With oil prices increasing, we are forced to minimize need for it. Gas saving devices are being tried and tested, alternative fuels have also been tapped. Taxi's here being converted to be powered by Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) to cut the cost of fuel, as these gases cost half the price of gasoline. Some buses run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), a locally available gas but not as popular as LPG.
For an ordinary person, these solutions are drastic and even costly, for these all require buying or modifying something in your car. And this is not an option for them. As frustrated as them, I started searching for solutions, and came across hypermiling. It is a relatively new and practical way of saving gas without
buying anything or modifying anything in your car. Its as new as my the dictionary of my computer doesn't
even recognize it as a word, and marks it red.
Wikipedia defines is as "
the act of driving using techniques that maximize fuel economy." Here are some ways on how I do it.
- Check the tire pressure of your car (see user's manual)
- Always follow your car's maintenance schedule. Good running engine, optimizes the use of fuel. Helps burn fuel efficiently, which means less fuel wastage.
- If traveling a short distances, don't fill up your gas to full. Remember the more fuel stored, the heavier your car gets, a full tank is like adding an extra passenger
- Avoid sudden stop, plan your stops. If you're approaching a red light in an intersection, release your foot from the pedal, make a gradual stop instead of stopping at the last minute.
- Avoid speeding, the harder you step on the pedal, the more fuel gets injected to your engine.
- Maintain a consistent speed, maintaining an average speed reduces the chances of accelerating and braking which causes sudden need for fuel.
- Shift gears on low revs, this is only applicable for manual or stick shift transmissions.
- Keep moving in traffic congestion, accelerate slow, decelerate slow.
- Coasting or gliding. If you are using manual or stick shift, put it on neutral when approaching a slight descending slope or on a light volume highway. NEVER do this on a steep slope, your engine uses an "engine break" when going down, this limits the maximum speed your car travels depending on the gear, the lower the gear, the lower the speed. Putting it on neutral frees the engine from engine break, this can be dangerous as this will strain the breaks resulting in a lesser breaking power and response. Observe proper caution in applying this technique.
The key is to maintain a consistent as possible speed to maximize the use of energy generated by the fuel. Unnecessary revving is wasting fuel.
Keep in mind that these are small steps to being environmental and economical. Saving money might be the key to buying that Prius you've always wanted.
