Hypermiling Culture

Hypermiling is the skill of driving in a way that maximizes fuel economy. The fact is that in the US very few people have this skill. That is not surprising because it is not valued. Fuel economy has been a very low priority in America for decades. Witness the focus on miles per gallon here versus liters per 100 kilometers in Europe. In the US we want to know how far we can go on a tank of gas. In Europe they want to know how much gas it will cost them to cover the distance they must travel. India it seems falls in the European camp. This page has a video which shows signs installed in Calcutta which display hypermiling driving tips to the public.

The sooner that hypermiling culture starts to flourish in the US the better. Although better engine efficiency, improved aerodynamics and other technologies can help save on gas, the biggest single factor controlling gas usage is how much you drive and how you drive. If you are constantly doing jackrabbit starts, zooming up to the next light and slamming on the brakes to a complete stop you will use a lot of gas no matter how aerodynamic your car is.