When To Shift Gears For The Best Fuel Economy

When Should You Shift Gears? How To Get The Best Fuel Economy

When is the best time to shift gears for maximum fuel economy? In this video we look at how to drive efficient, how to drive with good fuel economy, and when to shift gears to maximize fuel efficiency. When you're accelerating and shifting through the gears, it's important to keep the engine in an optimal region where it operates most efficiently if you want to maximize fuel economy. This engine region is determined by an engine's brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC).

BSFC is a measurement of the amount of fuel required to produce a certain amount of power, for a given engine load and RPM. Generally speaking, BSFC is highest in high load, low RPM regions. This video will demonstrate this by conducting a test showing fuel consumption with the engine at four different operating regions, but with the same power requirement for each - to keep a car moving at 60 mph. Check out the video for full details, and to learn when the best time to shift is!

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[EngineeringExplained]

Here are two additional videos which supplement this nicely, hope everyone's having a great day!

[Stue-e]

The best time to shift gears is when your right foot is touching the firewall and the rpm needle is sword fighting in the hotzone

[OTechnology]

Shift to R for "Really Efficient" mode

[alex_ag]

EE: Fuel Economy
RX-8: We dont do that here

[Tgiles]

Keep revs between 1500-2000 while cruising, accelerating dont let them get above 3000.... pretty basic really

[rapidsniper]

I followed the thumbnail and shifted when the fuel tank was empty.

[protoslashwyl]

really liked the 4 split screen with added graphics

[EJSmith-dkyg]

Yes, this is a highly detailed, well presented (a little long winded) explanation.

Here's the short version; shift at as low an rpm as you can without lugging the engine. Once you've done this a few times it will become second nature to you.

[KyTasTr]

What would be great to see is a comparison of mid term fuel consumption at the same distance between:
1) faster acceleration with higher rpm and immediately after reaching the desired speed, shifting into highest gear and keep it rollin (= short time of high consumption, long time of low consumption)
2) slow acceleration in higher gears to desired speed and keep it rollin (= longer time of mid fuel consumption, less time of low consumption)

[OnlySethy]

High load low rpm = Miles per gallon
High load high rpm = Smiles per gallon
Edit: 1k likes?! Damn...

[NishantDash]

In a nutshell:
*As soon as you can without bogging*

[notabot]

I shift when my car asks for it, with sound.

[MysteriousSamurai]

After all this engineering explained my brain is spinning at very high rpm right now.

[frouchitude]

For the best fuel economy, walking is pretty efficient.

[adrianTNT]

1:00 “there is roll resistance from the tires” well... you can always take them off.

[phoenix]

i just learned to listen to my car, i learned to drive in a manual, if you listen, the motor will tell you when the best time is to shift up, as well as shift down

[Sno]

instructions unclear, constantly bog my engine in 5th gear up hills

[smallmoneysalvia]

0:35 - “As early as possible”

Okay, bye.

[ashwinmohan]

Many petrolheads I know and I'm one of them, do like to do economy driving. We have a simple system where we try to get into higher gears ASAP and keep the rpm below 3000 WITHOUT lugging the engine. I have a Honda City, which can be quite comfortable even below 2000. Infact, what we are doing is exactly what Jason says. Load it as fast as we can and keep rpm low, and NEVER ever brake (unless you relly need to, cause braking is waste of fuel). Try to coast near red lights and crossings. Blasting through highways and backroads is fun when you got loads of fuel, but can get real interesting when you are low and filling stations are far. Jason explained it engineeringly, ofcourse!! Thank you for another great video.

[StatusQuonald]

60mph in 2nd gear would destroy my car 😂