Friday, April 25, 2008

A World Of Hypermilers


Is the only answer. I saw that oil could go as high as $200 per barrel not just a bubble but the growing demand and tightening supplies might make that scary number a reality. Along with carpooling, using the transit system and well walking we could all try "hypermile - ing":

"Fuel economy-maximizing behaviors describe techniques that drivers can use to optimize their automobile fuel economy. The energy in fuel consumed in driving is lost in many ways, including engine inefficiency, aerodynamic drag, rolling friction, potential energy required to climb hills, and kinetic energy lost to braking (absent regenerative braking). Driver behavior can influence all of these. The city mileage of conventional cars is much lower than highway mileage due to: 1) a high proportion of idling time, 2) operation mostly at very inefficient low-output engine operating points, and 3) more frequent braking" Wikipedia

Although it may seem like a drop in the bucket hypermile-ing will reduce your gas consumption and is growing in popularity among the environmentally and wallet conscious. I have tried to follow the techniques suggested i.e. slow accelerations, coasting downhill and avoiding frequent braking - My gas tank seems to lasts a little longer than it did before.

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