Take some tips from ‘hypermilers’ to maximize fuel efficiency |
Take some tips from ‘hypermilers’ to maximize fuel efficiency
Here are some simple hypermiler tricks to help you increase fuel efficiency as gas prices continue to hover at four-year highs.
[Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filling up your gas tank didn’t always require a second mortgage. But since the onset of the war in Iran, global oil prices have soared–and we’re the ones paying for it at the gas station. And nobody knows this better than hypermilers, drivers obsessed with squeezing every last possible mile out of each gallon of fuel.
While the April 7 ceasefire caused an immediate 16% drop in crude oil prices, as of April 8, the American Automobile Association (AAA) reports that the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $4.164, with prices approaching $6 per gallon in California.
But even if crude oil prices continue to sink, fitting these elevated gas prices into our budgets will hurt until costs normalize. Although there is little that the average American can do about the global oil market, there is plenty we can do about our personal fuel economy.
If you’d like to stretch out the time between fill-ups, here are some tried-and-true strategies that can help save you fuel, money, and even wear-and-tear on your car.
Know your fuel consumption
A whopping 96% of American drivers claim that fuel economy is at least somewhat important to them when purchasing a vehicle, according to a 2025 Consumer Reports survey. But despite this overwhelming preference, most Americans tend to consider fuel economy to be the responsibility of the manufacturer rather than something within the driver’s purview.
For instance, a recent survey found that Americans are willing to drive 5 miles for cheaper gas, despite the fact that the extra fuel burned likely costs more than the savings. Focusing on the dollar amount spent, rather than the amount of fuel consumed, actually hurts your fuel economy.
It may feel odd to shift your focus to fuel consumption when gas prices are through the roof, but making this pivot will save you money in the long run. Because when you improve your fuel economy, you will make fewer trips to the gas station.
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