Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency covers some things you can do to reduce your energy consumption.

1. Drive less
   1. Live closer to work
   2. Carpool
   3. Bicycle
   4. Walk
   5. Use public transportation
2. Park and ride
   1. If part of your commute isn't bicycle-friendly, you could carry a fold-up bicyle in your car and use that to get you to your destination
   2. You can combine this with carpooling and public transport
3. Remove unnecessary items from your car
4. Let the most efficient driver drive
5. Remove unused roof-racks or bike-racks
6. Check tire-inflation regularly
   1. More inflation than manufacturer specifications means less rolling resistance, but also can result in greater tire wear.
7. Track fuel consumption
   1. Keep fuel receipts
   2. Record distance travelled and fuel economy
   3. Keep a notebook
8. Get a digital guage that shows real-time fuel consumption
9. Take less busy roads
   1. A longer route will use more fuel, but is better than a shorter route with lots of traffic
   2. You can use more advanced hypermiling techniques if there are fewer cars on the road
   3. Prefer flats over hilly terrain
10. Leave early and don't rush
    1. You won't have to drive faster
    2. You won't have to brake later
    3. Driving efficiently requires more time and can be more relaxing
11. Wind barriers
    1. Driving along tree-lined roads uses less fuel than driving out in the open
12. Corridor effect
    1. Travelling at constant speed on a freeway surrounded by other cars is more efficient because of the wind current generated by the traffic
13. Note transition points
    1. Memorize where transition points (turns, hills, roundabouts, etc) occur and the exact speed you need to be at these transition points
14. Plan petrol station trips. Plan to refuel during off-peak times, to avoid idling and waiting in queues.
15. Avoid drive-thrus, they lead to excessive idling
16. Take the lane of least resistance
    1. Avoid bus-lanes
    2. Lanes where cars brake unpredictably to turn, etc
    3. Sometimes prefer lanes with access to turn-offs because more cars are turning-off and reducing resistance
17. Avoid roads with stops at bottom of hills
18. Take advantage of the wind direction and speed, if possible. Avoid headwinds and prefer tailwinds
19. Choose lanes/roads with smoother surfaces, which offer reduced rolling resistance
20. Avoid bad weather
    1. Rain/snow/slush can increase rolling resistance and air-resistance
    2. On the other hand, strong tailwinds during bad weather may be beneficial
21. Avoid travel during peak traffic times. You have fewer hypermiling options because other drivers may not tolerate most hypermiling methods.
22. Drive when it's warm. Cold temperatures reduce fuel-efficiency due to increased engine and drivetrain resistance.
23. Park in the sun so that the engine is a bit warm to begin with
24. Pick up cargo high and deliver low
25. Time approach to stop signs so that the last of the vehicles ahead is gone through before you reach the stop sign.
26. Take shortcuts through corner parking lots, side streets or alleyways to avoid intersections.
27. When combining multiple trips, go to the farthest destination first and work back. This way the engine temperature is optimal for fuel-economy
28. Minimize idling
    1. In hybrid cars this is typically taken care of automatically. Coast in engine-off mode to a stop.
    2. In non-hybrid cars:
       1. Slow on approach to a "fast" intersection. Hopefully the light will turn green before you come to a complete stop
       2. Approach and quickly stop at a "slow" intersection and if possible turn the engine off with engine in neutral.
29. Time traffic lights
    1. In the absence of other indicators, assume that a green light is stale and slow your approach (depends on other drivers behind though) to avoid hard braking when the light changes.
    2. When red lights have sensors, wait for cars ahead to trip a green light, so time your approach accordingly
    3. Watch pedestrian signals to estimate when a light is about to change
30. Combine errands, particularly in cold weather, because the engine will get a chance to heat up to an efficient level

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