Basic Hypermiling Tips

Hypermiling is the newest craze in the automotive industry. Hypermiling is a set of "rules" that will help you get the best gas mileage out of your car. I'm sure you're probably thinking that this means that you do simple things like change your oil and air filter. Actually, it is something completely different.

The first "rule" is to change the way that you drive, or rather the way you use your brakes. Most people tend to use their brakes more often than is really needed. One of the first methods to changing your driving is to drive in such a manner that you do not have to use your brakes as often. The general distance that you should have between you and the car in front of you is one to two car lengths. Back up and get off other people's bumpers. The more that you use your brakes the more that you have to use your gas pedal to accelerate again. Also, you should not be waiting until the last minute to use your brakes. It will also cause you to use your gas pedal more frequently.

In the beginning of your efforts to change the way that you drive, you should take the slower ways around. Choose routes that you know have lower speed limits. This will help you un-train all those bad habits that you have picked up. Your automatic choice has been to take the route that will get you where you want to go in the fastest amount of time. You typically choose to take the Interstate as often as possible because the speed limits are higher than typical city highways. In changing your driving, you are changing the way that you look at driving too.

Finally, if your car has cruise control, you should be using it whenever you have the opportunity. Using your cruise control help you maintain a consistent speed. It will also help keep you from going over the speed limit. Your car's cruise control can also help you if you have a heavy foot and you tend to stay on the gas pedal.

These aspects of hypermiling are just a taste of the standards that should be followed. There are quite a few more that you should learn. These are easily accessed through the hypermiling manual that is offered to drivers. This manual was written to explain hypermiling, and to teach drivers how to get the most distance per gallon of gas. Think about it for a second. When you buy your car, one of the first things that you consider is the gas mileage for city and highway, right? So it makes sense to do what you can to maximize those numbers.