Fuel Economy Cars

           

Finding The Most Efficient Cars 2012

Fuel Economy Cars - Find The Most Fuel Efficient Cars 2012

With the rising cost of fuel in the United States, people are becoming much more mindful of the efficiency of their vehicles. It is expected that fuel prices will rise well above $5 per gallon this year, which increases the need for fuel economy cars, as well as other vehicles. In 2012, finding the most fuel efficient cars will be a priority for many.

Fuel Economy Begins With The Right Fuel

Looking for good alternative energy sources for our vehicles is important, but many of these solutions are at least 10 to 20 years away. Let's produce our own energy so we don't have to pay so much at the pump!

It is important to contact your senators and congress persons and encourage them to lift restrictions on drilling and allow as many wells to be drilled domestically as quickly as possible. We aren't dealing only with an economic problem but a natural security issue. We become the slaves of foreign oil as long as we don't drill from our own wells. Having domestic production of our petroleum products would also provide thousands of new jobs where they are needed to help pull us out of a terrible economy. It is estimated that we have at a minimum 70 years' worth of oil right under our feet and another 100 years' worth of natural gas. If we were serious about becoming energy independent, it could be done in a relatively short period of time.

Over the past several years the U.S. has discovered that natural gas is a good source of energy for vehicle use. Most of us have used natural gas to heat our homes and water for decades. Natural gas is the cleanest burning fuel known to man at this time. The bussing industry caught on many years ago. Larger cities now use compressed natural gas (CNG) to power their transit buses. National parks also use CNG buses for transportation.

The trucking industry has recently caught on to the advantages of natural gas in fueling their fleets. A number of large companies including UPS have switched over to the use of natural gas trucks.

There is currently only one CNG car for sale in the United States, the Honda Civic GX. This car has won awards for having the cleanest burning engine. In 2001, the EPA rated the GX as the "cleanest burning internal combustion engine in the world." What an endorsement!

Recently other vehicle makers have decided to get more involved with natural gas vehicles. Ford is currently producing CNG vehicles for their Transit Connect, E-Series vans and F-Series Super Duty Trucks. They recently struck a deal with Westport Innovations Inc. for them to produce the engines for their 2013 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty natural gas trucks.

Fuel Economy By Buying The Right Vehicle

Fuel economy has been a real push for auto makers over the past decade or longer. Finding more fuel efficient engines along with other alternatives fuel sources have been their ambition. Hybrid cars were introduced a number of years ago. These help reduce the use of gasoline by at least 15 to 20%.

Hybrid technology has also been applied to produce some of the most fuel efficient SUVs. A number of taxi companies have converted their taxis to natural gas. For vehicles that put on a lot of miles, this is a great fuel.

Fuel Economy By Properly Maintaining Your Car

Fuel economy is more than just buying the right kind of vehicle. Fuel economy also includes maintaining your vehicle properly. Regular oil changes and proper lubrication of the vehicle can make a big difference in how your car runs and how efficient it operates. Proper tire inflation is also important. Not only will your tires wear out much sooner if they are over inflated or underinflated, but your gas mileage is also affected.

Finding The Most Fuel Efficient Cars 2012

One good source in finding the most fuel efficient cars for 2012 is Consumer Reports. Another good site to consult when it comes to finding a good fuel economy is the US Department of Energy Fuel Economy site. This site lists data for each and every model of car. You can even search by the model year. You can do your own research in finding the best fuel economy car for your needs.