Hypermiling

Hypermiling is a term used in North America that refers to a set of techniques used to maximize fuel economy. Those who practice the techniques are referred to as "hypermilers." The term was originally coined by Wayne Gerdes, who is considered by the media to be one of the top hypermilers in the world, [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/24/earlyshow/main4125201.shtml] and is known to hold the record for gas mileage in some common vehicles, including 30 miles per gallon (mpg) in an Acura MDX and 59 mpg in a Honda Accord. [ [http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/01/king_of_the_hypermilers.html This Guy Can Get 59 MPG in a Plain Old Accord. Beat That, Punk ] ]

Hypermiling, which can be practiced in any vehicle regardless of its fuel economy, has gained in popularity as a result of the rise in gasoline prices during the 2000s. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/aurora/ci_9822065 Hypermilers stretch their gas mileage - The Denver Post ] ] While common techniques can be carried out by average motorists making minor changes in their driving habits, some expert hypermilers use more advanced techniques, some of which may be illegal in some jurisdictions. [ [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectID=15&articleID=20080717_15_E3_spa462136 Tulsa World: 'Hypermiling' tricks sometimes unlawful ] ]

Techniques

Common

* If you can avoid turning the key, do so by walking, biking and/or taking public transportation
* Anticipatory focus
* Know and plan your local routes
* Avoid or minimize braking
* Avoiding quick accelerations and decelerations
* If the engine is not doing work, shut it off (not including coasting with the engine off)
* Avoid additional gas wasters like running the air conditioning and driving with the windows down [ [http://www.hypermiler.ws Hypermiler] ]

Maintenance

*Properly inflating tires
*Keeping air filter up to date
*Reducing weight load by removing unnecessary objects from vehicle

The effect of the air filter as a hypermiling aid can be questioned. A throttled engine which is driven with low load most of the time will not experience any increase in overall fuel consumption, because the restriction of the filter just helps reduce airflow into the engine and the throttle blade is opened a bit more to compensate.

Common hypermiling terms

Common terms used in hypermiling are: [ [http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510 Beating the EPA - The Why’s and how to Hypermile] ]

* FE - fuel economy
* DWB - driving without brakes
* DWL - driving with load
* FAS - forced auto stop, basically coasting with the engine off
* P&G - pulse and glide
* ICE - internal combustion engine
* PP - potential parking
* RR - ridge riding
* SHM - super highway mode
* SAHM - super Atkinson highway mode
* rabbit timing
* smart braking
* face out

Extreme

Generally, the recommended way to hypermile is using only the common techniques. However, extreme hypermilers have been known to use some controversial techniques:

* drafting behind trucks
* driving far below the speed limit at times
* taking sharp curves at high speeds (to avoid losing energy to braking)
* coasting with the engine off
* passing red lights or stop signs in areas of low traffic
* over-inflating tires to reduce rolling resistance

Turning off the engine while stopped at lights can be difficult to do properly. Though the engine does not burn fuel while it is off, the motorist may feel pressured to rapidly start the car and accelerate when the light turns green, thereby using more fuel and defeating the purpose of turning the engine off. Starts to the engine also consume some fuel. Some estimates are that the engine uses as much fuel to start up while still hot as it would during 30 seconds of idlingFact|date=October 2008, although this only applies for carburetted enginesFact|date=October 2008. Fuel injected engines use much less during startupFact|date=October 2008.

afety and awareness program

Hypermiling has come under fire from several quarters due to claims of dangerous or unlawful behavior by some hypermilers. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/motorists-risking-their-lives/2008/08/23/1219262622708.html Motorists risking their lives to save on petrol] ] In an effort to reinforce the overall safety, image, and lawfulness of hypermiling, and to provide a defense of responsible hypermilers in the public forum, the Hypermiling Safety Foundation was formed in August of 2008 and set forth with a safety and public awareness program. [ [http://www.hypermilingfoundation.org/Lawful_Hypermiling.htm Hypermiling Safety Foundation Safety and Awareness Program] ] The program was created with the purposes of helping educate drivers about safe and lawful hypermiling, along with helping parties such as the press, law enforcement, and the non-hypermiling public become aware of who hypermilers are, why they are driving the way they do, and that proper (and responsible) hypermiling techniques are non-aggressive by nature. Hypermilers who want to present themselves as safe and lawful hypermilers (and comply with a prescribed set of basic safety standards) are permitted by the foundation to display the program's hypermiling safety decal on their vehicles. The decal is designed to positively identify one as a responsible hypermiler, to make one's vehicle more visible to higher-speed vehicles approaching from behind, and to immediately (and clearly) communicate to law enforcement why one may be driving in a more "relaxed" way than surrounding traffic. There is also the potential for a reduction in the incidence of acts of "road rage" toward hypermilers if other drivers can identify them as a hypermiler and, in response, "pass them peacefully" on the left.

Hypermiling as a sport

In some places, hypermiling contests have been held to see who can get the highest mpg on a selected course.

The most recent Maximum Fuel Economy contest was held in Elkhart, Indiana at the Fuel Economy World Championships, where world records for the Honda Insight (213 mpg round trip), Toyota Prius (136 mpg round trip) and the Ford Escape Hybrid (76 mpg round trip) were achieved. [ [http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12620 CleanMPG World Fuel Economy Championships - Records smashed] ]

Another contest is the Tour to the Shore, held in New Jersey, which evaluates drivers of cars and trucks. [http://www.eevc.info/21st_century_auto_comp.pdf]

Gerdes and a team of six hold the current record for the most miles achieved out of a single tank of gas with 2254 miles from the 13.7-gallon tank of a Honda Insight, and average of 164.53 mpg for the entire distance. [ [http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2783 The Insight Marathon 2006 -- World Record 2,254.4 miles on one tank of fuel] ]

ee also

*Rat running
*Shunpiking

References