By Bob Difley
Maybe you’re not a believer that adopting conservative driving habits can actually increase your mileage in a meaningful way, consider this test that Ford recently conducted. They assembled a team consisting of a NASCAR driver, an engineer, and a hyper-mileage record breaker to see how many miles they could wring out of a tank of gas in a stock Ford Fusion Hybrid. Driving on open roads they got 1,445.7 miles out of one tank of gas. One tank! That works out to an astonishing 81.5 mpg.
You won’t get those kinds of extraordinary results driving your 40-foot diesel pusher or pulling your Excel Limited fiver with five slides, but they proved that you can stretch your mileage–no matter what you drive. And you can too, by taking a few tips from the team and applying some version of them to your driving habits.
- Slow down and maintain even pressure on the throttle.
- Accelerate gradually, both from a stop and when entering a freeway.
- Brake smoothly, avoiding fast stops.
- Keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
- Look ahead and anticipate traffic conditions. Slow down well before you need to.
- Coast up to red lights and stop signs to avoid wasting fuel (using your kinetic energy) and wear on the brakes.
- Minimize using heater and dash air conditioning to reduce the load on the engine.
- Run roof air and close windows at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag.
- Minimize excessive engine workload by using the vehicle’s kinetic forward motion to climb hills.
- Use downhill momentum, rather than applying accelerator, to build speed back up.
On a recent trip I had to rent a car for a week. My rented Prius had just over 6,000 miles on it and the monitor screen indicated that the car had averaged 41 miles per gallon up to that point. I thought it would be an interesting test to follow the monitor’s display of mileage that reflected on my driving at the time and, within reason–I was not trying to hyper-drive–adjust my driving speed, acceleration, and coasting to obtain higher mileage.
The tank lasted the entire week, and in fact had quite a bit left, even after a lot of tourist attraction and exploration driving. When I re-filled the tank, the car calculated my mileage for that tank of gas at 55 mph, a 34% increase–quite impressive. I could easily see how my actions affected the mileage by seeing the instant feedback on the vehicle’s monitor.
I previously had managed to increase the mileage on my motorhome (while towing) from 7.2 to 8.8 mpg–a 22% increase–using similar methods of driving. I also had occasion recently to use a friend’s Land Rover for two tanks of gasoline, and practiced hypermiling. The EPA standard for the Rover was 12 mpg combined. I got 17.75 mph–a 48% increase! These tips work. You too can obtain the same kind of mileage improvements–if you already haven’t. Start now, the sooner the better to display your middle digit to OPEC.
For more RV tips and articles check out my Healthy RV Lifestyle website and ebooks: BOONDOCKING: Finding the Perfect Campsite on America’s Public Lands (PDF or Kindle), 111 Ways to Get the Biggest Bang out of your RV Lifestyle Dollar (PDF or Kindle), and Snowbird Guide to Boondocking in the Southwestern Deserts (PDF or Kindle).
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Rob
Hi, living in the UK I’m paying close to 10.70$US for an (imperial) gallon. Sure concentrates to mind trying to squeeze more mpg. I get 30mpg driving our High top diesel motorhome , just 20ft long and 3.5 ton all up weight. Most of the fuel price is stolen by our government – more than 60% is fuel duty and tax. Good post and yes I follow most of the tips given. Same problems over here getting on our motorways. You HAVE to speed match for safety coming off the ramp.
Texas Gun Slinger
Not much to argue about here, I think its all been said. Yeah—I used to drive a “Big Rig” so to speak and the cargo is still clasiffied. (Government you know.) I used to be amazed at the people in the San Diego area. Yup- – 6 lanes and they are all changing and the speeds were stupid. Try mergeing at highway speeds on short ramps! We had drivers that would just turn on the turn signals and start moving over. Size matters? Yeah- – they’d get out of the way for sure.
I drive a Class A and really try to drive down the road, pick a spot and merge into it. I also run a Harley and thats the way we do it just to stay alive. People seem to not see motorcyclists so we do the best we can. Hmmm- – – the tips really work however, they have to be slightly modified for what you’re driving.
By using these, my “A” gets 9.1 on the flats and thats towing the Jeep. So- – –
Bill
I agree with all the things you mentioned except the part about the running the roof air. If I do that I have to run my generator to power it. If I am driving and running the generator won’t I be using more fuel than If I used the dash A/C powered by the engine and left the generator off?
Liz
When we were stationed at Ft Meade, MD, we would travel the PA Turnpike to get to Ohio. This was 1978-80. I remember the talk on the CB was the cops waiting at the bottom of the hill/mountain as the truckers were trying to build up speed to get up the next mountain. I saw a lot of cars getting caught too. There were certain places they liked to wait for you, unless it was raining or snowing. They really needed to be there when these fools drove too fast for the conditions.
I had a trucker call me to move in front of him because he saw the truck behind me was a open trailer that was empty. He later told me at the next truck stop that he saw an accident where a truck without a load could not brake going downhill and ran over a small car. I thanked him for the info. I have had several truckers tell me if I am in the right lane and am coming up on a entrance ramp, look ahead and anticipate the larger vehicle will need more room and get into the left lane to help them. I do this in my car or class A. I notice some people don’t do it, but it is courtesy. If you do it, it sets the example for the other fools who MIGHT learn by example how to drive in less than obtimal conditions.
I’m glad to see the fools are still driving crazy up north. Unfortunately I will need to be up there next year. Not looking forward to it. It is bad enough in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio.
Please drive defensively and safely whereever you are traveling. Also, please keep your litter inside your vehicle and let someone else use the cell phone while you drive or pull over.
SamG
Okay, got a few winks and now I’m back.
On ramp technique- If there is traffic getting on the entrance ramp in front of you, let them gain distance on you so they won’t so easily control you. Causing you to stop or dodge. Check and monitor traffic traveling on highway as soon as possible looking for a space to merge into and adjust your speed to be able to make it into that space. Hopefully you will. One things truckers will practice is trying to avoid rush hour on the highways. If you’re stuck in traffic for an hour or so, you’ve gained little. Wasted fuel. Craig, glad to hear you’ve driven big rigs. It would be different out there if every driver had to take their turn to drive one. It certainly changed my driving habits. As the Exxon attendant used to say- “Happy Motoring”.
catchesthewind
Ideally given a long ramp pick a hole in the flow of traffic, use turn signals, accelerate to match speed with the hole and smoothly merge onto traffic. Ideally. Plan B would call for advance planning to hit congested freeways circling cities, Atlanta is a nightmare, during off peak hours when you can safely merge leaving the merging for heavy traffic. I push a 38ft class A and at 7mpg you better believe I drive sanely.
Craig
Sam G, it is not the responsibilty of the freeway traffic to yield to you when you merg. Is it common courtesy, yes it sure is, and it is the right thing to do, but it is not the law at least in my state. And yes I have driven tractor trailer rigs! All I am saying is try to be close to the freeway speed when merging if you can. I realize at times it will not be possible but way to many times people poke along until the end of the ramp and then slam on the brakes when they don’t have enough speed to merg smoothly. And if I run into you somwhere I will be sure to say Howdy!
SamG
Thank you for the tips, Bob. Let’s hope more people follow them. Got to leave now and I’m sorry if I upset anyone. It’s not a perfect world. If you run into me somewhere say “hi, howdy, hello”.
SamG
Kudos to Craig? Has Craig ever driven a 65′ rig weighing 80k lbs. and entered a highway where traffic is bumper to bumper doing 65. Don’t give way to entering traffic? He’ll gladly hand you a ticket for failure to yield. That’s kudos. “SAFETY ZONE”?
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Howdy guru Bob,
These are ALL good ideas ON 2-R-4 lane roads, BUT NOT for super-slabs!!! The State Trooper is so correct about ‘slow drivers’ or ‘creepers’, as the truckers call them.. If you can’t DRIVE FREEWAY SPEED; GET OFF.. The SS were built for the
truckers to get from A to B, FAST, without going thru stop signs and redlights!!! They
pay more in taxes to build and keep’em up than cars(of course, I know there are more cars)!! I DO NOT PUT MY RV ON THE SS, except when I HAVE TO; that’s when I run out of decent blue roads…
Good post tho’ , Bob!!
SamG
Watch out for the state cop- er, officer. Remember to not get out of the vehicle unless told to. Place your hands on the dash in plain view. Address the officer politely without an attitude and if reaching for your papers or anything else, explain what you are doing. If carrying a firearm— whoops, I’d better brush up on procedure!
SamG
“Minimize excessive engine workload by using the vehicle’s kinetic forward motion to climb hills.” This statement escapes my comprehension. After driving underpowered trucks for a few years traveling across the pa. turnpike, it means catch speed going down the hill to maintain some speed to travel up the next uphill. Am I wrong? If you’re faced with climbing steep grades like they have out west or eastern mountains, where will this kinetic energy come from? After 5 minutes of climbing?
Speeding up on the downgrade to climb hills probably aggravates a lot of people traveling in cars, etc. And there’s plenty that should be taught in Driver’s Ed. Although I’ve heard that is no longer a high school required class.? Anyone with sense should know to stay away from a larger vehicle. Can you say “safety zone”?
What about the person tailgating because I’m coasting to a stop? When do they practice fuel economy? They’re dieing to get to the convenience store for a pack of cigarettes and they already drive a shoebox economy car.
Traveling on the bypass my cruise is set at 55 mph. Why is everyone passing me?
So we need to build another pipeline. Where will that petroleum be shipped to? They’re closing refineries in this area because they never updated the equipment.
When will people realize the days of cheap gas are over. We’ve been kidnapped. And the more people conserve, the less money will be made by the petroleum companies. This dissertation dished up by an ex street racing internet troll.
Gary
Kudos for Craig. needed to be told. Do not jack rabbit start on anything, especially a motorhome or a truck pulling anything, even a camper. I went from 10 mpg to 13 mpg. It can be done Drive wisely!!!
Craig
All good tips and good driving habits with one exception. As a State Trooper I can tell you that it causes a very dangerous situation when drivers getting on the freeway poke along until the end of the ramp and then expect others to move over for them. While I agree with the smooth acceleration when getting on the freeway you also need to try and be at freeway speed when you reach the end of the ramp so you can safely merg with traffic. Also I would love to have a minimum speed law in our state as we are starting to see way to many Prius and other Hybrids putting along on the higher speed roads trying to run on the battery creating another unsafe condtion that causes collisions and road rage. Just my 2 pennys worth.
Allison Hardy
Sadly, the tips you give are exactly the driving style that non-RV people complain about when talking about RVers- slower highway speeds, slow to get up to speed, smooth braking, greater following distance.
All these things are anathema to the jackrabbits that believe in accelerating up to a stop.
We have an older motor home that lacks a real-time mph read out, but we’ve found that carefully driving by the vacuum gauge at a conservative speed will easily deliver an extra mile or 2 per gallon without a decrease in power or speed- quite a lot when its the difference between 6 and 8 mpg.