How to Maximize Your Vehicle's Fuel Economy

The document outlines strategies to maximize vehicle fuel economy, categorizing them into vehicle maintenance, driving behavior, and systemic transportation changes. It highlights that proper maintenance, such as using low rolling resistance tires and reducing vehicle weight, can improve mileage. Driving habits, specifically reducing highway speeds and avoiding idling, are identified as key ways to cut fuel use. Finally, it advocates for a transition toward fuel-efficient vehicles, mass transit, and policies that reduce dependence on oil.

• Regular vehicle maintenance and specific equipment choices can improve fuel efficiency: low rolling resistance (LRR) tires that reduce resistance by 10 percent can increase gas mileage by one to two percent for most passenger vehicles, and every 100 pounds of unnecessary weight reduces fuel economy by one to two percent.
• Driving behavior significantly impacts fuel consumption; reducing highway speed from 75 mph to 65 mph can decrease fuel use by up to 20 percent, and using "stop-start" technology to avoid idling for more than a minute can reduce fuel consumption by approximately 5 percent.
• The most effective ways to reduce oil consumption and environmental impact are to drive less by using carpooling, walking, biking, or mass transit, and to purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles, such as hybrids, plug-in vehicles, or gas-powered cars achieving over 40 mpg.
• The document argues that a combination of private sector innovation and smart federal policy could reduce projected U.S. oil use by half within 20 years by expanding transportation choices and utilizing oil-free sources like advanced biofuels and electric cars.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2009). How to Maximize Your Vehicle's Fuel Economy. https://www.ucs.org/resources/how-maximize-your-vehicles-fuel-economy

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. How to Maximize Your Vehicle's Fuel Economy. 2009. https://www.ucs.org/resources/how-maximize-your-vehicles-fuel-economy.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=How to Maximize Your Vehicle's Fuel Economy |date=25 July 2009 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/how-maximize-your-vehicles-fuel-economy |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2009how, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{How to Maximize Your Vehicle's Fuel Economy}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2009}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/how-maximize-your-vehicles-fuel-economy}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }