What Is Hypermiling and Should I be Trying It?

We’ve heard of people running their cars on cooking oil or even cooking entire meals on their engines. But there’s a simpler way push the limits of what your car can do for you – hypermiling.

Hypermiling is extreme fuel-efficient driving. Some hardcore hypermilers have been reported to exceed as many as 100 mpg. They’re not driving hybrids or technologically advanced cars, either. The self-titled “King of Hypermilers” has been known to get almost 60 miles per gallon in an ordinary, unaltered Honda Accord (the average is 25-30). So, how do they do it?

Here are 7 common hypermiling techniques perfected by the experts:

1. Get the junk out of your trunk. A lighter vehicle will obviously use less gas. Expert hypermilers deep clean their cars, limit the number of passengers per trip and even wear lighter clothing and remove their shoes.
2. Check your tire pressure regularly. The higher the pressure, the less resistance and the easier it is to conserve fuel. (The downside is your traction is worse and your stopping distance increases.)
3. Keep the windows closed and the AC off. Windows increase resistance, and the AC demands more power, which could use more gas.
4. Find the racing line. Conserve momentum by finding the turning path that offers the widest possible radius on the road. This helps reduce body roll and g-forces, tire scrub, and it helps you maintain a higher speed without touching the brakes.
5. Minimize idling. It takes much more gas to get a car going from a complete stop than to keep it moving, so avoid drive-thrus, traffic jams and “crawling” at stop signs.
6. Learn smart braking. Uncalculated, unpredictable stop-and-go’s are the most common ways “traditional” drivers waste gas. Expert hypermilers conserve momentum whenever possible and rarely hit the brakes. Instead, put the car in neutral and turn the engine off (or let it idle), and coast until you come to a stop.
7. Reduce your speed. The faster you’re traveling on the highway, the greater your aerodynamic drag. For most cars, the most efficient speed will be just after its highest gear has engaged.

What’s the point of hypermiling?

Let’s face it, hypermiling isn’t glamorous, and becoming a hardcore hypermiler will probably not make you seem more attractive to the opposite sex. But it could make you richer.

The national average for gas prices in 2013 is roughly $3.75, which means it probably costs the average Honda Accord owner around $45-$50 to fill up every two weeks or so. Considering the King of Hypermiling gets twice the gas mileage than the average driver, he could be saving as much as $600 a year!

In addition to saving on gas, expert hypermilers are able to extend the lives and preserve the value of their cars for much longer than traditional drivers. Plus, lower mileage also often means lower insurance rates. So while you may feel like a Grandma coasting on the freeway at 20 mph under the speed limit, hypermiling does start to sound a little sexier when you consider all the extra cash you could start to see in your pocket.

Source: AutoInsurance