Gas is one expense that seems to fluctuate at any given time and people donít usually think about ways to save money on gas until it hits almost $4.00 a gallon. Here are simple ways to save money on gas regardless of the gas price.

1. Gas Guzzlers
Last summer, people were dumping their SUVs, pickup trucks and Vans for smaller, more efficient vehicles with better gas mileage. Sometimes it made the difference between 14 miles to the gallon with an SUV and almost 30 for a smaller sedan. If you donít really need the bigger vehicle, trading it in for a smaller one will save you a lot of money in gas mileage.

2. Regular Maintenance
Keeping up with regular maintenance of your vehicle may seem like a headache but it will not only keep your car in good condition longer, it will save money on gas. A properly tuned vehicle can consume up to 25% less gas than one that is not.

3. Don’t be a Gas Station Snob
This just means to get your gas wherever you get the best deal. All of the gas stations basically get their fuel from the same place so stopping at your favorite gas station just because itís your favorite, can end up costing you more money. This does not mean drive 30 miles farther than you need to just because the gas is 2 cents cheaper either.

4. Change your Driving Habits
It seems obvious to walk when itís possible or to carpool but driving around a parking lot for half an hour for a great parking spot at Target is also a waste of gas. Take the first parking spot or whatever is reasonable. Combining trips is another gas saver, plan ahead and take care of all of your stops at one time.

5. Use ìRegularî Gas
Low octane gas or the ìregularî gas is sufficient for your vehicle unless you happen to have one that requires premium gas. Check the manufacturer if youíre not sure or if you are experiencing ìknockingî or ìpingingî in the engine. Paying more for high octane gas is a waste of money if you donít need it.

6. Gas Cards and Rewards Cards
Apply for a gas credit card or a cash back credit card so you can receive something in return for the gas youíre paying for. The better cards normally pay anywhere from 3% to 5% cash rebates for gasoline purchases charged to the card.

7. Check the Internet for Deals
There are a number of websites that can tell you where the cheapest gas is in your area. Try Mapquest.com, Gasbuddy.com and Gaspricewatch.com to check the price of gas in the area youíll be in. Of course, keep #4 in mind. No driving far away just for cheap gas. Unless of course itís close to free and then you should probably be suspicious.

8. Holiday Gas Prices
Avoid buying gas on holidays as this is usually when gas prices skyrocket. Try to get to the gas station at least 3 days prior to any holiday.

9. Pay Attention to your Tires
It has been claimed that low resistance tires increase gas mileage. Also keep an eye on the air pressure in the tires as well.

10. Buy a Different Form of Transportation
This goes with #1 regarding gas guzzlers, but a considerable amount of money is saved on gas with Hybrids, Diesel cars, and motorcycles and scooters.

11. Avoid Idling and Sudden Braking
Driving so fast that you have to suddenly brake wastes the gas that it took to get going that fast in the first place. Idling is another gas waster which results in 0 miles per gallon. Turning off the car and restarting uses the same amount of gas as idling for 6 seconds.

12. Clean your Car Out
Extra weight drags the car down and wastes gas. Clean out anything unnecessary that may be weighing it down and consuming more fuel.

13. Use your Cruise Control
Keeping your speed at a steady driving speed with cruise control cuts down on unnecessary acceleration and heavy use of the brake.

14. Keep the Air Filter Clean
Your car becomes less fuel efficient when it is clogged with dirt and bugs because it cause the engine to work harder. Have the air filter checked at each oil change.

15. Refrain from using the AC
It has been said that running the air conditioning excessively wastes gas. Park in the shade, buy a windshield shade and really consider if itís so hot you need to turn on the AC.

Alright, I said 15 ways, but here is another bonus (since I just thought about it).

16. Invest in or Use your GPS
If you find yourself lost easily or wandering aimlessly, you probably donít have any idea how much gas youíre wasting. A GPS system will help not only get you directly to your destination, but most can plan the trip ahead and find you the shortest and most cost efficient route to get there.

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Korean automaker, Hyundai, is preparing to launch its first hybrid model. The Elantra LIP Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is being marketed under the Avante brand and is the first hybrid vehicle in the world to be powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG). The vehicle is also the first to use advanced Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly) batteries.

“The Elantra LPI HEV demonstrates Hyundai’s innovative approach: We have leveraged Hyundai’s world leadership in LPG-fueled vehicles to develop a hybrid that will be very economical to operate,” said Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, president of the Research and Development Division.” Source: Hyundai

Initial estimates show that the vehicle will cost 50% less to operate than a non-hybrid Elantra and 40% less than its competitors. Although the Elantra LPI HEV costs more than the conventional model, the lower operating costs will lead to a cost recoupment time of two years. This is significantly less than many hybrids currently on the market here in the United States.

The vehicle will only be sold in Korea but the company will look at expanding into markets with an existing LPG distribution infrastructure.

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Filed Under: Hyundai, Liquid Petroleum Gas

Honda has two hybrids on the market today (U.S.) – the Civic Hybrid and the all-new 2010 Honda Insight. The company has just announced plans to bring another hybrid to market – the CR-Z. The latest news from Honda reports that the CR-Z will hit the streets in 2010.

“Shorthand for “Compact Renaissance Zero,” the CR-Z is a forward-thinking exercise in inspired design and environmental technology. The CR-Z draws its inspiration from a need to deliver spirited performance in an efficient manner. It’s all part of our commitment to help effect positive environmental change. So keep on the lookout for more details about the CR-Z.” Source: Honda

The Honda CR-Z made its North American debut as a concept at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The two-door styling will likely attract a different crowd than the hybrids currently on the market.

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Forget low-carb, 30 residents of Portland, Oregon are going to start a low-car diet on Wednesday, July 15, 2009. The event is sponsored by Zipcar and is designed to help people recognize how easy it is to switch to a low-car lifestyle.

“In the midst of a challenging economy, rising gas prices and a nation-wide focus on cutting costs, the program gives participants the opportunity to experience the economic, environmental and health benefits of a car-free lifestyle. The Low-Car Diet will help participants realize that living without a car may be easier than they think. It will also provide a means to keep more of their paycheck while becoming more active and improving their health.” Source: PR Newswire

The event kicks off on July 15 at Portland City Hall. Mayor Sam Adams and 29 other lucky Portland residents will be locking their keys away for 30 days. The participants will take public transit, walk, ride a bike, or use the Zipcar car sharing service during this 30 day time period.

Residents in 13 other cities, including Washington D.C., Boston, and Chicago will also participate in the low-car diet challenge.

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Lexus has launched a promotional campaign to garner attention and interest in the all-new 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid vehicle. Potential customers may post a profile and statement in order to garner votes on the DriveHS.com website. The top vote getter will receive a one-year lease on a HS 250h, a weekend resort vacation, and a gift package. The next top 100 vote getters will receive the gift package and an opportunity to drive a 2010 Lexus HS 250h for a week.

“There’s no other luxury car like the HS 250h hybrid and we know that people who get behind the wheel will be amazed by its innovation, luxury and sustainability,” said Dave Nordstrom, Lexus vice president of marketing. “This promotion is an opportunity to introduce people to the HS and it gets them excited about the possibility of driving it.” Source: PR Newswire

The contest closes on July 31 so the earlier you get your submission online, the better. Head on over to DriveHS.com for details.

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Filed Under: Lexus

Although we’ve been hearing about “green living” more and more over the last few years, it seems like with the recession, the whole sustainable living has been overshadowed by the current economic crisis to a degree. This however hasn’t stopped us here at the Green Motorist from publishing the latest green auto news, and apparently it hasn’t stopped the TV networks from pushing forward with TV shows focusing on green living as well.

Here are a few of our favorite green living shows.

1. Carbon Cops

Carbon Cops is a show on the Sundance channel (channel 332 on Dish Network ) that premiered in the spring to a very welcome reception. Basically the hosts of the show (Lish Fejer and Sean Fitzgerald) calculate a family’s carbon footprint and then the family has to figure out how they can cut their footprint in half using conventional and sometimes not so conventional methods. It’s sort of like a green version of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

2. Garbage Moguls

When I first heard about this show I expected it to be just another reality job show like Deadliest Catch or Ice Road Truckers but with garbage men. However I was surprised to find out the show is actually about a group of guys that create / develop useful products using everyone elses trash. That’s right, these guys take everything from candy wrappers to beer bottles and figure out how to make them into surprisingly useful inventions. You can catch Garbage Moguls on the National Geographic Channel (If you have Dish Network Satellite TV it’s channel 186.

3. Survivorman

Ok you may not think this show is exactly about “green living” but I actually disagree and would even argue that this is the best green living show out there. If you haven’t seen Survivorman yet, it’s about a guy who treks out into the wild and has to survive for a week using nothing but the few minor provisions he brings with him. What sets Survivorman apart from some of the other survival shows out there (*cough Man vs Wild *cough) is the fact that Les Stroud does all the camera work himself, which means he really is completely alone in the wilderness.

The show isn’t necessarily about just surviving but really about how to live off the land using just what you need, and I think this philosophy is in line with green living in general. You can watch Survivorman on the Discovery Channel, Dish Network Satellite TV channel 182.

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Zipcar provides car-sharing services in cities across the United States and the United Kingdom. Additionally, the company operates on more than 100 university campuses across the nation. The company has recently announced plans to launch electric vehicle pods.

“While EVs are showing great promise, and increased manufacturing capacity is projected in the coming years, large-scale consumer adoption appears to be limited by two key concerns — the lack of widespread availability of charging stations and limited battery range. These two issues may curb the allure of EVs to the mainstream consumer audience for some time. However, with an average trip-duration of just under four hours and less than 25 miles, more than 95 percent of Zipcar trips would fall within the range of an EV, meaning EVs are ideally suited for early, large-scale use in Zipcar’s car sharing platform.” Source: PR Newswire

The EV pods will be using the Citroen c1 (a French vehicle) and a plug-in version of the popular Toyota Prius Hybrid. For more information, or to locate a Zipcar pod in your area, visit Zipcar.com.

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Last summer about this time, gas was spiking at $5 gallon in some parts of the United States. I filled up this morning for $2.59/gallon. While this is a big improvement over the $4+/gallon I paid last summer, it is up by $1/gallon from what I paid just a few short months ago. Although June 2009 auto sales figures are down, it is interesting to see how hybrids vehicles fared as gas prices crept up.

The third generation Toyota Prius has a combined fuel efficiency of 50 mpg and a pretty snazzy advertising campaign to go with it. As a result, Prius sales were up 6.1% when compared to June 2008. Toyota sold nearly 13,000 Priuses in June 2009.

For comparison, the Honda Insight only sold 2,079 units in June 2009. Prior to the Insight’s launch, it was dubbed the Prius-killer because of its fuel-efficiency and sub-$20k price tag. The Insight has only been available for a few months so we can’t compare it to 2008 sales. However, this is down from the 2,780 Insights sold in May 2009 and the 2,096 units sold in April 2009.

The Honda Civic Hybrid sales were also down. In June 2009, American Honda only sold 1,583 Civic Hybrids. This represents a 43.9% decline from June 2008 and a ~23% decline over May 2009 sales.

Ford fared the best, overall, with only a 10.7% decline in total sales for June 2009. However, the company posted a new record for hybrid sales in the month of June with 3,649 hybrids sold. This represents a 91% increase over June 2008.

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It’s that time again – monthly auto sales figures. I just looked over the table that Automotive News created from the company’s figures and I see a little bit of good news. Sales are down for most companies but the losses aren’t as drastic as we’ve seen in previous months.

Domestic Automakers

As always, I’ll start off with the Detroit 3. Unless you’ve been unplugged for a few months, you know that Chrysler and General Motors are dealing with bankruptcies while Ford is faring the best.

The trend continues as Ford’s June 2009 sales figures were only down by 10.7% when compared to June 2008. While this is still a double-digit decline, it is so close to a single digit drop that I smiled with excitement! Ford moved more than 154,000 vehicles in June 2009 compared to 173,000+ in June 2008.

Chrysler is beginning to emerge from bankruptcy and has begun to reopen idled plants. The company closed nearly 800 dealerships earlier in June and so they had fewer dealers available to sell cars for the majority of the month. The company reported a 41.9% decrease in sales over June 2008. Although this is a big drop, it is an improvement over the 46.9% decline seen in May 2009 and the 48.1% decline posted in April 2009.

General Motors, which is overburdened by significant legacy costs and stagnant brands, sold more than 174,000 vehicles in June 2009. This represents a 33.4% decline when compared to June 2008. This is up from the 29% decline seen in May 2009 and the company’s bankruptcy, and dealership closings, likely led to this jump.

Imports

In addition to the three major domestic automakers, I always look at the top three auto manufacturers from Japan – Honda, Nissan, and Toyota. American Honda’s sales were down 29.5% from June 2008; this is an increase from the 25.3% decline seen in May 2009.

Nissan’s sales were down by 23.1% and Toyota posted a 31.9% decrease in June 2009 auto sales. In April 2009, Toyota’s sales were down by 41.9% and in May 2009 the company sold 40.7% fewer vehicles. The drop to a 31.9% decrease is significant and the popularity of the all-new 50-MPG Toyota Prius may be partly responsible for the increase in sales.

Check back tomorrow for the June 2009 hybrid auto sales figures.

Photo by The Consumerist

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Filed Under: General