Even though the union Unite has not confirmed the tanker strike for the Easter holidays, Motorists are still queuing at the pumps causing shortages even before the planned action. Panicked motorists have been spurred on by a mix of misinformation coming from the UK government and media.

First Francis Maude was openly recommending stockpiling fuel in Jerry cans, followed up from the rear by Ed Davey telling motorists to keep half a tank in reserve. Mr Davey has again changed his tune and is now advising to top up when you are at two thirds of a tank. This farce has continued as scores of filling stations remain dry as panic buying ensues.

Petrol sales have increased by 81 per cent and diesel by 43 per cent compared to normal. The increased demand has caused chaos for retailers with many filling stations implementing fuel rationing.

In response to the fuel farce AA president Edmund King said: “There is no fuel tanker strike and therefore if drivers followed normal fuel buying patterns there would be no fuel shortage whatsoever. We now have self-inflicted shortages due to poor advice about topping up the tank and hoarding in jerry cans. This in turn has led to localised shortages, queues and some profiteering at the pumps.”

In such troubled times for motorists we urge you to keep a cool head and make the most of every drop of fuel. Hypermiling is about maximising your fuel efficiency of your vehicle, its never been such a good time to start!

Read more for our top five Hypermiling tips

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Here are our top 5 Hypermiling driving tips

  • Don’t drive The best Hypermiling Tip that we could ever give. This not only saves you 100 percent of your precious fuel but it also keeps you healthier and saves on vehicle maintenance. Short journeys use much more fuel than longer ones. You engine doesn’t have time to get up to it’s optimal working temperature thus causing increased engine wear.
  • Drive defensively. Anticipate the road ahead. By driving “reactively” You effectively hand control over your fuel consumption (and safety) to other drivers. Look well ahead so you’re aware of what you’re driving into and can anticipate changes before they occur. And in order to be able to see well ahead, you need to leave adequate following distance to the vehicle(s) in front of you.
  • Drive without brakes (DWB). Every time you brake you effectively turn fuel into heat & brake dust. This type of deceleration maximises uses your car’s stored momentum and energy.
  • Slow down! The faster you go the more drag and resistance is placed upon your trusty steed. A reduction of 20mph can increase your MPG by up to 45 percent.
  • Coasting. Shutting the engine down when stopped or while coasting to stop/turn is one of the main reasons for hybrid vehicles’ excellent city fuel consumption. We would not ever suggest coasting with the engine off but simply remove your foot from the accelerator when approaching a junction or red light. A modern engine uses no fuel at all when coasting in gear.

This is only a small selection of our Hypermiling techniques and tips available. Check out our Hypermiling techniques page and start saving fuel today.