Hypermiling the Gas-Gauge Blues Away

Hypermiling is a fancy term for an old-fashioned, fuel-saving driving technique: easing up on your right foot.

Over the past three years, a whole school of enthusiasts has grown around this quest for the ultimate in vehicle fuel economy, comparing mileage on blogs and competing in an annual Hybridfest in Madison, Wisconsin.   Some hypermilers have been known to achieve 112 mpg out of a regular vehicle, far exceeding fuel economy ratings.

As gas prices surge, aspects of hypermiling are becoming more mainstream and saving enthusiasts at least 15 to 20 per cent in fuel economy.  Climate Change Central sent staffer Helen Corbett out on the road to try some of the techniques.  Here are some gleanings from her unofficial road test.

1.  Go the speed limit.  The faster you drive, the lower the fuel efficiency.

"Tried this on the TransCanada between Calgary and Banff, where Calgarians hit pedal to metal to get to the mountains.  Apart from the rare camper, I was easily the slowest vehicle on the four-lane highway, using cruise control to maintain a steady 110 kph.  If any rude gestures were made by the passing vehicles I never saw them.  I used less fuel and arrived at my destination surprisingly calm - I never realized the effort it takes to constantly overtake and pass slower vehicles."

2.  Avoid sudden or aggressive braking or accelerating.

"Remember that old adage - accelerate as if there's an egg under your gas pedal?  It seemed to take all my attention to really focus on the road ahead to avoid errors like speeding up to a light, then braking (what hypermilers call throwing gasoline away).  The trick is to anticipate traffic events ahead, accelerate slowly over the longest possible distance, then go easy on braking (you've used gas to move, but when braking you're turning that motion into heat).  All that without incurring the wrath of other drivers."

3.  Don't idle excessively.

"Well, I don't.  But this technique had me cutting the engine at any wait longer than 10 seconds (hypermilers remind you that idling gets you 0 mpg).  Vehicles use electronic fuel injectors today, which control the amount of gas going to the engine when you hit the ignition.  As a result, fuel is not wasted on starting the engine."

4.  Dump the junk in the trunk, remove the roof rack when not in use.

"Simple - I don't have a roof rack (increases wind resistance and gasoline consumption) and it was simple to pull out all the gym gear I carry around and never use (removing the source of guilt also lightened the load)."

5.   Coast down hills.

"I settled for keeping my foot off the accelerator while going downhill, while maintaining the speed limit.  Some hypermiling techniques caused the American Automobile Association to warn that cutting the engine or putting it into neutral to coast on a roadway, tailgating larger vehicles or rolling through stop signs, might not only endanger others, but also harm vehicles."

6.  Limit the AC.

"Serious hypermilers will swelter in the heat rather than sucking fuel from the engine through air conditioning, since operating on maximum can reduce fuel economy by up to 25 per cent. I resorted to occasional blasts of AC on the highway on a hot summer day."

7.  Other techniques.

• Face out when you park in a parking lot. That way, you avoid the backing up and braking required by nose-in parking.
• Maintain your vehicle by replacing air filter and changing oil as recommended. Keep your tires filled to the air pressure indicated on the sidewall.
• A scan gauge can be installed into your vehicle's computer to calculate and display your fuel consumption, giving you constant feedback.