What sort of picture do you get when you think of hypermilers? Perhaps you imagine young people from Berkeley, California or Portland, Oregon, sipping their Fair Trade coffee, operating their homes off solar power and converting their old cars to vegetable oil mods. Or maybe you just imagine that annoying slow-driving person in front of you who seems hardly bothered by the fact they're coasting several car lengths behind everyone else at 10 MPH below the speed limit. What you may not have expected is that Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. uses the hypermiling technique to save gas.
Hypermiling is a method used to get more gasoline mileage out of your car, whether you're driving hybrid cars or old gas guzzlers. Many drivers weren't satisfied with the initial offering of hybrids that got 30 to 45 MPG and were convinced they could do better. However, one beneficial component built into these new vehicles was the fuel economy gauge, which allowed drivers to see what drove down their MPG ratings or picked them up. They began accelerating slower from green lights, coasting to a stop well before the light and changing their driving habits to get as much as 100 MPG. It may surprise you, but many of these same strategies were first used by professional race car drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr., who couldn't afford to run out of gas mid-race.
In June 2008, Dale Earnhardt Jr. caught flack from critics for coasting past the pace car to hypermile as much as possible, and making it to the end of his Lifelock 400 race just in time to run out of gas. He turned his engine off to coast whenever he could, knowing that the race would be extended past the scheduled 200 laps. "I didn't know how much they were going to worry about it," told news reporters. "All the cars out there are gassing it, shutting 'em off, coasting about a half straightaway, cranking 'em back up, gas it, coast. Everybody's doing it." This technique is also known as "pulsing and gliding," which works by making your engine use fuel when it's most efficient. Drivers accelerate with lots of throttle and then glide or coast in neutral with the engine off. When the speed begins to drop again, the driver will give the vehicle another pulse on the gas pedal. Experts say this fuel economy technique is not recommended in heavy traffic, but is rather designed for open road driving.
Sure, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is more about getting the checkered flag than conserving fuel and saving the planet. However, the racing world sees a benefit in saving fuel economy. This was especially important during the 1970s oil embargo when fuel was in short supply. The Daytona 500 shortened some of their races in response to the crisis. As the price of gas climbed higher and higher in the new millennium, drivers looked at this technique to save gas. Even though sponsors like Sunoco usually pay for the race fuel, there are times when avoiding an extra pit stop can make the difference between first and second place. Thanks to Earnhardt's stunning victory, hypermiling driving techniques took center stage.
Using the hypermiling technique to save gas on the Nascar track takes a lot of guts and nerves of steel. However, it's a wonderful feeling to pass all the other drivers and pit crews stopping to refuel. Even though pushing his gasoline mileage to the limit was an enormous gamble, Earnhardt still came out on top. In the process, his fuel conservation was doing something good for the environment. Perhaps if more race car drivers and owners of hybrid cars took note of his driving techniques, we wouldn't have so much to worry about with looming fuel shortages.
Hypermiling is a method used to get more gasoline mileage out of your car, whether you're driving hybrid cars or old gas guzzlers. Many drivers weren't satisfied with the initial offering of hybrids that got 30 to 45 MPG and were convinced they could do better. However, one beneficial component built into these new vehicles was the fuel economy gauge, which allowed drivers to see what drove down their MPG ratings or picked them up. They began accelerating slower from green lights, coasting to a stop well before the light and changing their driving habits to get as much as 100 MPG. It may surprise you, but many of these same strategies were first used by professional race car drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr., who couldn't afford to run out of gas mid-race.
In June 2008, Dale Earnhardt Jr. caught flack from critics for coasting past the pace car to hypermile as much as possible, and making it to the end of his Lifelock 400 race just in time to run out of gas. He turned his engine off to coast whenever he could, knowing that the race would be extended past the scheduled 200 laps. "I didn't know how much they were going to worry about it," told news reporters. "All the cars out there are gassing it, shutting 'em off, coasting about a half straightaway, cranking 'em back up, gas it, coast. Everybody's doing it." This technique is also known as "pulsing and gliding," which works by making your engine use fuel when it's most efficient. Drivers accelerate with lots of throttle and then glide or coast in neutral with the engine off. When the speed begins to drop again, the driver will give the vehicle another pulse on the gas pedal. Experts say this fuel economy technique is not recommended in heavy traffic, but is rather designed for open road driving.
Sure, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is more about getting the checkered flag than conserving fuel and saving the planet. However, the racing world sees a benefit in saving fuel economy. This was especially important during the 1970s oil embargo when fuel was in short supply. The Daytona 500 shortened some of their races in response to the crisis. As the price of gas climbed higher and higher in the new millennium, drivers looked at this technique to save gas. Even though sponsors like Sunoco usually pay for the race fuel, there are times when avoiding an extra pit stop can make the difference between first and second place. Thanks to Earnhardt's stunning victory, hypermiling driving techniques took center stage.
Using the hypermiling technique to save gas on the Nascar track takes a lot of guts and nerves of steel. However, it's a wonderful feeling to pass all the other drivers and pit crews stopping to refuel. Even though pushing his gasoline mileage to the limit was an enormous gamble, Earnhardt still came out on top. In the process, his fuel conservation was doing something good for the environment. Perhaps if more race car drivers and owners of hybrid cars took note of his driving techniques, we wouldn't have so much to worry about with looming fuel shortages.
About the Author:
There are a number of ways to cut costs when you're on a budget, but learning how to save fuel for your car can make a significant impact on your bank account. Click here to find out more about how to Save Fuel.
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