If you don’t know what hypermiling is yet, it’s time to pay attention. The term was named the New Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2008, and we’ll let them explain what it means:

“Hypermiling” or “to hypermile” is to attempt to maximize gas mileage by making fuel-conserving adjustments to one’s car and one’s driving techniques. Rather than aiming for good mileage or even great mileage, hypermilers seek to push their gas tanks to the limit and achieve hypermileage, exceeding EPA ratings for miles per gallon.

Basically, hypermiling is doing everything you can to make sure that you get the most out of what’s in your gas tank, and while some hypermilers (like world expert Wayne Gerdes) take it to astonishing extremes, stealing some of their techniques can have a real effect on your mileage—something we all appreciate with gas prices as high as they are. We say “some” of their techniques, however, because not all hypermiling methods are safe for everyday drivers. Drafting behind larger vehicles and rolling through stop signs are two hypermiling ideas that the AAA has spoken out against drivers incorporating into their commutes (not to mention that rolling through stop signs is also illegal).

Need more reassurance of the payoff for hypermiling? Ford just completed their 1,000 Mile Challenge (not to be confused with the food-focused 100 Mile Challenge), a test to see if hypermiler Gerdes could drive 1,000 miles in the new 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid on one tank of gas , and he ended up making it over 1,400 miles (his MPGs were about double the EPA ratings). Here are five of the tips hypermilers like Gerdes use to clock their much better mileages:

1. Avoid Accessories

It may make your ride a little less luxe, but skipping the AC and other electrical and mechanical accessories can save your significant amounts of gas. In fact, using the air conditioning at low speeds can reduce fuel economy by up to 25%. For ideal mileage, the AC should be off and the windows up, but realistically, you may need some heat relief. The best option is first cracking the driver window a bit and then, if you’re still too hot, cracking the rear right passenger window to create a fuel-friendly air flow.

2. Slow Down

There are few things you can do slower while driving to see better fuel economy. First and foremost, drive slower. The faster you go, the more friction you create and friction is bad for fuel saving. Keep it safe, of course, staying within the parameters of the speeds for the road you’re on (30 MPH on a highway will make you many enemies). Another move to slow down is your accelerating; instead of slamming on the gas, work your way gently up to the desired speed. Likewise, slow down your braking, fluidly pressing the pedal instead of stomping suddenly. Doing this can reduce your fuel consumption by as much as 33% on the highway.

3. Keep Your Car Clean and Healthy

Some elements of your fuel consumption are out of your hands, at least as far as the actual driving, but can be remedied by caring for your car often. Make sure your tires are properly inflated, check to be certain your air filter is clean, tune your engine regularily and have your tires aligned. Each of these actions can help reduce your fuel consumption and in combination the savings can be significant. Another easier option is to avoid driving around with lots of junk in your trunk; the more pounds you pack with you, the worse your mileage will be.

4. Go Far First

When you’re out running errands, drive to the farthest away destination first, making your stops on the return trips; this will mean the car is warmed up for the longest stretches of driving and will result in better mileage. Planning for right turns will also make a difference (UPS supposedly saved three million gallons of gas by eliminating left turns).

5. Watch the Weather

Those EPA fuel ratings you see are traditionally for “ideal road conditions” and that includes perfect weather. Driving on days that are extremely hot or extremely cold will adversely effect your mileage, as will driving in the rain. Extra incentive to skip running errands on those cold, rainy days better suited for staying in with a warm beverage.

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