Do you use up more gas by always keeping your foot on the gas pedal while driving?

Question

...And can I save gas by taking my foot off of the gas pedal sometimes and just letting the car coast?

Answer 1

It is always best to drive at constant speed.  The only time you would save gas by getting off the gas is when you are traveling down hill.

Even better use cruise control (if you got it).

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That was the short answer - here's the long answer and the explanation:

It is best to keep constant engine load - which is often constant speed.  But when the car is climbing uphill or down hill, it is better to let the car slow down a little (uphill) or let the car naturally accelerate a little (down hill) - to maintain constant engine load.

On a flat road accelerating and then coasting will use MORE gas than keeping constant speed.  The reason is that it take MORE fuel to accelerate than it save when coasting.  If you don't believe me, just know that car companies use cruise control when they measure their car's MPG for advertising, etc. (where the best mileage counts).

Good Luck...

Good Luck...

Answer 2

Yes, let the car coast as much as possible. Less pedal less gas.

Answer 3

Instead of coasting, just use cruise control if you have it. It does save gas.

Answer 4

No, but it would save if you coast downhill or to a stop sign.

Answer 5

Give it only as much throttle pressure as you need to in order to maintain the speed. It will use more fuel if you coast only to have to accelerate back up to speed.

Answer 6

coast if you going downhill

but think about it this way

if yoru on a flat road

and you let it coast, the cars speed will go down

then youll end up just giving it more gas to get it back up to the speed where it was at

Answer 7

Think about it this way.

Is it more tiring to run at a steady pace (keeping your foot on the pedal), or running slow, then sprinting to keep up speed, then slowing down, then sprinting again (coasting, then accelerating).

The answer is....given a perfectly flat surface, and ideal road conditions....you'd probably end up using more gas coasting then accelerating.

But I think the difference would be marginal.