Have you heard of hypermiling? They claim they can get about 40 mpg without a hybrid.
After hearing a brief NPR story on hypermiling yesterday, I tried driving with one shoe off. Weird. But effective.
Here are some tips from Wired.com.
There’s even a www.hypermiling.com complete with a CafePress store.
Wow. I had no idea this was a movement. My name is Rob and I am a hypermiler! I have been doing this for years, getting a little over 20 mpg in a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Not bad for a vehicle rated 14/19 with an avg of 17.
Due to age, high mileage (220,000), and high gas prices, I just bought a new more gas friendly commuting vehicle, a 2008 Kia Spectra. It is rated 24 city and 32 highway with an estimated avg of 28. I just knew I could do better.
First, I love this little car and since purchase, at the time of this writing, have averaged 33.38 mpg! Some of my averages have hit as high as 44!
I do many of the techniques described, slow acceleration, long deceleration, coasting, etc. I also have a great commute that requires me to drive around 55 mph for 30 plus miles each way and a lot of highway driving too.
In 1732.5 miles of driving, I have saved $134.98 versus my Jeep. This is for less than one month’s driving for me. I am averaging a monthly savings of $168.68 based on my typical monthly driving habits.
The joy in this, aside from the savings, is to plug the numbers into my Google Docs spreadsheet and watch the numbers. It takes a bit of the sting out of $4.07/gal.
Thanks for this.
Hi Rob.
Sounds like a HMA meeting. 🙂
I love that you’re as geeky as me. Let’s hear it for Google docs!