Pass by
the Pump!
Tai Stillwater, a transportation
researcher at the University
of California, Davis, is a fan of the
eco-driving movement known
as hypermiling, in which drivers
compete to squeeze amazing
fuel economy from their cars.
He doesn’t recommend resorting
to such extreme hypermiling
measures as drafting behind
18-wheelers, removing the backseat to save weight, or zooming
around corners without braking,
to avoid losing momentum.
But here’s what you can do:
1. Slow down Driving 5 miles
over 60 miles per hour is
like paying 29 cents extra for
every gallon of gas you burn.
That premium goes up as your
speed increases.
2. Be a smooth operator
According to the Environmental
Protection Agency, drivers who
accelerate moderately and evenly
and go easy on the brakes (
coasting whenever possible) can save
$1 or more per gallon.
3. Lose the rack Add-ons
such as flags, bike carriers, and
luggage racks undermine your
car’s aerodynamics. (Close
the windows, too, particularly at
highway speeds.)
4. Chuck the junk in the
trunk Extra weight makes the
engine work harder—so resist the
urge to store your bowling balls in
the backseat.
5. Kill the engine Fifteen
minutes of idling can burn a quarter of a gallon of gasoline, especially if the AC is blasting. —J.E.
HABITS
OF HIGHLY
EFFICIENT DRIVERS
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