Those who have been reading my blog for a long time no that I am always looking for ways to be as environmentally-friendly as I can be.  I'm far from what anyone would or could call an environmentalist, but when and where I can I try to take small steps toward being a good friend to our planet.

Recently, Lindsay Maines of Rock and Roll Mama was sharing with me her experience learning about hypermiling while test-driving the Ford Fusion and I learned a lot.  Driving the Ford Flex (which isn't a hybrid but gets good MPG for it's class: the crossover), I'm definitely interested in how I can improve my fuel rating for our environment and for saving money on gas.

So without further ado, I'm going to let Lindsay do her thang.

----------

I'd love to say that every choice I make is super green- but the reality is, I do the best I can in the context of my existing life. I can't run out and buy a new hybrid tomorrow, or even next year. I've committed to driving my minivan into the ground, because it's one of the last things my family bought using debt. Since we don't do that any more, you bet we want to get our money's worth.

So when I was invited to test drive a Ford Fusion and learn some hypermiling techniques, I was all about it. Hypermiling (driving a vehicle in a style designed to meet or exceed that vehicle's EPA fuel rating) doesn't require a specific vehicle, just a willingness to be a little bit more mindful of my actions. I can get behind that- especially because I live in an area (DC Metro) where I regularly witness spectacularly unaware driving behavior, from your typical cell phone chatter to the dude shaving while behind the wheel. (TOTALLY not kidding.)

So what's it all about? To sum it up: first, technically maintaining your vehicle for optimum use: making sure all maintenance is done in a timely fashion, and keeping  tires at the maximum recommended air pressure. Also, not towing anything, or keeping luggage racks on the car. Anything you can do to keep your car running smoothly will increase fuel efficiency. Another aspect, (one that I'm not likely to adopt in my own life) is to disconnect the air conditioning and radio fuse. It's true, it will reduce your fuel consumption. BUT I couldn't stand to go anywhere! LOL. I admire those who take it to that level.

The second part of hypermiling is actual driving techniques. Drive as though you have no brakes: use deceleration on the gas to slow down when necessary, and the friction reduction increases fuel efficiency. But wait, you say. What if I have to stop suddenly? That's the other part:  You're constantly scanning the environment, up to three lights ahead, and looking for obstacles that may impede your progress. You then adjust accordingly through your gas pedal usage. I love this part of Hypermiling- I teach Yoga and writing, and in both of those disciplines, we always talk about Being where you are, present in the moment. In our mad dash to get from Point A to Point B, it's easy to get caught up in all of the things that get in our way. I love the visual of hypermiling, gliding around obstacles instead of constantly slamming on the brakes.

There's a lot more to hypermiling then we'll cover here, but if you'd like to learn more about it, Wayne Gerdes is the man.  He's widely respected in the field of fuel conservation, and worked closely with Ford to create these events.

And in the month since I've adopted just the most basic techniques in my own driving (along with combining errands whenever possible) I've definitely noticed a reduction in visits to the gas pump. I used to have to go Mondays and Fridays, (we're all over the place on the weekends) and now I can stretch it out to 5 days. NOT bad, especially with the prices going up for the summer.

Thanks Ford, for helping me learn ways to conserve without having to invest a new vehicle!

Lindsay Reed Maines blogs at www.rockandrollmama.com about Moms keeping their inner Janis alive.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Ford To Build Cleaner Engine At Ohio Plant (cbsnews.com)


• 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick (blogs.thecarconnection.com)


• Talking Hybrids with Ford at the Columbus Auto Show (condo-blues.blogspot.com)


• Ford Bucks Detroit Trend With 3 New Car Models (nytimes.com)