Increase Your Car's Mileage and Use Less Gas

Driving habits, the type of vehicle and the conditions under which it’s driven all affect it’s environmental performance. With that in mind, here are our top tricks to make your car greener and save money on gas.

Steps

  1. Accelerate smoothly, brake gradually. “Easy on the throttle” is the biggest rule to save a lot of fuel. Drive at a distance from the car in front of you to avoid unnecessary acceleration and frequent repetitive braking that ends up wasting fuel and ruining brakes. It’s much safer too!

  2. Drive In high gear. An engine runs most efficiently between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm (lower in diesels)[citation needed]. To maintain these low revs, change up through the gears as soon as practical and before the revs reach 2,500 rpm. Automatic transmissions will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car speeds up.
  3. Drive the speed limit. This tip saves fuel...and lives. High speeds equal high fuel consumption. At {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} your car uses up to 25% more fuel than it would at {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}.[citation needed]
  4. Drive defensively, not aggressively. Avoid fast starts after stop lights (it’s not a drag race). Don’t weave in and out of traffic like you’re playing Grand Theft Auto. Accelerating unnecessarily and braking hard does not really save you much time. What it does do is use more fuel and increase wear and tear on car parts such as your tires and brake pads.
  5. Keep tires optimally inflated and properly aligned. Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance, use more gas and wear more rapidly. Keeping tires inflated to the maximum recommended pressure (printed in the owner’s manual) can reduce fuel use by 3-4% and extend tire life.[citation needed] Make sure your wheels are properly aligned to reduce fuel consumption, extend tire life and improve handling. Rotating tires at designated intervals will keep them wearing evenly and lasting longer. According to Consumer Reports, a tire’s rolling resistance “can add or detract an additional 1-2 miles per gallon.”[citation needed].
  6. Don't keep your car idle. Modern engines do not need to be warmed up. Idling for more than 30 seconds creates excess emissions and wastes fuel. Stop the engine whenever your car is stopped or held up for a longer period of time. By switching the engine off, even for a few minutes, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuel involved in restarting the engine. Note: Increased wear and tear from doing this is negligible.[citation needed]
  7. Don’t use the roof rack as an attic. Lighter cars get better fuel economy. Piling things on top of your car reduces aerodynamics and fuel economy by up to 5%.[citation needed] Avoid using a roof rack regularly because it alters the vehicle's center of gravity and dramatically changes it’s driving dynamics. Note: The more a vehicle carries the more fuel it uses. An extra {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} carried can increase your fuel bill by 2%. So...remove the sandbags and out of season sports gear from the trunk. Keep the spare tire and emergency kit!
  8. Don't drive fast with open windows. Open windows decrease a vehicle’s aerodynamics on highways, which lowers its fuel economy. Additional parts on the exterior of a vehicle such as roof racks and spoilers, or simply having the windows open, increases air resistance and fuel consumption by up to 20%. Note: Operating air conditioners can use up to 10% extra fuel. Yet, at speeds of more than {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}, using the air conditioning is better for fuel consumption than even a single open window.[citation needed]
  9. Use sun reflectors when parking. Sun reflectors keep cabin temperature down while a vehicle is parked, easing the load on the AC when you get back. Reflecting the sun can be good for your health!
  10. Turn it in and tune-up. A clean-running engine will not only use less fuel, but will pump fewer emissions out the tailpipe. Maintain regular tune-ups and oil changes for your car. A properly tuned-up engine always runs more efficiently and wastes less fuel.
  11. Replace the air filters.[citation needed] The vehicle’s owner's manual will tell you how often to do this.
  12. Use high quality oil. Always use oils matching the viscosity grade recommended in the vehicle's manual. Stick to popular brands, despite the cost, because the not doing so could cost you a lot more in the long run.
  13. Plug your car in. After adding a car conversion kit AKA beefed-up battery pack and some extra computing power, a Prius or Escape Hybrid can be plugged into a home socket. They will run on electric power alone for up to {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} once fully charged. This is more than enough for the average work commute.
  14. Combine your errands. Run as many errands as possible in a single car trip to save both time and fuel. The engine is cold for the first couple of minutes of every car trip, so it uses more gas for those miles. Don’t waste gas driving to stores that are closed, or getting lost. Map out routes before you go or use a GPS system and check hours online.
  15. Don’t drive. The ultimate green car upgrade may just be no car at all, or, rather, not driving everywhere by default. If you want to try going without a car completely, car-sharing companies like Zipcar let you use a car only when you need one. Users can pay by the month, sign up online, swipe their card and simply drive away. Gas, insurance and air fresheners included.

Tips

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