Parking
Find the best place to park.
Parking is a hypermilling technique that is not immediately obvious but is well worth observing.
On a sunny day (no matter what time of year) park in a shady spot, the car will be cooler when you get in so you will have to drive fewer start up miles with the air conditioning on or the windows open. Leave windows open if possible (though not if your car is going to get driven off by some random chavs who believe me almost never seem to be aware of good hypermilling techniques). Open the doors and windows for a few miutes when getting in to reduce the heat in the car – cars get far hotter than the outside ambient temperature if parked in the sun, so swapping the hot air inside for cooler air inside will reduce the need for air conditioning or open windows. If you leave a dog in a car in the sun then you will be going to hell and bleating about your green credentials and elite hypermilling techniques will not help you there.
When the temperatures are really low during winter then try and park your car in the sun – especially if parking for a long time. Once the sun gets on the car it will warm it up considerably. This will reduce the cold bum effect but mainly it will warm up the engine and fuel in the tank a little. When a very cold car is started it will use what is called a “cold map” which will basically be trying to compensate for the conditions by pouring fuel into the engine until it reaches a decent operating temperature. The quicker you can get off the cold map onto the normal running map the less fuel you will use.
Park rear first into a car parking space. When you arrive the car will be warm so messing around with reversing and getting in straight, even if arse first, will not be using that much fuel. If the car is then left to go cold (especially very cold) it will be using more fuel in the first few minutes while you manouver out of the space. Better to be able to pull cleanly out in one go.
Hypermilling.co.uk is simply a small website about hypermilling – hypermilling techniques wll be listed and explained, news about hypermilling listed and links off to useful hypermilling resources.
Remember – being safe is more important than miles per gallon and even a small bump will totally negate any savings made by hypermilling.
You should always make sure your car is totally road legal and your car insurance is up to date, if you have any doubt contact your car insurance company.