Drive Slower, Save Money on Gas. Thanks, Physics!
Key takeaways
- Of course, that means it’ll take longer to get to your destination.
- If you’ve ever been out on the interstate and realized you were low on fuel, and the sign says the next gas station is in 20 miles, you might have wondered if you should speed up to get there faster.
- Say you have to make a 30-mile drive from your home, and it’s a straight shot up the highway.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
Photograph: Steven Errico/Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this storyit’s the season for summer road trips, but sky-high gas prices make that a costly proposition. Unfortunately, most of us are stuck with internal-combustion vehicles, so we have to pay up (in more ways than one—hello climate change). Want to save some bucks? It’s simple: Just slow down.
Of course, that means it’ll take longer to get to your destination. A few years ago, I wrote a piece for WIRED on finding an optimal driving speed, assuming the extra drive time costs you money in lost wages (because you punch in later at work). Consider this the holiday edition, where time isn’t money. Instead, I’m going to focus on the physics and show why driving slower uses less gas.
If you’ve ever been out on the interstate and realized you were low on fuel, and the sign says the next gas station is in 20 miles, you might have wondered if you should speed up to get there faster. That would be a losing move, and you’ll see why.