Ever heard the term ‘hypermiling’?

Think of hypermiling like making a lovely meal from yesterday’s leftovers and then apply this thinking to your fuel economy.

Simply it’s about getting more miles from each tank of fuel and saving yourself money in the process.

There are three main aspects to hypermiling:

1. Carefully planning journeys
2. Preparing ahead
3. Adjusting your driving style

And it’s not just for petrol or diesel car owners to consider, as a number of these aspects can also work to improve the efficiency of hybrid or electric cars too.

1. Planning:

• Choose routes that are less busy so you’re not sitting in traffic jams with the engine idling.
• Travel outside peak hours whenever possible.
• Consider the hills on your route as going uphill uses more fuel, can you take a flatter way?

2. Preparation:

• Are your tyres inflated to the correct pressure for your load? If they’re too low more of your tyre will be in contact with the road, increase friction and waste fuel. Don’t over inflate though as this can be dangerous trough reduced grip.
• Remove any extra weight from your car  such as any unnecessary vehicle add-ons – roof racks or flags for example that are increasing your wind resistance and therefore your fuel use.

3. Adjustments:

• If you have a stop-start mode, make sure it’s enabled, this will save fuel when you’re not going anywhere.
• Automatic, hybrid or electric cars are likely to have an ‘eco’ mode that will also boost fuel efficiency.
• Avoid using electrical consuming features like demisters, heating or air-conditioning as these add to your fuel consumption. However, remember to use your air-conditioning at least once a week to prevent parts from seizing or seals from perishing. Check out our recent Facebook posts about how to maximise the chill factor in your car and reduce the stress on your air-conditioning too.
• Consider where you park – choosing a shady spot on a sunny day not only makes the car more bearable when you come back to it, but it also reduces the amount you need to cool it down.
• Try driving as smoothly as possible by reading the road ahead and giving yourself plenty of time to react to hazards, this helps you maintain the vehicle momentum instead of wasting it by braking and needing to speed up again.
• Reduce your speed – obviously not to any ridiculously slow level, always remember the speed limit is there to maintain traffic flow as well as help prevent accidents for all highway users.

There’s always an off-set to consider to any of these aspects such as – do you really want to add time to your journey? Can you manage without a buggy in the boot?  Only you can decide what’s right for you and what your priorities are. So, all that leaves me to say is, good luck and I hope this helps you save money on your driving.