Hypermiling Driving Technique Claims to Double Your Gas Mileage

LOUISIANA - We're all very aware of the recent spike in gas prices, leaving us all looking for ways to stretch our dollars at the pump.

Have you ever heard of the hypermiling driving technique? It's quirky, in some cases a little controversial, but some folks swear it can nearly double your gas mileage.

Let's take a look at exactly what hypermiling is, how people are doing it, and if the juice is actually worth the squeeze.

What Is Hypermiling

Hypermiling is basically a fancy term for driving in a way that maximizes fuel efficiency. It’s not about gadgets or expensive upgrades...it’s about changing how you drive.

According to sidekick.com, even making small changes in your driving techniques can improve your MPG by 20–40% in normal driving conditions. With the kind of commuting we do across Acadiana, a 20-40% MPG increase could add up fast.

READ MORE: Louisiana Drivers Could Soon Face New Test to Renew License

Easy Hypermiling Tips That That Drivers Say Actually Work

Let’s be real, you’re not turning off your AC in August. But there are still plenty of realistic ways to save gas.

Motherearthnews.com has listed a few hypermiling tips and tricks that are pretty easy for any us to do, and they can potentially payoff, helping you to make a few less trips to the gas station.

Slow Down Just A Bit

The faster you drive, the more wind resistance kills your fuel economy. Keeping it closer to 60 mph, when safe and legal, can make a noticeable difference.

Clean Out Your Car

If your trunk looks like a storage unit, you’re burning extra gas. More weight = more fuel used.

Drive Smoother, Not Faster

Hard acceleration and constant braking waste gas. Easing into stops and starts can save more than you think.

Avoid Idling When You Can

Drive-thrus and long waits? That gas is burning and getting you nowhere. Turning your engine off during longer stops can help, such as parking and going into a fast food restaurant instead.

READ MORE: 6 Crucial Louisiana Speeding Laws You Need to Know

Check Your Tire Pressure

Underinflated tires create more resistance, forcing your engine to work harder.

Plan Smarter Routes

Less traffic and fewer stops mean less braking and accelerating, which means better gas mileage.

One of the main hypermiling driving techniques that can seriously help to improve your vehicles gas mileage is what is called coasting.

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Let's say you're on Camelia and there's no traffic in front of you, and any vehicle behind you is quite a ways back. If the light ahead of you is a couple of hundred yards away and red, just take your foot off of the accelerator and coast toward the light instead of burning gas accelerating toward it. Obviously, you should only do this as long as it doesn't impede any drivers behind you.

I do this all of the time actually because, why keep my foot on the gas just to hurry up and wait?

Coasting is a smart hypermiling technique to conserve gas, but has to be done in a practical and safe way.

The “Louisiana Problem”: AC vs Gas Mileage

There's no way any of us are not going to be using our AC in the Summer. While minimizing AC use can improve fuel economy, this really isn't a practical option for us in Louisiana, and that's OK. What we can do is focus on some of these other techniques to help keep some cash in our wallets and not in the pump.

Controversial Hypermiling Techniques

The hypermiling techniques above are all simple things we can do to try and improve our gas mileage to save money, but there are some other more extreme techniques that you probably want to avoid.

Drafting Behind Vehicles
Yes, it reduces wind resistance, but it’s risky and cuts your reaction time drastically. It's also called tailgating and you can definitely get a ticket for it, and that's your best case scenario.

Turning Off Your Engine While Driving
You lose power steering and braking assist. Not worth it.

Trying to Never Use Your Brakes
Coasting is smart. Avoiding braking entirely? Not realistic, or safe.

The Bottom Line for Louisiana Drivers

You don’t need to go full “hypermiler” to save gas. Instead, drive a little smoother, keep your speed in check, cut down on idling as much as you can, don't keep a bunch of things in your vehicle that make it heavier than it needs to be, and keep your vehicle maintained.

If hypermiling is something you want to learn more about, head over to carparts.com.