100+ hypermiling / ecodriving tips & tactics

[Frank Lee]

What?

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by jtgh

gas is cheap.
its inflated the same price a bread from 1970 to present.
about 10x, like most things.
don't worry, be happy

Why do you visit this forum?

[sheepdog 44]

Changed my mind again. The outside curve preserves more momentum then the inside "racing line."

[radioranger]

The ultra gauge has been great, found out I make better MPG going 62 than 58 , go figure, averaging 41 mpg now mostly highway but highly up and down for about 30 miles per trip seem to get around 44 on th ehighway but hills kill me .

[Christ]

Originally Posted by sheepdog 44

Changed my mind again. The outside curve preserves more momentum then the inside "racing line."

The inside isnt' the 'racing line', it's just the inside of the curve.

If you want to preserve the most momentum, you take the shortest distance through the curve, not the shortest arc.

This involves turning the curve into a wider arc than it actually is. Typically for a simple right curve, you start on the yellow line, turn in toward the white line, and then move back out toward the white line. It's as straight as you can go through a curve.

Complex curves get a little more... complicated.

[euromodder]

Minimising the sideways scrubbing of the tyres when going through a curve is the key - and that's what the racing line does.
The effect of cornering on instant FC is quite noticeable.
Not having to accelerate again is also a bonus.

[WilliamYH09]

Additional tip for Route selection or Sub/urban section:

Combining errands: favor right turns over left turns at stop light intersections

In general, right turns are more fuel efficient than left turns. When combining multiple trips into one journey, choose the order of destinations that will result in the least amount of left turns.

^ This may somewhat conflict with going to the farthest destination first. This could be a test somebody could perform. Farthest destination fuel economy vs. right turn fuel economy. Do it on a stretch of road where the farthest destination is on the left side of the road and the other destination is on the right side from the beginning point. Might have to do it on hot and cool days as well.

[go_slow-save_dough]

Great list. I would love to add a few of my own:

1) Choose the hilliest route option. It seems counter intuitive, but I get much better mileage when I travel over big bridges and hills. During my daily commute I go slightly out of my way to get to the top of a big hill so I can roll several miles down hill EOC. Even major mountain passes help my mpg a bunch. It's the ultimate pulse/glide. Driving farther to get a higher mpg doesn't always save gas, but sometimes it does in a big way.

2) Accelerate quickly to keep your engine in the efficiency sweet spot. Also allows for a longer glide before the next pulse.

[topcat]

Originally Posted by go_slow-save_dough

Great list. I would love to add a few of my own:

1) Choose the hilliest route option. It seems counter intuitive, but I get much better mileage when I travel over big bridges and hills. During my daily commute I go slightly out of my way to get to the top of a big hill so I can roll several miles down hill EOC. Even major mountain passes help my mpg a bunch. It's the ultimate pulse/glide. Driving farther to get a higher mpg doesn't always save gas, but sometimes it does in a big way.

How odd. I find quite the opposite. I just came here to recommend taking the flattest route, particularly routes which follow rivers. Apart from anything else, hilly routes are longer by 1/cos(theta).

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by topcat

How odd. I find quite the opposite. I just came here to recommend taking the flattest route, particularly routes which follow rivers.

Pulse & glide upsets the whole traditional thinking about fuel saving

Downhill, the glides can be very long if the grades are good - not too steep so you don't overspeed, not too shallow so you can keep up a good speed.