Tag Archives: Fuel Efficient Cars

Save Your Gas This Summer

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With fuel prices on the rise this summer, we thought we would share some tips that will make your tank of gas last a little longer.

1. Avoid High Speeds- As your speed increasees, your drag increases. Driving 62 mph vs. 75 mph will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

2. Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard- By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.

3. Keep Tires Properly Inflated- Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1%. Another option would be inflating your tires using Nitrogen. Nitrofill is a great way to keep your tires properly inflated while extending the life of your tires as well.

4. Use A/C Sparingly- When the air conditioner is on, it puts extra load on the engine forcing about 20% more fuel to be used. The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.

5. Keep Windows Closed- Having windows open, especially on the highway, increases drag and decreases fuel economy by about 10%.

6. Service Vehicle Regularly– Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.

7. Use Cruise Control- Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.

8. Avoid Heavy Loads- Remove the sand bags from your truck in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.

9. Avoid Long Idles- If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.

10. Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle- When buying a new vehicle, examine the vehicles rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission will provide you with great fuel economy.

General Motors offers a great selection of fuel efficient vehicles at affordable prices. The all new Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Impala, Buick Regal are all great options when looking for a fuel efficient car.

Chevrolet Volt Owners and Their Fuel-Economy Stories

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I’m sure many of you by now have either seen a Chevrolet Volt in person or seen one of it’s many commercials on T.V. I am also pretty sure many of you have asked yourselves, “Whats the big deal?” It seems as if every year some new car comes out and claims to be better than the one before it. But the ability to basically create your own fuel-economy, that really is a big deal.

Mike DiPisa of Lyndhurst, NJ has driven a total of 1,485 miles since taking delivery of his new Volt, not even filling up his gas tank. 1,391 of DiPisa’s miles traveled have been powered by electricity, giving him a staggering total fuel economy of 231 per gallons.

GM said the following in a press release: By recharging their Volt regularly, owners are easily surpassing the 93 miles per gallon equivalence, or MPGe, on full electric operation and an overall 60 MPGe composite fuel economy during extended-range operation. The EPA ratings make the Volt the most energy efficient compact car on the market today.

The Chevrolet Volt

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What is the Volt? The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. The Volt is capable of about 340 miles total driving range, with electricity powering the car at all times and speeds. For trips of up to 40 miles, the Volt gets its power solely from electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery.  When the Volt’s battery runs low, an engine-generator seamlessly engages to extend the driving range for an additional 300 miles on a full tank of gas.

Who will get the most benefit from driving the Volt? According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, more than 75% of people commute 40 miles a day or less. If you plug in frequently, you’ll experience the greatest gas savings and reduced emissions. Per mile, electricity is less expensive to use than gas, so if you can plug in before or shortly after the electric charge runs out, you’ll get the maximum benefit out of Volt.

What happens if I travel more than 40 miles? Once the charge in the Volt battery is depleted, the gas engine will turn on to seamlessly generate enough energy to continue to power the car for up to 300 additional miles.

How much does Volt cost to charge? Electricity is an extremely affordable way to power a car —If the car is driven less than 40 miles, it will cost about $1.50 a day for electricity. That’s about the same annual cost as running a common household appliance.

How long does it take to recharge? The Volt will take about 4 hours to recharge on 240 volts or about 10 hours on a standard 120-volt home outlet.  A 20-foot portable vehicle charge cord will come standard and is designed to work on any standard 120-volt outlet.

When will Volt arrive at Gamblin Motors? Chevrolet is releasing Volt on a State by State basis.  The good news is that Volt production is increasing more than double from original forecast. The State of Washington is due to have Volt in the fourth quarter of this year.