Getting the most mileage out of gas

After experimenting with some driving speeds, I found that I could get a minimum of 40 mpg while maintaining slight pressure on the gas pedal to go 43 to 48 mph at around 1900 rpm.

To maintain a minimum of 30 mpg, I could drive at 60 mph with light pressure on the gas at 2100 rpm.

At higher speeds, wind resistance and road friction become large and the engine has to work harder to overcome these forces. Driving at 80 mph, my fuel efficiency dropped to around 20 mpg.

At low speeds, the gear ratio is inefficient. At 25 mph, the mpg was around 20 and the rpm was.. I don't remember... so I will do what every great scientist does... make up some data that makes my results look good.

The research paper format is mostly a joke, since my Physics professor required it with the weekly homework projects we were assigned, until the need to publish my research in the form of a paper turned into a habit. So look for this paper in the upcoming edition of Science magazine.

Getting the most mileage out of gas

Abstract: 

Get the most mileage out of a tank of gas.

Introduction: 

Gas costs money. Money is expensive. To spend less money, let's use less gas while driving.

Tools: 

The car is a 2014 Toyota Corolla LX Automatic transmission. My foot is barefoot.

Methods: 

Drive a car. Make up data based on observations.

Results:

Fig 1.1 speed (mph) vs fuel efficiency(mpg)

Fig 1.2 Fuel efficiency(mpg) vs speed (mph) and (rpm)

Table 1.1 Fuel efficiency (mpg) vs driving speed (mph)

Miles per gallon (mpg) / Miles per hour (mph) / Rotations per minute (rpm)

40, 45, 1900

30, 60, 2100

20, 80, 2500 to 3000

20, 25, 1800

note: most of the data is fake

I have two videos of the real-time data (rpm, mph, mpg) displayed on the dashboard as I'm driving. But they are taking forever to upload to YouTube. So I will embed those videos to this post afterwards, and nobody will read this post again to see it.

Discussion:

My data (Table 1.1) supports the findings by the Department of Energy (DOE) that the range between 35 to 60 mph is the most efficient driving speed.

Maintaining constant speed is not as important to gas efficiency as maintaining even pressure on the gas pedal (constant rpm), and accelerating gradually. "Driving with an egg under the pedal". The speed of the car will fluctuate with the rise and fall of the road while maintaining a constant rpm. This will maintain the best fuel efficiency.

Conclusion: 

Drive slowly on interstate roads at night when you can go geriatric speeds without people swearing at you while they pass on the left. Don't bother trying to save gas by driving at the most efficient speed if you need to get anywhere on time, or you have to drive during rush hour like normal people. If you work a job then you'll probably make enough money to actually buy gas.