Hypermilers know this already, but What Car?, the British automotive media outlet, released the results of a study today that shows just how much money can be saved by some sensible - in this case slower - driving. The savings can be pretty dramatic: up to £1.20 ($2.34USD) every eight minutes. How? By driving the car at its most economical. What Car? asked fuel economy expert Peter de Nayer to test five cars - a Toyota Aygo, Nissan Qashqai, Volkswagen Passat, Citroen C4 Picasso and Land Rover Freelander - to find out at what speed they are the most efficient. De Nayer's test found that, on average, going 100mph uses five times as much fuel as going 50mph. Not sure why that matters, as not many people are cruising around at 100mph, but the advice to slow down is a good one. What Car? recommends a 70mph top speed on the highway, driving in the highest gear possible and not racing a way from stoplights or slamming on the brakes. What Car? also found that 62 percent of motorists in the UK don't know what the right speed is to save the most fuel while you're on the go. Their "Slow down, save fuel" project goes live today, and you can read more after the break.

Here in the U.S., hypermiling has largely been the province of hybrid drivers. That doesn't mean that only hybrid drivers can take advantage of those driving strategies. When last we heard from Helen and John Taylor, the British couple had just completed a run from Britain to Poland in a pair of diesel-powered Jeeps at 55-56mpg. After that jaunt they headed to Australia for another hypermiling adventure. This time around they used a Peugeot 308 HDi 110. The pair drove the C-class sized hatchback 9,000 miles around the coast of Australia over 25 days. On one stretch, they traveled 1,192 mile on a single 60L tank of diesel and they averaged 75.6mpg (U.S.) over the whole journey. That was enough to gain two slots in the Guinness book of World records for longest distance on a single tank and highest mileage for a journey. The 308 was completely stock with nothing added or removed and also carried the couple's luggage for the 25 day trip.

[Source: Peugeot UK]

Since the advent of the hybrid at the turn of this century, an increasingly large group of hardcore fanatics have taken up hypermiling. For the uninitiated, hypermiling is the practice of using modified driving techniques to get the maximum possible fuel efficiency. There are hypermilers who claim to get over 100mpg from their Priuses and Insights. The problem is that techniques like pulse and glide involve significant fluctuations in speed. By accelerating quickly and then coasting for long periods using regenerative braking to recharge the battery as much as possible and then repeating ad nauseum, they minimize the load on the engine. This is fine when a vehicle is driving in little or no traffic. Unfortunately, when there are other cars around, an extreme hypermiler can pose a real impediment. Differences in speed are often a source of accidents and people who aren't driving hybrids won't want to be stuck behind someone coasting along. There is nothing wrong with trying to maximize fuel efficiency and everyone should be trying to drive efficiently. However, even hypermilers need to be cognizant of other drivers around them and avoid being obstructive.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Even veteran hypermilers will probably find something worth remembering in this list of 100 ways to increase a vehicle's miles per gallon. Sure, the list starts with the basic, heard-em-before ways to get more distance out of the fuel in the tank of the car you already drive, but how many of you have considered an "ice vest" instead of air conditioning?

If you're just getting into the hypermiling game, EcoTrekker's 100 items (made up of tips, links to other articles to read, and online resources) should provide you with plenty to practice as you drive. Some of my faves are #9 (finding the route with the least amount of traffic and stop signs, even if it's slightly longer) and #77 (ridge riding to avoid puddles). Oh, and #53. :) Missteps in the list include #73 (the Lexus GS hybrid should not be on anyone's list of best cars to hypermile in) and #12 (only works if you already drive a hybrids).

[Source: EcoTrekker / Amy Q]

View Larger Map

A hundred years ago, pioneers of the motor world went from New York to Paris on the Great Race, driving 22,000 miles (35,000 km) across America, Asia and Europe to showcase the achievements of the then-new technology called the car. A hundred years later, the story repeats and the centennial race will showcase a new class, called Innovation, in which renewable-fuel cars and a group of ten hybrid cars will join the main fleet of vintage cars in retracing the 22,000-mile route.

The Innovation Class participants have to complete the race driving as efficiently as possible, with some "Hypermilers" achieving 100 mpg. The aim is not only showcasing the highest technology possible but also modifying drivers' habits to improve mileage. Hybridfest Inc, the non-profit the runs the Madison, Wisconsin festival of the same name, is partnering in promoting this MPG Challenge that they hope will be the first of a series. Hypermiler Wayne Gerdes will be one of the participants after having recently driven his Prius 1,200 miles on one tank of gas.

The commemorative event will start May 30 in New York City and will finish in Paris, France on August 2, 2008.

[Source: Hybridfest and Great Race, writer Sam Abuelsamid contributed to this post]

I've observed with mild amusement the recent spate of stories in the mainstream media about fuel saving. Maybe you have too.

You know the kind of articles. "Ten Ways to Survive High Gas Prices". "8 Things You Must Do to Save at the Pump". Even the venerable old Federal Trade Commission has a published list. Gasoline price spikes bring these out like a spring rain conjures up the worms. Once the price surge recedes (or the public gets used to the new price level) the media attention to fuel-saving goes underground again - just like the earthworms.

Yes, our collective memory is short. The wheels seem to turn something like this in the American brain. "Geez, $2.98 a gallon! Next time I buy a new vehicle I'd better downsize to something with better fuel mileage. I'm gonna go broke filling up this barge." Two weeks later, gas drops to $2.80 a gallon. "Wow, only $2.80 a gallon, now that's more like it". Collectively, we blithely ignore both past history (remember $1.25 a gallon gas?) and future trends (how high can it go?). But don't take my word for it. Check out the Oct. 19 AutoblogGreen post The Forgetfulness is Real.

Talk about forgetting. These fuel-saving tip lists are largely forgettable and that's regrettable. Most of them haven't changed much since the '50s. That's all the way back to President Eisenhower, father of the interstate highway system, for you history buffs. Same old hoary axioms: slow down, check tire pressure. You know the dreary drill. That's the problem. Dullsville. Let's face it. Quoting your fuel economy numbers is not a slam dunk pickup line at Club Med. Ripping off low ETs at the local dragstrip has a whole lot more "red-blooded-American-boy" appeal.

OK, so we forget about fuel economy and pursuing it doesn't get our juices flowing. The question I'm left with is this: Can efficiency get hip, slick and cool?

A stock (right from the dealership) hybrid that gets over 90 miles per gallon? A Toyota Prius that receives over 1,200 miles on a single tank of fuel without any mods? How'd these vehicles achieve such miles without technology?

The drivers did it. Called 'hypermilers', these individuals modified their driving habits to maximizing their vehicles' fuel efficiency. Reporter Joshua Zumbrun consulted such individuals to maximize the mileage of his Honda Insight (pictured). He learned from father and son Fons about websites such as GreenHybrid.com where hypermilers obsessively watch their mileage and adapt their driving habits to burn every ounce of fuel. Eventually Zumbrun, after following some of the suggestions, was able to achieve over 75 mpg on one trip in his Insight. EPA estimate for the diminutive hybrid is 57 mpg city, 56 highway.

[Source: Washington Post via Detroit News]