While many drivers today would love to ‘go green’ while on the road, they may not be aware of the many ways to do this. Read below for some great ideas to make your daily commute cleaner:

Driving Habits: First, think about how you drive. Could you change your route to make it shorter? Could you combine multiple trips into one? Is your destination close enough to walk or bike? There are many easy ways to drive more ‘green’, its just up to you to make these changes.

Green Materials: Today automakers are using green and recycled materials for the cars cabin. These include recycled components and parts made from plants.  Those who prefer can opt for a non-leather interior in most lower- and mid-priced vehicles, and even in some luxury cars.

Go Small: Buying a small car is one of the best way to reduce your car’s environmental impact. Today’s small cars are better than ever, unlike the tin boxes of yesteryear. Furthermore they are becoming very popular, prompting automakers to renew their focus on the small car market. Small cars biggest benefit is their excellent fuel efficieny. If a small car fits your lifestyle, and you don’t have a thirst for overwhelming power, it may be the right way to go green.

Tire Pressure: If your car’s tires are underinflated, it can result in increased tire wear as well as reduced fuel economy. Plus, they adversely affect handling, increase stopping distances and increase the chance of tire failure. If your vehicle does not have an included tire pressure monitor, make sure you check yours regularly.

Hybrid or Diesel: This may be an obvious one, but it’s certainly not right or affordable for everyone. Hybrids have improved over the years and there are now many models to choose from.  Diesel, once considered dirty cars, use new technology to create a super clean and fuel efficient engine. While the U.S. still lags behind in available diesels, compared to Europe, the trend may be catching on. The main downside to these vehicles is the more expensive price tag.

Shut Off Cylinder Technology: To improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, some automakers have created systems that deactivate half an engine’s cylinders during certain driving conditions. Chrysler introduced the second generation of its Multi-Displacement System (MDS) on the 2009 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which can improve fuel economy by up to 20 percent on models such as the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Challenger R/T.

A new type of ‘green vehicle’ is being tested for future use in both fleet vehicles and consumer cars. A novel system called “hydraulic hybrid” has so far been tested in a Peterbilt garbage truck that increases the fuel economy an estimated 30 percent and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent or more. Developed at EPA’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Hydraulic Launch Assist (HLA) system essentially operates in the same manner as a gasoline-electric hybrid.

Like gas-electric versions, HLA works by recovering a portion of the energy normally lost as heat by the vehicle’s brakes. But instead of a battery pack, a hydraulic system uses pistons to capture the wasted energy by compressing nitrogen gas stored in a tank. When the nitrogen is allowed to expand, it pushes a piston in a cylinder filled with hydraulic fluid that helps the diesel engine turn the rear wheels.

An aggressive variation of the HLA design has been tested in two UPS parcel delivery trucks. Using a series-type hybrid design, the V6 diesel engines do not power the vehicles, but serve solely to actuate the hydraulic systems’ pumps. It’s estimated that these vehicles could see fuel economy improvements of as much as 60 percent and a reduction of greenhouse emissions of 40 percent.

The engineers at the EPA’s Michigan laboratory have built and tested many prototypes over the years, including a diesel-hydraulic passenger car that delivered more than 80 miles per gallon. In 2004 the EPA displayed a hydraulic hybrid Ford Expedition SUV with a small diesel engine replacing the large displacement gasoline V8. It is unknown if this new type of hybrid will ever become mainstreamed, but it is another glimpse of hope in the race to create a super fuel efficient vehicle.