December 26, 2010
How does going easy on the breaks save gas?
The EPA’s website says, “Go easy on the brakes and gas pedal. Avoid “jackrabbit” starts by accelerating gradually whenever possible. Also, anticipate stops to avoid sudden braking.”
I understand how accelerating rapidly increases gas usage, but how does breaking rapidly waste gas?
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Filed under Gas Conservation FAQ by on Dec 26th, 2010. Comment. 
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Comments on How does going easy on the breaks save gas?
breaking rapidly means your wasting momentum. instead of breaking rapidly just ease off the gas father back from the stop.
the assumption is that when your foot ain’t on the brake, it’s on the accelerator. so if you have to suddenly brake, it means your foot was still on the accelerator when you could have started braking gradually, which means you burned more gas than you needed to.
A smooth steady speed produces the best mpg. If you are driving in a city with many traffic lights, take off slow and smoothly, and try to time it so that you don’y have to step on your brakes at all. This will keep your car running good for many years and save on gas.
It has to do with maintaining your speed for a longer period of time before you have to apply the brakes. The longer you maintain speed, the more fuel you use. Releasing the accelerator early allows you to coast longer before applying the brakes. Not only does this save gas, but also saves brakes. I routinely get 80,000 miles out of a set of brakes. I don’t have to start coasting too early; I still want to maintain a reasonable speed as I approach my stopping point. But many times, I only have to apply brakes a little, not a hard braking effort.
In city driving, when you drive faster than the speed limit, it means you’ll get to the red light quicker and have to stop. Not all traffic lights are synchronized, but most are. Driving the speed limit allows time for the light to turn green before you get there, saving your brakes. Signals are synchronized for the posted speed limit when possible and for the heaviest traffic flow direction.
Any time you hit the brakes, you are wasting energy you had to spend gas to get.
I was learning to run a historic streetcar. You know, it runs on electricity. My teacher was explaining how the brakes work, the brake pads slow the car down by getting warm just like an automobile.
Where does the heat come from? My teacher said, “We bought it from the power company.”