Hypermiling With Your Honda To Get More From The Gas Pump
Honda is a leader in the development of fuel saving technology. The Honda Civic Hybrid and Accord are already among the most fuel efficient vehicles on the market. However, even with vehicles that already get great mileage, there are steps that can be taken to increase that. Better gas mileage means, spending less money on gas, spending less time at the fuel pump, and less damage to the environment. Here are some steps that can be taken to significantly increase the fuel efficiency in vehicles:
Vehicle Maintenance- By keeping the engined tuned-up, replacing the air filters regularly, keeping the tires inflated to factory spec, and using the manufacturers recommended grade of oil, can improve gas mileage by almost 20%.
Don't Idle- It is more efficient to turn the car off at a long read light, that to let it idle for that duration.
Speed Reduction- Exceeding 50 miles per hour doubles the amount of wind resistance. If speeds are kept at 50 or below, the engine uses less against this resistance. The differences in arrival times between hitting speeds of 50 MPH, and that of driving 70 MPH,is often only seconds. For every 5 miles driven over 60 MPH, enough gas is consumed to increase your costs by $.30 per gallon.
Slow Stops and Starts- The faster the acceleration is, the more gas will be consumed. Also slower stops help. When coming to a red light, it is more efficient to coast to it, rather than continue to build momentum with the gas peddle and then you the break to slow down quickly.
Overdrive- Overdrive is a gear that slows down the engine speed, while maintaining the speed of the vehicle. The slower the engine speed, the less fuel that the engine has to use. Overdrive is a viable fuel economy option during highway driving or on long stretches of road with no lights.
Cruise Control- Cruise control maintains a set speed on the highway. This setting uses the appropriate amount of gas to go up inclines, and coasts down declines, automatically. Since the driver's foot is not on the accelerator, the tendency to go faster without thinking, is no longer an issue.
Remove Excess Weight- In the case of many vehicles, for every 100 lbs of extra weight the vehicle carries, fuel efficiency can drop as low as 2%. This means that if gas is $4.08/gallon, it could cost up to $.08 more per gallon. If there are any substantially heavy objects in the vehicle that are not needed for frequent use, removing it may substantially increase fuel efficiency.
Aggressive Driving- Depending on the driver, aggressive driving can decrease fuel efficiency by anywhere from 5-33%, that can be well over $1.00 per gallon. The constant speeding and braking burns devastating amounts of gas with little performance or progress. Maintaining the speed limit with slow starts and stops are not only safer and better for you vehicle, but also saves a good amount.
This is my no means an exhaustive list. Local Honda dealers can discuss, features to add to a vehicle to make it more fuel efficient and less costly to drive. Following these tips alone, a driver will be able to see substantial savings after just one recording of mileage when compared to one full tank of gas.
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