You won't get far without gas

Get more out of your fuel tank with ‘hypermiling' 

By: CAA North & East Ontario
Published Date:
Modified Date: September 19, 2024

1 Minute Read

If the price of fuel makes you wince, CAA is here to help with tips for hyper-fuel-efficient driving.  

Accelerate gently

"Jackrabbit" starts and hard braking reduce travel time by only four percent but increase fuel use by 39 per cent. Instead, take five seconds to accelerate. Imagine a cup of hot coffee on your dashboard – you don't want to spill it! 

Coast to decelerate

Stay fuel-efficient by watching traffic behavior to determine when it's time to slow down. You can conserve fuel by coasting to slow down instead of using your brakes. 

Check your tire pressure monthly

Driving under-inflated tires can increase fuel consumption by up to four per cent. Find the right tire pressure on the edge of the driver's door or doorpost. 

Maintain a steady speed and use cruise control

Varying your speed up and down between 75 and 85 km/hour every 18 seconds can increase your fuel use by 20 per cent. Use cruise control to maintain a steady, consistent speed. 

Avoid high speeds 

Most vehicles reach peak fuel efficiency at 50 and 80 km/hour. But on highways, stick to 100km/hour. At 120km/hour, a vehicle uses about 20 percent more fuel than at 100 km per hour. Plus, you only gain two minutes if you're on a 25km trip. 

Use air conditioning sparingly 

Air conditioning can increase a vehicle's fuel consumption by as much as 20 percent. If you do use air conditioning, use the re-circulate air option. It will minimize the impact on your fuel efficiency.

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