Even with fuel prices starting to trend down, Americans are paying an average of $1 more per gallon of gasoline than they were a year ago. Because of this, many drivers are looking for ways to improve their fuel economy during the summer driving season. A new study has demonstrated that sweating the small stuff could save drivers as much as $100 a month at the pump.
Chevrolet recently conducted a test-drive of two identical compact cars on a typical workday commute. For the drive, GM fuel-economy engineers Ann Wenzlick and Beth Nunning piloted identical Chevrolet Cruze LTs, which the EPA estimates get 24 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. For the test, they drove both cars for 20 minutes in the city, on the highway and around town. Using efficient driving habits in a properly maintained Cruze, Wenzlick averaged 37 miles per gallon. Driving inefficiently and ignoring common maintenance, Nunning managed only 21 miles per gallon in the other Cruze. The difference means that Nunning, driving inefficiently, would get 250 fewer miles per tank of gas. Wenzlick, the efficient driver, would save $100 a month -- or $1,200 a year -- assuming she would annually drive 15,000 miles and pay only $4 per gallon for gas.
“Ann and Beth’s results support data from OnStar that shows the fuel economy of drivers in identical cars can vary by 75 percent,” says Roger Clark, manager of the GM Energy Center. “With a well-maintained car, the best drivers get up to 25 percent more miles per gallon than average. When you combine a poorly maintained car with inefficient driving habits, the fuel economy of the worst drivers can be 50 percent below average.”
One big takeaway from the study is that relatively small changes to your driving habits and vehicle maintenance can make the difference between being on the bottom or the top of the fuel-economy scale. Among the key tips:
- Don’t let the engine run while the car is idle. Doing so for 15 minutes burns through an average of 1/4 of a gallon, adding another $1 to the cost of driving -- and it gets you nowhere.
- Take it easy. Jumping on the gas at every light only to hit the brakes as you catch up with the traffic ahead isn’t going to get you home any faster, but it will increase your mileage by 20 percent.
- Cut your cruising speed. A 10-mph difference likely won’t add much time to your daily commute, but it will save you up to 4 miles per gallon on the highway.
