Two of the last people you'd expect to be big on eco-conscious driving have come up with what might be hypermiling's killer app -- a sweet program that helps drivers minimize their carbon footprint and maximize their driving efficiency.
I Drive Green is a three-part strategy that combines classroom training with a software app and real-time feedback via Skype to make you a greener driver. It's the brainchild of retired auto racer Jean Paul Libert and rookie Indycar driver Nelson Philippe.
The first part is a coaching workshop designed to increase driver safety, reduce CO2 emissions and improve your fuel economy. We sat in on a couple of sessions last weekend and got a sense of just how good this program is.
During the free -- yes, free -- workshop, drivers use a nifty, wraparound, three-panel simulator to learn specific driving techniques that can curb inefficiencies like braking too heavily or accelerating too hard. After getting a bunch of pointers, the students are let loose on the road for two sessions. They drive solo for the first session, then make the trip again with a driving instructor riding shotgun to tell them how to drive more eco-consciously.
During the two workshops we watched, every driver burned less gas, produced less CO2 and covered the course in less time. In other words, the tips make them quicker.
I Drive Green puts into concrete terms what every race car driver knows: The smoother and more efficient you are, the less gas you use and the faster you go. The class is free, but there's no word on when the next one is scheduled or where it will be held. Libert and Philippe plan a big rollout at the SEMA -- Specialty Equipment Market Association -- show beginning Nov. 3.
The second part of I Drive Green is real-time monitoring via a PDA-like device called the EcoGyser. It uses a software app and GPS to track where you are and how fast you're going. (The plan is to offer a dedicated iPhone app by next year.)
When you hit the road, you launch the app. When you're done, download the data and I Drive Green will display it as a Google Earth overlay. Using color-coding, it will show you what you did wrong and what you did right. It'll even show you where you hit the brakes too hard, or where you jack-rabbited away from that stoplight.
You can save the data for every trip you make and track your progress over time. The EcoGyser costs $140, or you can lease it for seven bucks a month.
Should you need to brush up on your skills, or need a little advice, you can get some feedback from I Drive Green instructors via Skype. I Drive Green is also leveraging FaceBook and Twitter to fold in as much social networking as possible, so the knowledge base of the instructors and other IDG users worldwide can be brought into focus.
And it's that last part that will make I Drive Green particularly fun. "Who is the most fuel-efficient driver in the world?" I Drive Green can answer that. "Who are the top five drivers over a given route?" I Drive Green can answer that. "How can I maximize the fuel efficiency of my delivery company?" IDG will have your answer.
I Drive Green combines hypermiling, gaming, social networking and eco-awareness in a cool package that not only makes you a more efficient driver, but a better driver.
Even if you drive an SUV, you can drive greener, say the I Drive Green folks.
Read more about Nelson Philippe and his eco-cred.
Photos: Jon Snyder/Wired.com
