While the type of vehicle that you drive can often be the largest single factor in determining your CO2 emissions and fuel costs, your driving habits can have a huge effect as well. Susan and I have incorporated a number of ideas from Hypermilers into our driving habits and have calculated savings of hundreds of dollars a year as a result. Hypermiling is increasing your vehicle’s gas mileage by making skillful changes in the way you drive. Accelerating and decelerating gradually are two of the most important strategies. A key is remembering that every time you touch a pedal, whether it’s the accelerator or the brake, you are burning up money. Coasting up to traffic lights that have turned red in the distance is a good example. Not only are you burning less gas by taking your foot off the accelerator, you’re more likely to not have to come to a complete stop which, because of friction, means considerably less energy to get going again.
The Numbers
The average vehicle in North America gets about 20 miles to the gallon (12 L/100 km). Using current Canadian prices of about $1.25 per litre, the average vehicle will take about $3000 to fuel up this year. Susan and I use about 10% less gas now, but there are documented cases of certain drivers turning to hypermiling techniques and using 25% less fuel. That’s a $750 annual savings for the average driver, and of course if you drive more than the average, the savings will be even more.
Saving more
Of course savings can be had just by driving less. Choosing alternate methods of transportation, carpooling and just having fewer trips by doing all your errands for the day in one trip, are some of the ways to lower your carbon footprint. UPS saves money and pollutes less now since instituting a policy of driving in clockwise routes. By doing this they minimize the amount of time (and gas) they waste at intersections because they maximize the number of right hand turns per trip. This technique works less well in New York City and Montreal….the two places on the continent where turning right on a red light is not allowed! One of the best websites for Canadians to learn more is www.vehicles.nrcan.gc.ca and see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_economy-maximizing_behaviors for a great article on green driving.
Tags: clean air, coaching, driving, energy efficiency, environment, family, global warming, go green, green, green action items, green coaching, living green, reducing expenses with benefits, saving money, sustainability
November 25, 2011 at 1:56 pm |
These are all great ideas and here in the U.S. people need to try and drive less by planning to consolidate everyday trips so they can drive less thereby using less energy.
Great articale !
December 6, 2011 at 9:21 pm |
Thanks for the comment Dennis
and I love your website!