With the push towards being more eco-friendly and the increasing popularity of hybrid vehicles comes a new breed of drivers who are intent upon squeezing every last drop out of their gas tanks. The so called mileage hackers are resorting to all sorts of measure to take green to the extreme. The Globe and Mail has an interesting story about modifying hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and altering drivers mindsets, all measures that contribute to achieving amazing gas mileages of 70 to in excess of 700 miles per gallon. While I applaud the effort of these environmentally friendly evangelist, many of the measures are unrealistic for most of us. I personally considered the Prius in 2005 when I made my most recent new car decision but opted for the slightly less efficient Corolla, however I believe today's models are further apart in their fuel ratings. At the time I could not justify the cost of the vehicle vs. the gasoline savings over the life of the car. Yes, it would have been a small win for the planet but at least I didn't go for the Hummer. It is probably more realistic to think that we can all do the small things like checking tire pressure regularly and adjusting our speeds rather than paying $50,000 for a tricked out hybrid with solar panels. Unless there are a few sponsors out there willing to cough up some cash in return for splashing their logo on a pimped out green machine, I'll be working on easing the foot of the peddle in order to do my part. Kudos though to those who can afford to push their rides to the limit, perhaps some of these hacks will make it into future assembly line models.
