drive $marter

August 7, 2008

U.S. motorists can save money and strengthen energy security.

The average U.S. motorist drives over 13,000 miles each year and buys about 650 gallons of gasoline. That’s a significant expense for most American households.

But by “driving smarter” — finding ways to get more miles out of a tank of fuel — Americans can save hundreds of dollars a year in fuel costs.

Driving smarter doesn’t just save money. It reduces gasoline consumption, which can help drive down costs and strengthen U.S. energy security. And it reduces greenhouse-gas emissions.

The United States consumes close to one-quarter of the world’s oil, and much of the oil we use fuels our cars and trucks. Americans own approximately 30 percent of the world’s automobiles.

So when U.S. motorists take steps to use gasoline more efficiently, it adds up.

The Alliance to Save Energy, together with ExxonMobil and 16 other diverse private- and public-sector partners, has launched the “Drive$marter Challenge” (www.drivesmarterchallenge.org) to highlight ways to use gasoline more efficiently. For example:

Keep your tires properly inflated. This improves gas mileage by about three percent, and over a year can save up to 20 gallons of gasoline.

Use the motor oil recommended for your vehicle. This can improve gas mileage by one to two percent.

Reduce your miles traveled. Combine several errands into one trip. Consider carpooling, walking, biking or taking public transportation.

Avoid aggressive driving. Speeding, as well as rapid braking and accelerating, can reduce mileage by up to 33 percent at highway speeds.

Clean out your trunk. Carrying an extra 100 pounds cuts a typical car’s fuel economy by up to two percent, consuming about 12 gallons of fuel a year.

To calculate how much money you can save from following these tips and others, visit www.drivesmarterchallenge.org.

These steps may seem small and, on an individual basis, perhaps they are. But, if only one-third of all American drivers improved their gas mileage by two percent, we would reduce demand for motor gasoline equivalent to almost 900 million gallons and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by over seven million metric tons.

ExxonMobil is helping drivers by developing new fuel-saving technologies such as lightweight plastics for car parts, improved tire materials and synthetic motor oils that improve fuel economy.

We also are researching advanced engine technologies that could make the internal-combustion engine up to 30 percent more efficient, and developing innovations that could advance hybrid and hydrogen-powered vehicles, to further increase efficiency and reduce emissions.

Energy efficiency is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to extend our world's energy supplies. And every American can participate in this effort.

By working together and “driving smarter,” America’s 200 million motorists can save money, and help steer a course for a more secure energy future.