Save on Gas

Yesterday's gas price

2011-12-07T12:22:00.000-04:30

Yesterday's average gas price in the US was $3.28, up 34 cents from a year ago, when it was $2.94. The all time high was $4.11 on July 17th, 2008. But what about state by state?

Yesterday's gas price, state by state.

State	Regular
Alaska	$3.965
Alabama	$3.117
Arkansas	$3.131
Arizona	$3.201
California	$3.641
Colorado	$3.291
Connecticut	$3.567
District of Columbia	$3.453
Delaware	$3.207
Florida	$3.284
Georgia	$3.193
Hawaii	$4.079
Iowa	$3.163
Idaho	$3.345
Illinois	$3.360
Indiana	$3.247
Kansas	$3.107
Kentucky	$3.216
Louisiana	$3.122
Massachusetts	$3.334
Maryland	$3.236
Maine	$3.380
Michigan	$3.282
Minnesota	$3.209
Missouri	$3.011
Mississippi	$3.118
Montana	$3.426
North Carolina	$3.277
North Dakota	$3.310
Nebraska	$3.275
New Hampshire	$3.273
New Jersey	$3.175
New Mexico	$3.027
Nevada	$3.453
New York	$3.587
Ohio	$3.204
Oklahoma	$3.082
Oregon	$3.523
Pennsylvania	$3.337
Rhode Island	$3.395
South Carolina	$3.061
South Dakota	$3.329
Tennessee	$3.083
Texas	$3.091
Utah	$3.222
Virginia	$3.174
Vermont	$3.412
Washington	$3.576
Wisconsin	$3.238
West Virginia	$3.379
Wyoming	$3.345

Q and A about crude oil and gas prices

2011-12-05T23:39:00.007-04:30

Q: Do you think governments are allowing oil fields to decline? What alternatives are there to the government’s action/inaction.

A: How would the government prevent oil fields from declining? The presence of oil is due to geological processes not political will.

Oil fields are not like tanks that can be easily emptied. They are more like sponges. (Picture using a straw to extract all the water from a sponge!) Extracting oil depends on pressure inside the field forcing the oil out. This works well enough at the start, but as pressure decreases, less oil comes out. Sometimes pressure can be maintained by injecting seawater or carbon dioxide. However, you can never extract all the oil from a field. There always comes a point when more effort is put into extracting the oil than is economically justifiable.

Q: Aren't we discovering more oil fields all the time?

A: Yes, but not enough to keep up with what we're using. Worldwide discovery peaked in 1964. Every year after that, we have discovered less than the year before. Right now we discover 1 barrel of oil for every five barrels of oil we use.

Q: What is per capita oil production and what significance does it have?
A: The amount of oil produced per person. Per capita oil production began declining in the late 1970s. If world population had remained constant, we would now have more oil available per person. But because the world population is rapidly increasing, there is less oil available per person than there was in the 1970s.

Q: The U.S. has 200 years of coal left, so why can't we just replace the oil with coal?

A: If coal were to replace oil then it would last closer to 50 years than 200. Also, while coal can be used for some applications that oil is currently used for, oil is the best fuel for transportation. It would be impractical to power cars with coal.

Lead Foot Withdrawal

2011-12-04T18:08:00.000-04:30

Everyone knows that the first and foremost trick in the hypermiler's book is a light right foot. It's simple, don't put the pedal to the metal and you will save on gas. Driving a gas-sipper helps a lot too. But what if you like the sound of a racing engine? The Soundracer V8 is the perfect car accessory for you. You can drive like a feather-footed granny, but sound like Michael Andretti!

Time Tested Electric Car

2011-12-03T17:50:00.001-04:30

Here is a car for someone who is thinking of going electric, but wants a vehicle which has passed the test of time. It's range is pretty good too - 100 miles per charge.
The Waverly Electric Car is being sold on Ebay right now. But if you like it act fast - it is the only one in existance.

Here's what the car's seller has to say:

...THIS IS A VERY FUN CAR. IT WILL MAKE PEOPLE STOP IN THE ROAD AND SCRATCH THEIR HEADS. THIS CAR IS A 1913 WAVERLEY ELECTRIC AND IS THE ONLY ONE KNOWN OF THIS YEAR AND BODY STYLE. THE CAR IS 96V AND HAS ALL BRAND NEW BATTERYS (2000.00) AND NEW CHARGER (1000.00). IT RUNS, DRIVES, AND STOPS VERY WELL. NEW 34X4 TIRES ALL AROUND LOOK GREAT. THE TOP SPEED IS ABOUT 25 MPH AND GOES AROUND 100 MILES ON A CHARGE. THE AMP AND VOLT METER BOTH WORK WELL. ALL LIGHTS INSIDE AND OUT WORK ALSO. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE A HORN IT HAS A BELL THAT HAS A BUTTON ON THE FLOOR. THIS IS HANDY BECAUSE PEOPLE WONT HERE YOU. THE CAR MAKES NO SOUND AT ALL WHEN IT IS RUNNING AND WONT OVER HEAT (GREAT FOR PARADES). EVERYONE SAYS IT LOOKS LIKE CINDERELLA'S CARRIAGE.

Does your car burst into flames?

2011-12-02T12:19:00.004-04:30

Yesterday during your daily commute some dip**** drinking coffee and talking on his cellphone ran into the back of your car at a red light...it was just a bump, no big deal right? But what if you knew that there was a risk of your car bursting into flames in your garage as a result of yesterday's fender bender?

It sounds pretty hysterical but that's the way the media is portraying the Chevy Volt.

What really happened is that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a pretty thorough crash test -the battery pack was penetrated 5 inches during the "crash" followed by a 360º rollover. Then the car was shoved into storage for a week without any discharging of the battery or repairs to the coolant leakage....Would you put a car in your garage if it was leaking gasoline and brake fluid?

CEO Dan Akerson put it this way: He insisted that the cars are safe and that the fires happened only after extreme tests.

If there are any Volt owners out there that won't rest easy they can get a loaner car or even ask GM to buy back their car...maybe they can trade it in for a Nissan Leaf. After all according to the National Fire Protection Association during 2010, there were 184,500 fires among all the vehicles on the road in the US. Most of that was from liquid fuel.

Volvo FH16

2010-07-16T23:16:00.001-04:30

The Volvo FH16 is the world's most powerful production assembly line truck, boasting 700 horsepower. And it achieves all that power while meeting strict engine emissions requirements. It gets 7 MPG or uses 14.3 GPHM ( gallons per hundred miles). That means it only guzzles about twice the gas of a large SUV like a Hummer H2, but it is far, far more capable as a prime mover than a mere SUV. The FH16 really gets remarkable fuel economy for the loads it can haul. Saving on gas while getting the job done ... way to go Volvo!

One trucker who works on the demanding, hilly Norwegian west coast reports that the Volvo FH16 saves him 5 liters every 100km even though he he has to drive kilometre-long gradients of between 6 and 10 per cent.

Like spending your hard earned money on gas? Us neither, make sure to read tomorrow's post on Save on Gas.

Fuel Efficient Driving Tips from a Trucker

2010-07-15T23:05:00.003-04:30

Truckers know how to drive fuel efficiently. The trucking industry depends on minimizing fuel costs for generation of competitive advantage. We can all learn to save on gas by picking up a tip or two from the truckers!

Think that 7 mpg is good fuel economy? Maybe when you are hauling 50 tons. Tomorrow's post has information on the Volvo FH16-700, a powerful truck with the I-shift transmission that you saw in today's video.

Terminator Urges Detroit to Embrace Fuel Economy

2010-07-14T21:04:00.003-04:30

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the current governor of California, urges Detroit to concentrate more on fuel efficiency.

If you like foreign films or want to find out how to harness your vehicle's force to Save on Gas make sure to read tomorrow's post.

Vehicle Miles Travelled : Pulse of the Nation

2010-07-13T20:40:00.004-04:30

Our economy depends on transport and travel. If goods and people do not move, nothing can be done. This is still true even in this era of the Internet. Vehicle miles travelled in a period of time gives the total mileage covered by vehicles. Watching highway vehicle miles travelled is like watching an electrocardiogram ... it lets us see the beating pulse of our nation.

The chart above comes from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. It shows monthly data collected on the total number of miles travelled by all vehicles on US highways.

Notice how every year tends to have a similar shaped down-spike and upper peak. The down spike seems to be in January and February, probably because of winter weather. One interesting thing to notice is that the down spike from 2010 is the lowest in 6 years. Perhaps because everyone is trying to Save on Gas.

Make sure to read tomorrow's blog post to find out what advice the Governor of California has for Detroit.

Follow Oil from Well to Tanker

2010-07-12T20:34:00.002-04:30

This video shows the path crude oil takes from wells in Ghawar, one of the world's largest oil fields in the desert of Saudi Arabia, to waiting supertankers on the shores. Miles and miles of pipeline crossing empty desert ... and because of that, we have gasoline to move our cars.

Tour Ghawar, Supergiant Oil Field

2010-07-11T20:28:00.003-04:30

Ghawar is a supergiant oil field in Saudi Arabia. Without doubt, it is one of the largest in the world. Take a virtual bird's eye tour of this mighty provider of oil!

So they pull oil out of the ground in oil fields like Ghawar, but what happens next? Find out in tomorrow's Save on Gas post.

National Gas Situation

2010-07-10T20:03:00.006-04:30

The Energy Information Administration publishes data on the nation's supply of gasoline ( and other petroleum products ) and gas price. Keeping an eye on this data can help us gauge the state of the nation's ( and the world's ) gas tank and warn as about impending price rises.

Here is the total supply of gasoline in the nation:

Here is the history of the price of gasoline going back a couple of decades:

You can see the big jump in price since about the year 2000. Relative to about a decade ago, gas now costs three times as much. So on the 10 year time scale we are not doing very well on affordability. The chart of total national gasoline supply shows that over the same decade, levels have held roughly constant. Amounts of stored gasoline seesaw up and down, but if anything have gone slightly up.

The rear view mirror shows us a picture of stable availability but reduced affordability. I wonder if this trend will continue over the next decade? If it does we will soon enter an era in which rich men have all the gas they want and the rest of us just have to do without because we can't afford to buy it.

Have you ever wanted to see where gas comes from? Tomorrow's post will include a photo-montage of Ghawar, a giant oil field that produces 6.25% of the world's petroleum.

How to Coast Like a Hypermiler

2010-07-09T00:34:00.001-04:30

How to coast to save on gas.

Want to save on gas? Make sure to read tommorow's post. As one reader commented "I love your blog; it's like fluff up your popcorn and save on gas!!!"

Five Hypermiling Techniques Demonstrated

2010-07-08T00:27:00.003-04:30

Here are some basic hypermiling techniques you can use.

If you want to save on gas using the car you already own, make sure to read tomorrow's post as it has more in depth information on one aspect of hypermiling: coasting.

Fuel Economy Races

2010-07-07T00:21:00.003-04:30

Welcome to the races of the future, where it is not speed that counts but efficiency!

In this video they talk about using hypermiling techniques to save on gas. Tomorrow's post has information on 5 hypermiling techniques that will boost your fuel economy. Don't worry, we are not talking about rolling through stop lights drafting behind a semi crazy, but rather techniques that have been endorsed by the AAA as safe and effective. One guy claims that using these 5 easy techniques he can get 46 mpg out of a car that is rated by the EPA at 32 mpg. If you want to find out how to save on gas like that make sure to come back tomorrow.

Europe Saving on Gas

2010-07-06T00:19:00.003-04:30

Economy cars in Europe have long been designed to save on gas as well as being cheaper to buy. When they say economy, they also mean fuel economy!

If you like NASCAR and Formula 1 make sure to come back for tomorrow's post as it will be full of information about economy racing, a new twist on car racing. Imagine a race where the competitors get up to 80 mpg, without a driving a Prius.

Chevy Cruze : GM Plays Catchup

2010-07-05T00:05:00.003-04:30

The new 2011 Chevy Eco Cruze is supposed to get 40 miles per gallon, or 2.5 gallons per hundred miles. That is very good for GM, but compared to Europe and Asia, which have had vehicles with this fuel economy for years, it is still playing catch up.

You want to read tomorrow's blog post if you're planning a trip to Europe. In europe you can rent economy cars that really save on gas.

Trucking Companies Monitor Idling to Save on Gas

2010-07-04T00:00:00.004-04:30

Idling and speeding are two gas burning activities which generate little benefit. Trucking companies have spent decades looking to reduce them. You can save on gas and money too by adopting the habits of the trucking companies ... reduce idling and avoid speeding. You won't miss them and your wallet will thank you!

If you're interested in regular cars that are just a bit more efficient make sure to read tomorrow's post. I will be putting up some information on the Chevy Cruise Eco an the Chevy Cruise RS.

Idling Burns Gas and Money

2010-07-03T23:42:00.000-04:30

Idling burns gas and gets you nowhere. Here are some tips you can use to reduce idling time and save on gas ... and money!

Personal Transport of the Future

2010-07-02T23:12:00.004-04:30

Lugging tons of metal around with us in the form of a car is an incredibly inefficient way of getting around. Future technologies allow the development of very small, lightweight fuel efficient vehicles. Let us not forget that the point of a car is personal mobility. If we can get mobile without all those tons of metal, so much the better!

Infinitely Variable Geared Transmission

2010-07-01T23:05:00.003-04:30

The D Drive is a geared continuously variable transmission. Most continuously variable transmissions use a belt running across two cones. However, a geared transmission can transfer greater torques or loads before slipping. Continuously variable transmissions are important for fuel efficiency because they allow the engine to always operate at its most efficient speed. Then the transmission changes the gearing ratio as needed to run the output shaft ( the wheels ) at the desired speed. If the D Drive can be developed to the point of automobile usage, it could mean a big step forward in vehicle fuel economy. Let us hope the D Drive helps us save on gas in the near future!

If you like emerging high tech solutions make sure to read tomorrow's post. I will be writing about Honda's U3-X, an amazing electric unicycle that makes the Segway look like Granny's walker.

Put Your Car on a Diet to Save on Gas

2010-06-30T22:52:00.004-04:30

Every pound of weight your car's engine has to haul around costs a little bit more gas. The video shows the results of weight reduction on a car's acceleration. You can see the improvement with less weight. The same works for fuel efficiency: with less weight, instead of generating more acceleration, the engine can achieve the same acceleration as before by using less fuel.

Next time I write on this blog I will be talking about infinitely variable geared transmission. Not possible you say? Well then stop by tomorrow and find out about the D drive.

Carbon Fiber Do It Yourself

2010-06-29T22:48:00.003-04:30

Carbon fiber and other composites are lightweight materials which can replace metal in many applications in vehicles. Panels made of carbon fiber are strong while saving on weight. Every extra pound costs the engine a little more gas to haul it around. To many people, carbon fiber seems like an alien technology, beyond the capacity of mere mortals to understand or use. But in fact it is not difficult ... you can make carbon fiber panels at home! This video shows you how.

Lighter cars are more fuel efficient cars, and tomorrow I'll be writing about that. If you like to see real life proof that these strategies to save on gas work be sure to read my blog post tomorrow.

Compressed Air Powered Vehicles in Development

2010-06-28T22:45:00.004-04:30

Compressed air, along with electric and bio-fuel, could be an alternative to gasoline powered transport.

I hope you come back tomorrow as I will be publishing a post that I find really interesting - do it yourself carbon fiber panels, a great project to help lighten your old clunker and save on gas.

Compressed Air Cars

2010-06-27T22:24:00.005-04:30

Compressed air can be used to run a car engine. Of course, although air is free, the energy required to pressurize the air is not free. However, compressed air as a motor fuel allows us to maintain transport without gasoline. The infrastructure to compress the air would replace the petroleum, refining and gasoline distribution infrastructure. Of course, the part at the end of the video where they talk about perpetual motion based on compressed air running a generator which compresses more air is nonsense. Using compressed air to run a compressor will give you less pressurized air than you started with due to inevitable losses.

If you want to see and read more about compressed air cars make sure to stop by Save On Gas again soon. I will be doing another post about these cool alternative fuel cars tomorrow.