Pulse and Glide on a automatic non hybrid

Question

Can you save at least 10MPG using this tactic, for a non hybrid automatic car?

Answer 1

No.  10 mpg is a BIG difference in fuel economy.  It takes a LOT more of a change in driving habits to increase your mileage by 10mpg than to just "pulse and glide".

The "pulse and glide" method of driving saves some fuel in theory by essentially reducing vacuum (pumping) losses by opening the throttle wider for shorter periods of time to achieve the speed you desire, then coasting along using the momentum you've built up (pulsing the throttle = pushing the pedal hard for a short amout of time then "gliding" = coasting off-throttle once at speed....)

You can attempt to pulse and glide with an auto trans - just put the shifter into neutral after "pulsing" and let the car coast.  It probably isn't great for the transmission life to keep going in and out of gear, and I seriously doubt that it will magically increase your MPG by anything close to 10 (maybe 1-2 mpg at the very most), but it is possible to try it anyway.