Why is it better for you car to be in a lower gear to go downhill but also uphill?
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Low gear = wheel spin slow, but with more power
High gear = wheel spin fast, but with less power
When you’re going uphill, you need more power, and speed is not as important, and when you’re going downhill, the power doesn’t really matter, but keeping your speed low is helpful. Both are situations which prefer a low gear.
When you’re on a flat, power isn’t important, but you do need speed. So a higher gear is ideal on a flat, such as a highway. Additionally, your car gets better fuel efficiency on a high gear, because a high gear limits the power, and therefore limits the energy it can use. Fuel is the source of energy in a car, so limiting energy use, means saving fuel.
Of course this is for driving on the road, and not for racing. When you’re racing the goal is to keep your car in the gear that give you the most power at any given moment, but not so you can climb better, rather so you can accelerate faster.
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