By Willby Evans
In my last post, I wrote about my plan to perform a hyper-miling experiment with a Ford E-350. I started the experiment on Friday, May 29th. My first challenge was to remember how I used to drive (I started hypermiling in my Ford Focus 2 years ago). It just isn’t my habit to accelerate to stop signs and take off too quickly. Coasting down hills and timing traffic signals is just something I do automatically. I’m also running the air conditioning constantly (It’s summer in New Mexico so I think that is pretty common with drivers here this time of year).
A Don Chalmers Ford employee owns the van that I’m driving and he and his wife use it to run a small business out of their home. There is a ladder rack mounted on the roof and ladder as well. I thought it would be a good example of a large vehicle that is not aerodynamic (not even close and the ladder on top doesn’t help) and is heavy (I weighed it at the dump the other day and it came in at 6,024 pounds). I think it is representative of many large SUVs and the types of vehicles many commercial companies are using.
I want to find out what kind of potential for energy savings there are just by modifying our driving habits. Sure, technologies for fuel efficiencies are improving, and you can buy more and more fuel efficient vehicles now and more are on the way. Alternative fuels and electric vehicles are being researched and developed and are seeing limited production as we speak. However, I believe that the single largest contribution that we can make right now is how we drive. As a Ford salesman, I’d be glad to help you get into a more fuel efficient vehicle now, but you don’t have to wait until you have one to think about saving fuel. So, let’s see what happens over the next two tanks of fuel.
I’ll blog again on this after the next fill-up. In the mean time, we welcome your comments and suggestions.
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