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Everyone's trying to save the planet, and do it all in an economically beneficial way. We have all kinds of hybrid cars, electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered cars and low-emission diesel automobiles coming out every year. Still, all of these have some sort of reliance on external, and eventually costly fuel sources.

In June 2008, a Japanese car manufacturer Genepax released a prototype vehicle claiming they're going to save the ozone with this revolutionary technology—water. The mysterious big gray box that powers this little H2O auto has stirred some controversy among experts and consumers alike.

If cars can run on water, or even part water, why then aren't all of the big vehicle manufacturers (GM, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Chrysler, Ford) on board and investing in that technology? What's missing here?

The vehicle technology claim to extract chemical energy directly from water, a process which would violate the first and/or second laws of thermodynamics. Last anyone checked, the laws of thermodynamics haven't changed. So the primary question looms: How did Genepax get their little blue "water-fueled" car to actually go?

Myth: Additives
Your neighbor promised you, “This little pill can improve your vehicle gas mileage up to 20%!” And you might have also heard adding mothballs, acetone or even WD-40 to your tank could improve your mileage. Even though a few have reported marginal MPG improvement, these additives could cost you more than the gas savings are worth. Also, you could face some car warranty troubles if manufacturers find out you’ve used unauthorized additives.

Myth: Sticks are Better
Though it’s not 100% guaranteed, a manual transmission will usually get slightly better mileage than an automatic. But the real savings comes with the car purchase, where new car prices can be as much as $1,500.

Myth: At the Pump Tricks
Did you get the email from the Kinder Morgan Pipeline employee? It was pretty much a hoax. The external temperature at which you pump your gas has been the focus of legislators in several states. While it is true that gasoline expands and contracts 1% for every 15 degrees, it has little effect going into your vehicle. And squeezing the trigger halfway to reduce vapors (as the email claims) is so economically insignificant, you’re probably losing money by waiting for the slow fill-up.

Myth: Installing fuel-saving devices
Representatives from the magazine, Popular Mechanics tested a bunch of those devices, from water injectors to magnets to vortex generators, and the outcome? Not one worked. And they said some could significantly damage the car’s engine by coming apart unexpectedly.

Myth: Trucks with Tailgates Down
Modern pick-up trucks are built quite aerodynamically to push the air flow directly over the empty bed. So there’s minute to zero drag there.

Myth: Let the Engine Idle
Back in the days of carburetors and non-electric ignitions, letting the engine idle could have saved a little gasoline, but that’s not the case now. When your car’s just sitting there, you’re just burning fuel at zero MPG. Turn your car off if you expect to be idle more than two minutes.

Myth: Cooling — A/C or Windows Down?
Some have said that driving with the windows down creates aerodynamic drag, and others claim running the air conditioning will eat up your gasoline in nothing flat. Neither one is completely accurate. Studies at Edmunds.com showed that driving with A/C can lower your car’s gas mileage by about 1 MPG, which isn’t a big deal unless you have a thirsty SUV. And driving around town with your windows down will save you a couple pennies.

Link: http://www.carreviewsonline.net/saving_fuel_tips.shtml

Tips for Saving Fuel

Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

Fuel Economy Benefit: 5-33%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.17-$1.15/gallon

Observe the Speed Limit
While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.

You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas.
Observing the speed limit is also safer.

Fuel Economy Benefit: 7-23%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.24-$0.80/gallon

Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.

Fuel Economy Benefit: 1-2%/100 lbs
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.03-$0.07/gallon

Avoid Excessive Idling
Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.

Use Cruise Control
Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

Use Overdrive Gears
When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.

Did we leave something out? Post your fuel saving tips here!