Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
The Long Ranger
As fuel prices rise, top ‘hypermiler’ reveals secret to reaching 100mpg
A MOTORIST who can drive 100 miles on a single gallon of fuel has shared the simple tricks that save him £40 a month on his petrol bill.
Hypermiler Kevin Booker, who holds three world records for his extremely efficient driving, achieved 100mpg in a Honda Civic diesel in 2016, a 1.2 litre Honda Jazz in 2019 and a Honda Jazz hybrid in 2020.
He calculated his techniques save him a tidy sum on his daily 70-mile round trip commute.
The 43-year-old said regular car services were key to maximising fuel efficiency followed by keeping the boot and back seats free of unnecessary extra weight.
He advised drivers to ditch roof boxes and racks as they cause drag, and to keep tyre pressure at optimum levels to reduce rolling resistance.
He said: “Get into the habit of reading the road ahead and going with the flow of the traffic, rather than being one of these people who darts in and out of the fast lane.
“Judge your speed so you can flow into roundabout traffic or through traffic lights rather than stopping or braking harshly.
“Try to travel at non-peak times to avoid all the stop-start.
“And when going downhill, leave the car in gear but take your foot off the accelerator – it won’t use any fuel.”
Kevin, from Swansea, who manages an electric vehicle fleet for a Welsh national park, said a cruising speed of around 60mph was ideal on motorways, using cruise control if possible.
He added: “Hypermiling isn’t about driving slowly, it’s about driving consistently. You’ll probably get here just as quickly and you’ll save yourself a packet.”
Kevin has extended his hypermiling skills to battery-powered cars, having scored three Guinness world records in July as part of a team taking a Ford Mustang Mach-e from John o’ Groats to Land’s End.
Drivers are increasingly alarmed at the rising cost of filling up.
Latest figures put petrol at a record high of 142.94p a litre.
Filling a tank costs around £20 more since the pandemic began.
You’ll get there just as quickly and you’ll save yourself a packet KEVIN BOOKER ON HOW HYPERMILING SAVES FUEL