Many people are making the upgrade from traditional gasoline or diesel powered vehicles to more modern and efficient hybrid or even electric vehicles. In fact, there are an estimated 200,000 electric vehicles on the road as of 2014.
With these vehicles, drivers have the opportunity to not only create a smaller impact on the environment, but to also save themselves time and money at the pump. To make those savings even more pronounced, here are some ways to make sure you’re getting the mileage you want while driving your hybrid or electric vehicle.
Watch Your Driving Habits
The way you handle your vehicle while driving can have a huge impact on the mileage you’re able to get, and this is especially true for hybrid or electric vehicles that are meant to get their optimum mileage under certain conditions.=
According to Academy Ford Advantage, stepping on the gas pedal too forcefully, slamming on your brakes, driving over 80 miles per hour, and idling for long periods of time can all result in your vehicle getting sub-par mileage. If you have created these driving habits, work to overcome them in order to get better use out of your electric or hybrid car.
Use Your In-Car Technology Sparingly
New vehicles have all kinds of cool gadgets and features. However, these accessories can wreak havoc on your mileage. Whenever possible or convenient, try not to use your accessories. But when you need to turn on the A/C or want to listen to some music, use the Eco Mode on your vehicle if you have one.
In Eco Mode, Antony Ingram of Green Car Reports states that any accessories you’re using will draw less power from your vehicle. This allows you car to run closer to its optimum settings for great mileage.
Keep That Battery Charged
If you have an electric vehicle, keeping the battery charged will help you get even better mileage. According to Access Energy Cooperative, when an electric car has a full charge, it can go about 100 miles without using any supplemental fuel, saving you money by saving your gas. This distance will cover about 90 percent of the driving a typical household does daily.
In a time of rising gas prices and unsteady economies, it’s smart to save money wherever you can. By getting better mileage for your electric vehicle or hybrid car, you’ll see the monetary benefits at the pump almost immediately.