How to Improve Your Gas Mileage like a Hypermiler
Getting 30 MPG in an SUV, 59 MPG in an Accord, or 117 MPG in a hybrid, is possible through the art of hypermiling. (that rhymes with “smiling”, not “billing”) MotherJones has an article on the phenomenon.
It’s a series of techniques which will help you maximize every last drop of gasoline. It will also estrange you from your spouse and fellow drivers, since you have to a) close all your windows and leave the AC off, and b) coast to a stop at traffic lights, occasionally c) tailgating a truck.
Now for Smallist purposes, all three of those seem fine. If you’re in it purely for the environment, the last one’s a bit of a hack — you’re just trading your own carbon emissions for the truck’s really. In the spirit of moderation, I’d say some of their techniques should be adopted by everyone, and the rest will make you look like an asshole. So here’s a short list of DOs and DON’Ts, culled from the article, the wikipedia page, and the website CleanMPG.com. They won’t necessarily make you a hypermiler, but at least you can be a miler.
- DO accelerate at about 75% throttle, avoiding either redlining your RPMs or
- DO watch the mileage calculator, if you have one. Gaming any system requires good feedback, and it’s fun.
- DON’T stop short. Of course, don’t run red lights either. If you’re not psychic, you’ll just have to rely on common sense to know not to keep accelerating when a light’s going to change.
- DO keep your tires inflated and change your oil at the recommended intervals.
- DO ride as close to the shoulder as possible during heavy rain. This is called “ridge riding” among hypermilers, and keeps you out of the deepest puddles, which create drag. It has the added benefit of letting drivers behind you know you’re crazy.
If you really want to go nuts, there’s plenty more at any of those sites. But drive safely, and don’t take 25 mile per hour exit ramps at 50. It might save you a gallon or two, but you’ll get nauseous.
Via kottke.
March 11th, 2007 at 10:06 am
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March 19th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
I confess to being a novice,wanna be hypermiler sort, and I’m a little confused about the advice to accelerate at 75% throttle as opposed to accelerate very slowly keeping the rpm’s down. I do not own a hybrid, but instead a 4 cylinder gasoline engine (VW Passat), so i do not know whether this advice is striclty for the hybrid engine or for all types. Can you further explain the concept to a lay person like me?
Also, safety issues aside, are there considerations for when actually turning off the engine is a detriment to mileage (i.e.,do you turn it off at every light or do you turn it off when it’s reasoanbly certain that a certain amount of time elapse willoccur). i’ve always heard that engines burn a lot of gas during ignition, so I’m wondering whether there’s a breaking point as to when shut off of the engine is beneficial.
I’d appreciate your comments.
March 20th, 2007 at 12:07 am
On the subject of the throttle, I’d imagine it would work for traditional cars as well as hybrid. In fact, some of the advice helps more with regular cars, like trying not to stop completely at red lights. Hybrids have regenerative braking, which reduces the waste of coming to a complete stop.
On the ignition issue — I know that most hybrids actually shut the engine off at stops, but they’re very small engines and designed to do so. Still, I’d imagine that modern cars probably start very efficiently. Unless there’s some info out there on the matter, I’d say give it a try and see how your mileage does.
April 9th, 2007 at 10:50 am
[…] Japanese Prius hackers are getting 116 mpg, through a series of techniques that make hypermilers look like sissies. According to the Chicago Tribune: Toya, a 56-year-old manager for a tofumaker in […]
August 17th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
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September 16th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
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