options for beating the gas price blues

Every visit to the gas station is like a fresh slap to the face. As petroleum prices rise, Americans are beginning to rethink the logic of owning gas-guzzling SUVs. Fortunately, technology is catching up with the shifting demand, and there are now several options out there for maximizing your miles per gallon.

At Toyota of Portsmouth, hybrid vehicle sales are “very good,” according to sales manager Nathan Holmquist. Although Toyota has been ramping up production of hybrids, there is still a waitlist on certain models. The reason they’re so popular? “It’s economical, very functional and you’re not sacrificing equipment, size or reliability,” Holmquist said.  

The base price of a brand new Toyota Prius is about $23,000. Fully loaded, a Prius can cost up to $27,000. For green-savvy car buyers with a taste for luxury, there is a Toyota Camry hybrid that sells for $32,000. The Prius gets up to 48 miles per gallon in the city and 45 miles per gallon on the highway. With a gas tank that holds 11.9 gallons, the newest Prius can get close to 600 miles per tank under good conditions.  

Hybrids are popular in New Hampshire, according to Dan McLeod, president of the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association. When manufacturers realized how much demand there was, they started producing more hybrids. “Meaning you don’t have to wait six months to get a Prius,” McLeod said. He believes that more advanced hybrid technology is right around the corner. Along with diesel engines, which can reach close to 40 miles per gallon, commuters will soon have a lot more options for energy efficient vehicles.

“That’s what’s coming,” McLeod said. “I just have a feeling that people are going to be much more conscious, not just of dollar outlay for purchasing fuel, but also of not wanting to purchase fuel from the Middle East.” 

However, “there is something extremely important that people should recognize,” McLeod continued. “The way they drive can determine your gas mileage.” He discourages driving with a lead foot, so to speak. “Don’t floor it, except when you need to. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Do the speed limit. Driving at 55, as opposed to 65, makes a huge difference in gas mileage. You just need to make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go,” he said.

What has McLeod heard from dealers that offer hybrids? “Only that they sell,” he said. McLeod is also hopeful that fuel-efficient technology will continue to improve. He touts the possibility of electric cars, but warns consumers that such vehicles do not have the low impact that most people assume. Electricity to run the vehicles would most likely come from coal burning plants, which emit staggering amounts of carbon and other pollutants into the atmosphere.

Another option for those weary of the pump is gas-powered scooters, which can get up to 110 miles per gallon. With most scooters using a 1.2-gallon tank, people can fill up for about $3.75. Beyond the obvious benefits of an incredible fuel economy and the undeniable cool factor of zipping along on an oh-so-hip Vespa, there are other reasons that scooters present a good alternative to cars.

“There is a stack of stuff I can say about that,” said Don Jeka, principal dealer for Great Bay Motorcycles and Vespa North Hampton. Along with savings on fuel, he cites low emission rates, easy parking and the low impact on roads. Another advantage is that drivers of scooters with 50 cc’s or less do not need a motorcycle license. “In a relatively urban or suburban area, scooters are a home run,” Jeka said.  

Interested buyers can walk into Jeka’s dealership on Route 1 in North Hampton and get a 50 cc Schwinn scooter for as low as $1,500. Piaggio scooters cost $2,200 and the red-hot Vespas are $3,500. Last year, Jeka also began selling Evader Scooters, which have electric motors and require no gas. Charging the deep cell batteries by plugging them in the wall takes about eight hours, but each full charge only costs five cents and powers the scooter for up to 40 miles. “For a lot of people interested in the green, these take it even one step further,” Jeka said.

People in the United States are becoming more conscious of the financial and environmental costs of consuming gas.  
In fact, carpooling, which first became popular in the 1970s, is also making a comeback as gas prices rise. Seacoast Commuter Options promotes carpooling as an effective way to save money, ease congestion and reduce environmental impact. The organization’s Web site offers a portal into the “ride match database,” a clearinghouse of Seacoast residents looking for carpool partners. “You can log on, put in your information and find a ride match partner,” said SCO director Cheryl Phoenix. “It’s the number one thing we do.” SCO also provide a “guaranteed ride home” service, which provides emergency transport if a carpool member has to leave in the middle of the day or stay late at work.

Another feature of SCO’s Web site is a “commuter calculator.” Visitors to the site can plug in information about their commute (distance, miles per gallon of the vehicle, work schedule, etc.) and determine how much money they spend each month commuting to work. People are often surprised at how much their commutes cost. “If more people would consider just carpooling with someone, even a couple of days a week, we’d all be better off for it, financially and environmentally,” Phoenix said. “People are always trying to save money, and this is a great way to do it.” 

SCO formed through a congestion mitigation and air quality grant from the N.H. Department of Transportation, with the Pease Development Authority providing matching funds. Although the organization encourages individuals to join, its marketing campaign is largely aimed at enlisting Seacoast companies. “When a company becomes a member, there are a lot of advantages for their employees,” Phoenix said. The two biggest companies currently enrolled on the database are Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Wentworth Douglass Hospital.

“When gas prices go up, the amount of people on our Web site goes up dramatically,” Phoenix said. “Typically, there are 4,000 to 6,000 people on our Web site per month. It’s not unusual to see that go up to 14,000 to 16,000 people as gas prices increase.”

SCO also promotes the use of public transportation. The Web site links to the COAST bus Web site and the UNH Wildcat transit site. COAST provides $1 fares throughout the Seacoast, with stops in Portsmouth, Dover, Somersworth, Rochester, Newington, Newmarket, Exeter, Stratham, Greenland and Farmington. A monthly pass costs $35, the same as a single tank of gas for many motorists. Riding the bus, however, requires adhering to the schedule and stop locations, which can be frustrating. 

Segways are another efficient form of transportation that can make you look like a person from the future. Invented by New Hampshire entrepreneur Dean Kamen, these self-balancing, electric transportation devices cost $5,145 (models with off-road capabilities cost $5,660). They take four hours to charge in a normal electrical outlet, which ends up costing about 10 cents. Each charge lasts about 24 miles, so for the price of a gallon of gas, Segway owners can ride for about 720 miles. But like with scooters, the use of Segways is often limited by weather conditions.

Segway of Northern New England in Concord has been selling the two-wheeled wonders for just over four years, according to employee Chris Cheney. This month alone they have sold 14 units, Cheney said. About half the people who buy Segways use them for daily commutes or recreation. The other half of users include police departments, mall security and university staff. Summer staff at ski areas often use off-road models.

Perhaps the simplest option for avoiding gas prices is human power. Riding a bicycle or walking are the two most fuel-efficient forms of transportation. Commuter bicycles are among the most popular models being sold at Papa Wheelies Bicycle Shop in Portsmouth, according to employee Dan Houston. “Gas prices are definitely affecting people’s disposable income,” Houston said. As a result, many people are riding bikes to work once or twice a week to save money and lower their impact on the environment. A middle-of-the-road commuter bike, which is built for comfort rather than speed, costs about $350.

However, hopping on a bike or lacing up your walking shoes have one other big advantage—they’re the healthiest choice of all for individuals and communities.