Fuel Saving Solar Power Energy Generation Guide
Fuel Saving Tips To Reduce Costs
By James J Dixon
For most Americans, getting better gas mileage is about
putting more money in the bank during the recession.
If their vehicles can be more fuel efficient simply
based on the way these motorists drive, why wouldn’t
they try to slow down a little bit, brake a little softer
or plan more intelligent routes?
Some Americans also appreciate that they are supporting
a cleaner environment and reducing their carbon footprint
by consuming less fuel. At the same time, they are reducing
the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.
Fuel saving is smart for so many reasons. At www.fueleconomy.gov,
you can review many practical tips on how to make increased
gas mileage a reality, no matter what type of vehicle
you’re driving.
Accelerating And Breaking Burns More Fuel
The first step in saving fuel is to drive sensibly.
Drivers use the most fuel when accelerating or braking.
The Environmental Protection Agency tests show you can
conserve 5% of your gas on city streets and 33% on highways
just by braking gradually (or coasting to stops), using
cruise control whenever possible and accelerating gradually
from stops.
Observing the speed limit is not only safer, but also
wiser. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above
60 mph, so think of every five miles per hour you drive
over 60 as spending an additional 24 cents per gallon
for your gas. In the end, driving 60 or less will save
you 7-23% in fuel economy.
Using Cruise Control To Maintain A Constant Speed
The EPA also recommends avoiding excessive idling (since
you get 0 MPG while stopped with the engine running),
using cruise control whenever possible to help you maintain
a constant speed and using overdrive gears to slow yourself
down, save gas and reduce engine wear.
Car maintenance is another well-tested area for fuel
saving. According to www.fueleconomy.gov,
you can save 4% of your fuel economy just by getting
an engine tune-up, an oil change or an upgrade to pass
emissions tests.
Maintain Your Car And Tyres
If you have a faulty oxygen sensor or other serious
maintenance problem, you can boost your fuel effectiveness
by as much as 40%! Every time you visit a gas station,
you should check your tire psi because even 1 psi drop
in pressure on all four tires can decrease your gasoline
mileage by 0.3%.
Many drivers see an overall savings of 3.3% when their
tires are inflated to manufacturer standards. It is
also important to use the proper grade of motor oil,
which offers a fuel savings of 1-2%.
Average EPA Fuel Economy Readings For New Models
Lastly, you may decide that the best way of fuel saving
for you is to buy new vehicles or hybrid cars for your
family. You can search the average EPA fuel economy
ratings for each new model at www.fueleconomy.gov
to find the best fit.
When you look at the numbers, understand that avid
hypermilers are able to drastically increase gas mileage
ratings out of their cars. However, it is always wise
to start with a car that has the maximum efficiency
ratings already.
If fuel costs $2.67 and you drive 15,000 miles per
year, the difference between a car that gets 20 MPG
and 30 MPG translates to $688 per year or $3,338 over
five years! Needless to say, whether you plan to try
hypermiling techniques or not, take your time picking
out your next ride.
About the Author:
James J Dixon has written a number of articles on Hypermiling and Recycling including
Hypermiling Hybrid,
Hypermiling To Save Gas,
Hypermiling Your Car,
Waste Water,
Disposal Of Plastics.
Look out for new articles as they become available on this site.
Little Known Hypermiling Facts.....
Is hypermiling dangerous?
There are always going to be individuals
who take something to the extreme. Hypermiling is no
exception. There are a few practices heavily frowned
upon and in fact are illegal that some hypermilers do
that you should definitely stay away from.
The first is the practice of
not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign or intersection.
Stop and go traffic burns up a lot of gas but failing
to come to a complete stop at a stop sign can land you
in some serious trouble. Getting a ticket for failure
to stop is going to cost you far more than what you
actually save.
Another practice that is heavily
frowned upon is overinflating tires. Your vehicle’s
tires have a recommended air pressure. When you greatly
exceed that recommended tire pressure you are risking
having a major blowout that could cause you to wreck
your vehicle.
So you have to take some of the
suggestions with a huge dose of common sense.
|
