The Opposite of Racing

© alykat

This hypermiler manged to get 40 miles to the gallon.

Auto racing has captivated Americans and created legends for decades as drivers push their machines past the breaking point in the pursuit of speed and the checkered flag. But one oft-overlooked aspect of racing of fuel consumption. While it may not have the glamour or sexiness of the winner’s circle, getting the most gas mileage out of your car has become a competition in and of itself. And unlike auto racing, "hypermiling," as it is called has practical applications in reducing both your carbon footprint and the money you spend on fuel. And you don’t have to spend millions of dollars to be a competitor.

Most races come down to simply being faster than the competition, but hypermiling competitions are like getting lost in opposite land. Rather than going fast, hypermilers take a lesson from the fable of the tortoise and the hare, going slow and steady to win the race. For example, going 55 MPH will result in 20% better fuel economy on average than going 70 MPH. Go even slower, get even better mileage.

It's the challenge of hypermiling that's inspiring hypermiling competitions all over the world. Many more people hypermile just for fun.

Want to Try Hypermiling? Here's How

Because hypermiling is all about easing off the gas and letting the car's momentum take over, one key hypermiling technique is coasting in neutral. Coasting down hills allows hypermilers to maintain their speed without using as much fuel. You can adopt this practice by coasting toward red lights instead of accelerating toward them, timing in so that by the time you reach the light, it is ready to turn green. If you do get stuck at a long stop light, shut off your car. Why sit there and waste fuel if you aren't moving?

In heavy traffic, if you leave enough room between yourself and the car ahead, you’ll spend less time hitting the brakes and more time moving forward (albeit slowly). This will also benefit the people stuck behind you, even if they don’t realize it. If you prefer passing rather than being passed (who doesn't?), you can use your car's cruise control to accelerate past slower drivers while also netting better mileage than you would by stomping the gas pedal to the floor.

These strategies have been utilized by amateur hypermilers the world over to achieve 100+ miles per gallon out of their regular cars. While there are competitions like Tour to the Shore in New Jersey where victory is earned by the maximum achieved fuel economy, you can make a competition with yourself to improve your mileage. Try keeping tabs on your by filling up your gas tank and resetting the odometer every time you full up. Divide the number of miles you traveled by the amount of fuel you put in your car to get your average mileage and try to outdo yourself every week. People have achieved amazing mileage results. Over the summer Ford managed to get 1,445.7 out of a 17.5 gallon tank in their Fusion Hybrid. Think you can do better? There's only one way to find out.