling. Of course in some conditions and temperatures it might not be possible to turn off your car when idling, but whenever possible, turning off your engine while sitting in your car can save a lot of Miles Per Gallon.