Overview
The world demands more and more energy. Where will it come from? At Chevron,
we are working to provide more energy in all forms - responsibly and efficiently.
And just as the world will need all the energy it can find in the years ahead,
so too will it be important for all of us to use the energy we have wisely.
As an energy company, we at Chevron believe that energy saved is energy found.
We all need to rethink what we're doing and how much we're using.
About the MPG Optimizer
Chevron's MPG Optimizer is a tool, which demonstrates tips for driving more
efficiently. Developed with the Alliance to Save Energy, the MPG Optimizer suggests
several easy ways one can reduce the amount of gas they consume and save energy.
This tool calculates how driving behaviors may reduce a driver’s ability to
achieve optimum fuel economy. To begin, select the type of vehicle you drive
in the first slide bar. This sets the baseline miles per gallon for the savings
calculator. Moving the other sliders indicates how much fuel you could save
by changing your driving habits. *The results of these calculations are summed
to determine the total effect that your driving behaviors have on your fuel
economy, and how altering these behaviors might improve or reduce your car’s
fuel economy. In other words, savings are compared to inefficient driving habits
and show improvement towards reaching your car's optimum fuel economy as driving
habits improve.
The optimal fuel economy for each vehicle class is calculated as the sales-weighted
average fuel economy of the existing fleet of that class -- determined from
laboratory tests — and adjusted to represent on-road driving conditions. For
the questions that specifically relate to city or highway driving, it is assumed
that city driving accounts for 47 percent of all miles driven and highway driving
accounts for 53 percent, a statistic that is based on data from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. The calculations for these questions are weighted by these
percentages to represent average driving behavior, so that when they are combined
they yield a cumulative savings.
The national average highway speed limit is assumed to be 60 miles per hour.
For tire pressure, "decidedly underinflated" tires are defined as tires that
are each underinflated by 8 psi. For more information on average tire under inflation,
please refer to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2001 study on this matter,
at
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa/ResearchNotes/809-317.pdf
Why Develop the MPG Optimizer?
This tool is intended to help people better understand how their driving behaviors
impact the amount of gas they use. Chevron hopes to inspire drivers to become
energy savers and do more with less.
If you have questions or feedback about the tool's development, its sources
or functionality, or need technical support, please contact us.
Sources
"Gas Mileage Tips," U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fueleconomy.gov
"Light-Duty Automotive Technology and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2009,"
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
"Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 28," U.S. Department of Energy’s Office
of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 2009