Guide Note

Hypermiling is a set of techniques designed to improve your car's efficiency and gas mileage. It's not about changing your car, but about making changes in the way you drive.

There are six basic steps in hypermiling:

1. Track your gas mileage
2. Don't drive aggressively
3. Avoid sitting still at traffic lights
4. Keep moving in congested traffic
5. Accelerate slowly from a stop
6. Use cruise control

Fast Facts

1. Hybrid car could reach 100 mpg
2. Hypermilers strive to achieve 50% or better than EPA mileage figures

Wayne Gerdes is a nuclear plant operator in Illinois who coined the term "hypermilers" describing people who want to "push the limits of fuel efficiency." Gerdes is 6' 1" and 210 pounds, he would like to lose 60 pounds in order to up his gas mileage.

Hybrids: Honda Civic, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius.

Non-hybrids: Honda Civic CR-X HF and Smart Fortwo.