Hypermiling for Bugout Vehicles

Hypermiling as a bugout technique during vehicle egress to a BOL, scavenge runs, and scout operations. In short it's a method to increase your MPG by 20% to 60%.

Keep in mind many of these are for SHTF applications when there is a fuel shortage or gasoline is no longer accessible. Some can be practiced daily. Download our Fuel Storage and Bugout Fuel Calculator. Review our Bugout Vehicle Guide and Checklist for a full breakdown. 

Hypermiling


🦥Slow Down. Acceleration increases wind resistance & increases RPM, which reduces gas mileage. Lower speeds equal less gas consumption. Idle speed is ideal, use only idle momentum of 2-5mph. Anything under 40mph produces exponentially higher MPG.

⏱Brake Less. Excess braking can reduce gas mileage by as much as 33 percent at highway speeds. Avoid tailgating unknown vehicles, it's unsafe and leads to more braking. Convoy as a team of you have comms to safely draft.

🚛Lighten the Load and Aerodynamics. All optional weight and wind resistance barriers decreases your car’s gas mileage. Remove unused roof racks, keep sunroof closed, adjust tire pressure, etc.

❄Minimize Air Conditioning. Running the AC can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 25%. Instead, increase airflow by cracking driver’s window & rear passenger’s window on opposite side. When driving at high speeds, close windows & use the ventilation fan to reduce aerodynamic drag.

🛠Ongoing Maintenance. You’ll burn less fuel if you keep your engine clean and running well. A dirty air filter can decrease the fuel economy of older cars with carbureted engines.

🔑Avoid Excessive Idling. Turn the engine off if you’re not going anywhere in 30 seconds or more. A modern fuel injected engine consumes only about five seconds worth of fuel to restart.

✋Smart Braking. The idea is to anticipate stops and to decelerate by simply taking your foot off the gas — coasting to a stop rather than speeding toward it.

🗺Alternate Routes. Choose routes that are less traveled & thus allow more flexibility to employ a wider range of hypermiling techniques than if you were surrounded by other vehicles.

🐰Rabbit Timing. This technique works at traffic lights with sensors. When approaching a “stale” red light slow down early & let the other traffic around you (“the rabbits”) trip the light’s sensor so you can coast thru.

💗Pulse and Glide. First ensure you have a newer model vehicle that utilizes this feature. It works like this: Accelerate to 70 (that's the pulse), and then coast in neutral with the engine off down to 50 (that's the glide). That's it. Rinse and repeat.

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