Learn to Hypermile When You Drive
Save money on gas and help the environment with a few automobile strategies
Reader Comments
Hypermiling
P.s. I definitely hypermile on the Turnpike or Interstate behind a "mack" truck ALL the time. Its like "floating" to my destination for free. As a Bonus, 98% of truckers are "good" drivers. They have excellent credentials & licenses in order to be able to haul rig across country. So, besides saving gas, Im honored to sit "in the cradle" behind a trucker.
Hypermiling
I, for one find hypermiling to save energy attractive, and try to using it frequently. But it IS very unpopular in Jersey (that boasts 2nd highest accident rate in the country), and rewards "Over-the-Top" agressive driving -- its gets quite hairy....uh...scary!
Drafting???
I really don't know of any serious hypermilers who draft behind big trucks. First of all, a Pulse and Glide would make drafting impossible; and secondly I, along with most hypermilers, drive at an "unpopular" 55 miles per hour and I can think of only two times in the past year that I have gone as fast as, or passed a truck.
MPG Geeks
Changing driving habits to increase fuel economy is great, but there is a lot of 'hyper' in hypermiling.
To do it 'right', you need to coast with the engine off, draft trucks closely, push your car out of the parking spots (no kidding),'pulse and glide' (accel to 50 then coast, engine off to 40, repeat), and drive at speeds very 'unpopular' with other drivers. It takes an awful lot of effort and ticks people off.
So, it's interesting that you can beat EPA mileage, but it fails in the real world. In practice, it's pretty radical and was a fringe, knee-jerk reaction to high priced fuel and too-big cars.
You'll do a lot more to reduce your consumption by getting a more efficient car, using public transport and moving closer to work.
MPG geeks
Changing driving habits to increase fuel economy is great, but there is a lot of 'hyper' in hypermiling.
Hypermiling is pretty extreme; you need to coast with the engine off, draft trucks closely, push your car out of the parking spots (not kidding),'pulse and glide' (accel to 50 then coast, engine off to 40, repeat), and drive at speeds very 'unpopular' with other drivers. It takes an awful lot of effort and ticks people off.
So, it's a great science experiment to beat EPA mileage, but it fails in the real world.
Our transportaion issues are a lot bigger than saving a few pennies per gallon with radical driving habits.
Live closer and take the bus.
To bad the light rail in most mid sized cities was taken over by automotive industry sponsored bus companies back in the "Good" ol'days.
Double your mileage by carpooling just two people
What is the average speed when Hypermiling?
Wouldn't it be better to have a Motorcycle and doing the speed limit or bicycle with a small motor that travel at about 20 mph and get 150 mpg and that doesn't require insurance by state law.



