Hypermiling – Increasing Gas Mileage, Essay Example

There are a number of important actions that consumers can take in order to increase fuel mileage and equally help protect the environment. Jack Martin summarised these important tips on a recent videoclip. (Martin).

• It is important to reduce your speed limit. By driving at optimum fuel consumption speed limits you save gas and expenditure
• Maintain tire pressure checks. Properly inflated tires result in better gas consumption, it is better to be slightly over rather than under and additional checks are needed in the cold weather
• Avoid the so called ‘jack-rabbit start’ as this consumes large amounts of unnecessary fuel
• Make a gradual stop towards oncoming stop traffic lights, this as opposed to rushing up to them and coming to a sudden halt. The concept of fuel consumption is better on a slow low revolution engine than one that has come to a complete halt.
• It is useful to link or join short trips together in order to optimize your fuel consumption as this keeps the engine warm and saves burning more fuel to get the engine working to its desired operating temperature
• It is important to have your car regularly maintained particularly applicable to that of oil changes, new filters and other maintenance points that might impair proper fuel consumption
• Avoid having the car idling. Apart from this being illegal it can be a real fuel consumer particularly if you are using air conditioning or heating in idle mode
• It is important to keep a record of gas consumption on your trips. This can help in improving your driving habits and making any adjustments so as to optimize your fuel consumption.
• Select the right car for the job. An economy car is better for urban driving.