Hypermiling

[Nalgene Ninja]

http://www.hypermiling.com/

http://money.cnn.com/2006...driving_for_mpg/index.htm

I've been trying this and have gotten decent results just by being more aware of how much I use my brakes. I simply coast more, instead of applying gas until the second I start braking.

[Lesley]

This is how mom taught me to drive. It makes a big difference. I manage to get 36 mpg hwy in my 2001 Saturn SC2. Plus I don't have to replace my brakes as often. That says a lot because I do plenty of downtown Birmingham driving.

[ednotmilkman]

is that what they call it now?

I just figured it was type A drivers vs. the laid back guys like me who are rarely in a hurry and find it easer to drive at a slower constant speed when I don't have to pass much.   I can get 31 mpg on longer trips going 60-62, or 35 if I'm cruising along at only 55, with a Buick LeSabre.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Well... Hypermiling is OK is safety outweighs fuel economy. I've encountered more than a few hypermilers who were causing traffic disturbances or near collisions because of their practices. Not dissimilar to drafters who get within a few feet of a truck. Like everything, moderation appears to be the key.

[Nalgene Ninja]

I gonna have to disagree a bit there Josh. The hypermiling techniques remove aggressive braking and accelerations therefore increasing the buffer zone between vehicles.  It might annoy folks who insist that who spend every millisecond at the posted speed limit or above. But I definately won't be rear ending anyone when I coast an extra 200-300 yards to make a planned turn ahead. And using some hypermiling techniques actually ease traffic congestion by removing that irratic "stop and go" patterns for smoother constant speed slow driving.

[Joshua Szulecki]

NN,

No, I totally agree that if done PROPERLY, hypermiling is actually safer. This is expecially true when braking for fuel economy. However, I've encountered more than a few hypermilers who take it a little far. I implement a lot of hypermiling techniques myself (big car), but there are some people who concern themselves more with fuel mileage than safety. For instance, I've encountered (and been in the car with on several occasions) more than a few people who will make a merge onto a high speed interstate, where the flow of traffic in the lane to be merged into is 65MPH or greater, and there is no merge area, with more concern for fuel economy than getting rear-ended. I've also encountered hypermilers who create major traffic issues by driving at 55 (or their vehicles correct speed for maximum fuel efficiency, despite the posted speed limit being significantly higher. That may work on a rural interstate, but if you try it on a busy city interstate, you can actually inadvertantly cause accidents and traffic backups. You should obviously shoot for a constant speed, but religious adherance to maintaining a constant speed, and avoiding sudden acceleration, CAN put you and other drivers in danger, especially in urban environments where there is often little or no time or space to react to a slow moving vehicle entering the highway. This is particularly true in cities like Baltimore, Atlanta, and New York, where speed limits are completely and overtly ignored by a factor of 20-30mph. If the flow of traffic is moving at 85mph in the right lane, and you merge onto the highway with a 0-60 in the 30 second range, you are going to get creamed. I've seen it happen. It isn't actually YOUR fault, but defensive driving should always override any fuel economy concerns. That was my point, not that hypermiling is a bad idea.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Wikipedia has listed the following activities (seen them all done) list as controversal elements of "extreme" hypermiling:
- drafting behind trucks
- driving far below the speed limit at times
- taking sharp curves at high speeds (to avoid losing energy to braking)
- coasting with the engine off
- passing red lights or stop signs in areas of low traffic
- over-inflating tires to reduce rolling resistance

The Hypermiling Safety Foundation's (http://www.hypermilingfoundation.org/) slogan is: "Dedicated to increasing vehicular fuel economy while maintaining highway safety because saving fuel is NEVER worth risking an accident"

Again, I use a lot of the common hypermiling techniques myself in everyday driving, so I'm not saying don't hypermile. I'm just saying don't let fuel economy override safety. Like all activities, hypermiling has a small contingent of overzealous adherants who take things too far. Don't be one of them!