100+ hypermiling / ecodriving tips & tactics

[ikaruga]

I apologize for the racy title -- but I was a bit disappointed by the tips. (1) Many of them are obvious. Ex: "avoid peak traffic." DUH! (2) Many are more trouble than they're worth. Ex: "rabbit timing" (3) Many are more dangerous than they're worth. Ex: "turn off your lights". (4) Many are just plain dangerous. Ex: "drafting," "fake pass". (5) Many are impractical if you live in and/or near a big city. Ex: "pulse and glide"....

[MetroMPG]

Hi, ikaruga -

Do you have anything of value to add to this thread? Or are you just trolling?

[Daox]

So... out of 100+ tips you only found how many useful? 50? 25? I think thats still pretty good. Pick a few, try them and see what happens.

Also, you'd be amazed how many people don't even know the obvious things. I think you can see that it wouldn't be best for us to omit obvious things just because some people know them.

BTW, pulse and glide is great for city driving. A lot of hypermilers get better city mileage than highway mileage because of pulse and glide. Just because you haven't tried it doesn't mean its not a good idea.

[ikaruga]

You guys missed the point. If you live in or near a major city, the majority of these tips are useless. For example, I live on Long Island, a suburb of NY, and I can't pulse-and-glide even if I wanted to -- there's just too much traffic. I can't draft for the same reason. All I can really do (other than the obvious tips) are accelerate slowly and turn my engine off at long stop lights.

By the way, pulse-and-glide seems to be illegal and dangerous -- you're asking people to either (a) go past the speed limit and then coast down, or (b) go to the speed limit and then go under what everyone else is going -- that's asking for trouble on the highway. (And that doesn't even mention turning off the engine.)

Sorry, I don't have any tips, I'm just being a realist

[Daox]

The thing is, you are not being a realist. Case in point, I live near and work in a major city. I use a lot of these techniques every time I drive. My wife drives in the city a ton and she uses the techniques listed here. Yes, some don't won't apply to you, that doesn't make them useless for everyone else. Stop for a minute and think about what you're saying. You are applying your situation to everyone in the entire world. That is not realistic.

[Tango Charlie]

Originally Posted by Daox

I think you can see that it wouldn't be best for us to omit obvious things just because some people know them.

Right. Like if you were to make a list of "Tips to Help You Meet Pretty Girls" you wouldn't leave 'brush your teeth' off the list, would you?

It's easier to just say 'It won't work' than actively pursue something.

[COMP]

Originally Posted by Daox

The thing is, you are not being a realist. Case in point, I live near and work in a major city. I use a lot of these techniques every time I drive. My wife drives in the city a ton and she uses the techniques listed here. Yes, some don't won't apply to you, that doesn't make them useless for everyone else. Stop for a minute and think about what you're saying. You are applying your situation to everyone in the entire world. That is not realistic.

+1

[mattW]

And pulse and glide doesn't necessarily mean you have to speed/go slower. I live near a lot of small gentle hills and just pulse up one side and coast down the other while staying within 10km of the speed limit either way. Perhaps it should be called climb and coast but it means when the engine is working it is at a higher more efficient load (medium throttle at 2-2.5k rpm) and when it's off my speed doesn't drop because of the hill. Its pulse and glide without the drawbacks, just use the terrain to your advantage.

[echomodder]

I have another tip. You sort of hit on this tip with the wind, but also taking a route that has lots of trees (ie shade) when its hot out you won't have to use the A/C as the sun won't be on you and the car as much. Also if the route goes through a dense forest the air will be much cooler.

[Yuri4x4]

I disagree with the vacuum boosted brakes comment. If you shut your car completely off, you still have vacuum assist for a few pedal pushes. Those are FREE. In fact, you can also speculate that it MAY be BETTER to use that vacuum before re-starting your engine, possibly reducing resistance inside the engine. ...if you've ever had to turn a crankshaft by hand to find Top Dead Center, was it easier to turn the crankshaft with a sealed-up block, or did you pull the spark plugs first? Understand my thought process now?