Hybrid-Electric Cars  -  HEVs  -  Hydrogen  -  All-electric 
                           

Gas Mileage Improvement

Becoming An Emergency

gas mileage improvement

Now that gas is almost four dollars a gallon, people will do anything to see some gas mileage improvement when they take long trips. However, it is starting to hurt just driving back and forth to work as well.  The economy takes a hit when gas prices go up because people stay home more and that means a loss for the travel industry and hotels. Also, people have to pay more for services that rely on gas like air travel and bus travel.  Gas prices may or may not come down.  Regardless, you have to do a few things to save money.

The problem with gas mileage improvement is that there is not much you can do to save money other than stay home or carpool. You can keep your engine in top shape, and make sure all filters are clean and clear, but the difference is not going to add up to much. Some suggest that turning off the air conditioning and rolling down the windows will help with gas mileage improvement, but some think that having the windows down creates more resistance, and that means more gas is needed to travel at the same speed as usual. 

Drive 60 on the Interstate instead of hitting speeds of 80 miles per hour.  This DOES have a significant impact on your gas mileage and by default, your wallet.  Drive at a steady pace instead of going faster and slower.  If you are in a pick-up truck, keep the tail-gate up.  (There's a myth that keeping the tailgate down improves fuel economy, but the opposite has been proven to be true.)

Nevertheless...

You might want to skip the small things you can do to see gas mileage improvement, and go for the larger things that will show and immediate affect in your wallet. This means that you have to find a new way to get to work, like car pooling.  You should find someone to ride to work with, and you can take turns driving and/or paying for gas. If you can get more than two people in on the deal, you are going to save lots of money. You could also ride a bike to work, but that is not always possible or reasonable for everyone.  Still, it's a good option for some.

Some people are saying that gas prices are not high enough to effect true gas mileage improvement.  They say that prices must get higher in order for people to make real changes and become less reliant on gas.  I can see the logic behind this, but I don’t think that is something that is fair for most people. Many of us would love to go out and get a hybrid car or truck, but most of us can’t afford a hybrid car at the moment.  Higher gas prices are affecting those who are not wealthy and they are having a negative impact on the economy..