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Sure, we’d all love to drive a Tesla roadster, or to kick the car habit all together, but some of us just aren’t ready. Maybe you have an excessive commute or maybe you have to take the kids to soccer and music lessons. Maybe that Tesla roadster just isn’t in this years budget. Here are some steps you can take with your current car to save fuel.

First, we’ll want to know the current MPG (miles per gallon) and GPM (gallons per month). Normally, we’d just want to know miles per gallon, but we are concerned about lowering our overall consumption.

Tracking the GPM is very easy. Begin by filling up your tank on the first day of the month and making a note of the odometer (number of miles). Throughout the month, track all fuel purchases and on the 1st of the following month, fill up again, noting gallons purchased and odometer reading. You can then add up your gallons purchased to calculate gallons consumed through the month (GPM). You can also divide the total miles by the gallons consumed to calculate the miles per gallon.

Now that we can measure our efforts, here some steps to improve our consumption!

1. Take less trips. This may seem obvious, but simple steps like posting a shopping list of the fridg. and only going to the store once a week, combining trips or riding bicycles when you can will save quite a bit of fuel.

2. Drive slower. OK, maybe not always, but when you are driving faster than 30 miles per hour, air resistance becomes a significant factor.

3. Time lights. Many traffic lights are timed so that if you drive at or below the posted speed limit (on the major road) that you will get green lights all the way. My personal record over 20 green lights on a 6 mile trip through an urban area. If you make the trip often, you will learn what it takes.

4. Coast. Pay attention to areas ahead of you where you will have to slow down. Let off the gas and let your car slow down on it’s own. There is no point driving fast and then having to hit the brakes.

5. Don’t let your engine idle. In the morning, don’t let your car warm up more than a minute or two. At train crossings, turn the engine off. If you aren’t moving, you are getting ZERO miles per gallon.

6. Air resistance. Luggage racks, roof racks and open windows all contribute to slow down the flow of air over your vehicle. I was able to remove the bars to the roof rack on my van and the square license plate holder on the front of my car. I almost always drive with the windows up. In the summer, I use the vents when I need air.

7. Rolling resistance. Make sure your tires are properly inflated and that chassis and wheel bearings are properly lubricated. Have the brakes serviced and make sure the front end is aligned. Generally, make sure your vehicle is properly maintained. Friction is your enemy!

For additional tips, see this article at eartheasy.com

Obviously, your primary concern while driving is safety, so if this advice conflicts with what you feel is safe driving, do what you think is right.

After a few months you can compare notes and see how much fuel you saved, just by changing how you drive.

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