Hypermiling - Wringing the Last out of Oil

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/01/king_of_the_hypermilers.html

Hypermiling seems to be creeping up on property as a discussion topic so here is our very own Hypermiler Thread.

I've been hypermiling for years on the back of a lesson from Stirling Moss and a careful read of my car manual. I am that person doing 50 who pulls over to let you pass. How many miles per gallon do you get?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypermiler

http://www.hypermiling.com/

I try to get the 42 mpg which it says on the tin out of my 1.3. I'd drive a 1 litre without no problems too - a 1 litre old yoke I used to have got nearly 50 mpg I'm sure.. the easiest way to hypermile is get a smaller car and if you're an ecoworrier get an old one with a few years left and give it a new lease of life before someone puts it into the graveyard too early.

I get 100+ miles to 10 litres which is still very cheap travelling and I tend to drive around 50/80 too as a limit. I'm aware that this annoys people so I often take back roads where you can't drive any faster anyway and there are hardly ever any other cars on those roads either.

The RPM counter I try to keep around 2000 - I'm concerned that 2500 is burning a lot more. Also I've the impression that the petrol with Techron in it lasts slightly longer but I'm probably very wrong on that one - when I measured it I might have had no one in the car during those trips.

To measure the mpg I fill the car up to the last, set the counter to zero and then drive away for 100 or 200 miles. At 100 I refill it paying attention to the number of litres going in which is usually less than 10. Driving to 200 gives a better average and might give better performance since the car is pulling 10 litres less petrol around. They say you should fill up half way too but I never do.

There's nothing of extra weight in my car either - boot is always pretty empty. I think I have a litre of oil and an air filter in there at the minute. And a wheel changing tool. I never coast which I doubt is a valid hypermiler tool - I don't think it's good for the engine at all.

My car is pretty old too - 11 years and is fairly basic in terms of technology and gadgets. I'm threatening to put a fairly good radio in there soon though.

I drive very little - I generally take my life in my own hands on a bicycle. However, when I do drive I do tend to basically follow the outline there. Most roads I drive on don't have a particularly high speed limit anyway and I do tend to be in the appropriate gear and avoid bouts of acceleration and braking.

That's right with the braking - I try to do little of it, just let the car slow down if it's not again irritating to the person up your rear.

My driving instructor told me never to use the gears to slow down unless going down steep hills - he said it costs less to replace brakes than gearboxes.

Ford's got tips that could save the U.S. 22 billion gallons of fuel per year - found in Autobloggreen -

Quote :

Ford and Pro Performance Group took a group of volunteers from Phoenix, AZ and gave them some lessons on eco-driving. The results? Average fuel economy savings of 24 percent (ranging from 6 to 50 percent) simply by changing driving style. Volunteers learned specific driving behaviors such as keeping rpm constant, smooth braking, driving at constant speed at 55mph instead of 65mph and keeping tires properly inflated. Drivers used all types of vehicles: passenger cars, SUVs and trucks. The EPA estimates that if all Americans drove using these ecotips (yes, there's another list after the jump), the U. S. could save 22 billion gallons of fuel per year.

Ford's ecodriving program was born in Germany in the early '90s. Ford USA "imported" some of the master trainers to Dearborn to not only to teach a new batch of American instructors, but to set-up standards to certify eco-driving instructors. These instructors will train Ford's fleet customers to save fuel, but their lessons will be available for everybody.

And here's the tips:

Quote :

[Source: Ford]

PRESS RELEASE:

10 ECO-DRIVING TIPS FOR EVERYONE

Below are a few tips to help drivers conserve fuel and save money at the pump, while at the same time helping the environment and improving traffic safety.

1. Slow down and watch speed - Drive 55 miles per hour instead of 65 to save fuel. EPA estimates a 10-15 percent improvement in fuel economy by following this tip. Also, aim for a constant speed. Pumping the accelerator sends more fuel into the engine. Using cruise control whenever possible on the highway helps maintain speeds and conserve fuel.

2. Accelerate and brake smoothly - Accelerating smoothly from a stop and braking softly conserves fuel. Fast starts, weaving in and out of traffic and hard braking wastes fuel and wears out some of the car components, such as brakes and tires, more quickly. Maintain a safe distance between vehicles and anticipate traffic conditions to allow for more time to brake and accelerate gradually.

3. No idling - Today's engines don't need a warm up. Start the car immediately and gently drive away. Don't leave your car idling. Prolonged idling increases emissions and wastes fuel. Turn the engine off in non-traffic situations, such as at bank and fast food drive-up windows, when idling more than 30 seconds.

4. Check your tires - Keep tires properly inflated to the recommended tire pressure. This alone can reduce the average amount of fuel use by 3-4 percent. Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance and reduce fuel economy. They also wear more rapidly. Check the vehicle's door-post sticker for minimum cold tire inflation pressure.

5. Be kind to your vehicle - Maintain proper engine tune-up to keep vehicles running efficiently. Keep the wheels aligned. Wheels that are fighting each other waste fuel. Replace air filters as recommended. Use a fuel with good detergent additives to keep the vehicle engine clean and performing efficiently. Always consult the Owner's Manual for proper maintenance.

6. Travel light - Avoid piling a lot of luggage on the roof rack. The added frontal area reduces aerodynamics and will hurt fuel economy, reducing it by as much as 5 percent. Remove excess weight from the vehicle. Unnecessary weight, such as unneeded items in the trunk, makes the engine work harder and consumes more fuel.

7. Minimize use of heater and air conditioning - Use heating and air conditioning selectively to reduce the load on the engine. Decreasing your usage of the air conditioner when temperatures are above 80 degrees can help you save 10-15 percent of fuel. Use the vent setting as much as possible. Park in the shade to keep car cool and reduce the need for air conditioning.

8. Close windows at high speeds - Don't drive with the windows open unless your keep your speed under 50 mph. Driving with the windows open at highways speeds increases aerodynamic drag on the vehicle and lowers fuel economy.

9. Choose the right oil - Use good quality, energy-conserving EC oils with the viscosity grade recommended in the Owner's Manual. Look for cans marked with the symbol ECII, which is the American Society of Testing Materials logo for fuel-efficient oils.

10. Consolidate trips - Plan ahead to consolidate your trips. This will enable you to bypass congested routes, lead to less idling, fewer start-ups and less stop-and-go traffic. Whenever feasible, share a ride and/or carpool.

The Greens are talking about bringing the speed limit down. I totally agree with it, it would make very little difference to most journey times. Average urban speeds are about 10 miles an hour anyway.