Hybrid Car Mileage Tips

Getting the 'Bang' for your Green Buck.

To get the improved hybrid car mileage, you need to follow the same tips that apply to standard vehicles, primarily reducing speed and abrupt stopping and starting to save gas.

Because of the mileage gauge on their dashboards hybrid vehicle drivers seem to be compelled to compare the mileage of their particular vehicle.

It is still hotly debated whether car companies are accurately advertising their mileage claims for hybrid vehicles, and whether the tests used are indeed applicable considering there are so many variables on the road.

It is worthwhile to keep in mind that vehicle efficiencies can vary greatly depending on driving conditions, driving habits and the route travelled as well as distance.

Whether you have a hybrid vehicle or not here are the simplest ways to reduce fuel consumption-

• Drive slower - The drag on a car increases dramatically the faster you drive. Reducing your speed paricularly at speeds over 90km/h (55mph) will significantly increase your mileage.


• Keep your tyres inflated at the correct pressure


• Keep a constant speed - By keeping a constant speed, you will make the most efficient use of your fuel, because every time you speed up or slow the car down you use fuel.


• Empty your boot (trunk) and don't carry around excess weight unless you need to.


• Try to avoid abrupt stops and starts - the same applies to standard cars as well as hybrids. With a hybrid when you stop the electric motor acts like a generator and takes some of the energy out of the car while slowing it down. If you give the electric motor more time to slow the vehicle, it can recover more of the energy. If you stop quickly, the brakes do the majority of the work of slowing the car down and no energy is conserved.

For most of us it is the desire for quick acceleration and power which leads us to drive cars which have lower efficiencies. When we choose a car with 100 or 200 horsepower we only use that power when accelerating or 'flooring it' so to speak.
When we are cruising along the freeway our car is actually using less than 20 horsepower. So when purchasing your next car, consider whether you really need ALL that horsepower!

Before parting with the money for a hybrid check out websites like Green Hybrid who have average hybrid car mileage from data supplied by actual hybrid car owners (currently with only US based data). You need to work out how long your hybrid will take to 'pay back' in fuel savings and whether it is worth the extra investment over a cheaper fuel efficient small car or diesel option.

With fuel prices still skyrocketing, it might be sooner than we all think that we are ALL looking at hybrid, hydrogen or alternative fuel vehicles, if not just ditching the car and catching public transport or riding a bike!

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