As most everyone knows after filling their tank recently, gasoline prices are rising. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gas passed $4 last week. That’s more than $1 per gallon higher than just a month ago, and the price hasn’t been that high since August 2022.
While we have no control over how long we’ll have to deal with this, there are some surprising and simple things drivers can do to conserve that gas in their tank and help keep their overall gas bill down.
- Drive slower - AAA and other transportation experts advise sticking to the speed limit, as driving slower really does use less fuel. But why? AAA reports that it all comes down to aerodynamic friction. “On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph,” the group explains. Need more motivation to slow down? The U.S. Department of Energy shares that for every 5 miles per hour driven over 50 mph is “like paying an additional 27-cents for gas.”
- Shut off the AC - Spring weather has temperatures starting to rise, which means more of us will be running the air conditioner while driving, but that definitely burns more gas. AAA recommends minimizing AC use by rolling down windows and cooling off in the fresh air. According to the group, “Even at highway speeds, open windows have less effect on fuel economy than the engine power required to operate the air conditioning compressor.”
- Drop the excess weight - The more something weighs, the more energy it takes to move from one place to the next. That means having extra stuff weighing down your vehicle will make you burn through your tank of gas more quickly. That’s why AAA and the Department of Energy (DOE) both recommend getting all unnecessary stuff out of your car, and every little bit counts to increase fuel efficiency. The DOE points out that for every 100 pounds of weight you remove from your car, you can expect to save about 4-cents per gallon.
Source: Fast Company