How to hypermile
Home » Magazine » Good, issue 5 » How to hypermileFuel-efficient driving is easy. Here are ten tips (in no particular order) that can massively reduce your fuel bill
1. Get a fuel-efficient car
Seriously, what you drive is more important than how. Visit www.fuelsaver.govt.nz to check out the EECA car rating system.
2. Accelerate gently
Keep your revs as low as possible. Change up through your gears quickly. A diesel car can sustain horribly low revs, so exploit it.
3. Anticipate changes
Look ahead for a change of lights, slow traffic or major bends, so you can decelerate early and reduce your revs.
4. Over-run the engine
On downhill slopes or when slowing, decelerate by over-running the engine, using the gears to slow you down. Please note: coasting is dangerous, as the engine may stall when it’s idling. In modern fuel-injected cars, idling uses more fuel than over-running.
5. Stay at a constant speed
There are huge arguments among efficiency nerds about the value of cruise control. In my view, it’s not suited to New Zealand conditions. What’s not disputed is that constant pumping of the accelerator and speeding up and slowing down is wasteful. And it makes you look stupid.
6. Make weight your friend
By using the momentum of your one-tonne hunk of steel, you can back off the pedal and cruise up hills or on the flat for ages without annoying the cars behind.
7. If you’re hot, open the vents
Air conditioning can add as much as four percent to fuel consumption.
8. Pump it up!
The correct tyre pressure is in your manual, or often on a plate in your front door sill. Inflate or deflate accordingly.
9. Maximise your aerodynamics
Remove roof racks when not in use, keep your windows closed, and do not install moose antlers on your bonnet: they all create drag. And minimise weight. Empty the boot of all those gold bars.
10. Walk
Or catch a bus. Share a ride. Stay at home. It’s really fuel efficient to simply drive less.
