The next couple paragraphs might feel like driver’s ed. But the lessons will be worth it -- to save yourself some money.
EASY DOES IT
The U.S. Energy Department says aggressive drivers -- who floor it and brake hard -- waste as much as 40% of their fuel efficiency.
“It’s best to not try to drive like me when I was 16,” said Joseph Yoon, who researches cars for the automotive website Edmunds.com. He says taking it easy on the road will go easy on your wallet.
“Driving smoothly will help you the most,” Yoon explained. His advice works for gas-powered cars as well as electric vehicles.
Even Tesla, which made headlines rolling out its lurching, rollercoaster-style “insane” and “ludicrous” modes, agrees on taking it easy. The Tesla Model Y manual tells owners this: “to achieve maximum range, slow down your driving and avoid frequent and rapid acceleration.”
That goes for city streets and highways.
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MAGIC NUMBER: 50 mph
Uncle Sam recommends a speed limit sweet spot for highway maximum mileage: 50 miles an hour. The Energy Department says, “for every 5 mph above 50 mph, it's like paying an additional $0.22 per gallon of gasoline.”
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50 miles an hour isn’t always practical on a highway. But there’s likely help just a tap away on your steering wheel: cruise control.
USE CRUISE CONTROL (WHEN SAFE)
Whenever you’re driving faster than 50 mph, experts say: use cruise control, if it’s safe to. That technology can help you improve efficiency.
“When we press on the pedal with our feet, it’s definitely less consistent than what a computer is doing electronically,” Yoon said.
A/C ON LOW (OR OFF)
Heat or air conditioning on blast can hog EV charge or gas (or both in a hybrid). Yoon recommends running your climate control on low. Maybe even switch it off on nice days. But, he says think twice about rolling down the windows if you’re focused on maximum mileage.
“Opening the windows creates buffeting in the air and affects the aerodynamics -- not in a good way,” he explained.
ROOF RACKS & BOXES
Speaking of aerodynamics, let’s discuss those roof-mounted cargo racks. They create major resistance and drag. So, when you’re not using a cargo box, Uncle Sam says remove it -- because it cuts your fuel economy as much as 25%.
