While a lot of people get excited doing speed runs, we personally find joy in hypermiling. Whenever we fill up, we almost always do our best to eke out as much driving range as we can from our tank. There is always a sense of fulfillment each time we beat our own fuel-efficiency “record” after trying out different driving techniques.

So, it’s a good thing that car manufacturers are coming up with better ways to not only market their products, but also entice more and more people to jump on the alternative-energy bandwagon and be more eco-conscious motorists. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz has come up with a fun way to get its customers to better enjoy EVs and eco-driving through a smartphone app, the Mercedes Me Eco Coach.

Basically, this app gets users to be efficient drivers by having them complete a series of challenges and earning corresponding points. These challenges make driving, charging and parking your vehicle a much more engaging task. There is also an online community where users can compete with each other.

What’s great about the Eco Coach is that in Germany, the points can be used to redeem rewards such as charging vouchers, premium items, and even compensation for emitting less carbon dioxide while driving. More importantly, it trains users to drive their cars more efficiently to prolong these vehicles’ service life and to ultimately benefit the environment.

The Mercedes-Benz Me Eco Coach app is now available for download in Germany, and will eventually be rolled out to other European countries. Soon, tips and hints will also be displayed in vehicles that are equipped with MBUX.