If you drive an eco-friendly vehicle, then you have already made the first step in doing so. After all, in today’s world, more and more people are becoming particularly passionate about taking the right steps to help our environment. However, you may wonder what factors contribute to the amount of fuel your vehicle emits. Working with Lookers, who provide a wide variety of servicing offers, we’ve came up with a guide on just how you can economise on fuel.
Have you planned your route in advance?
You might surprise yourself by how much you can save on petrol or diesel by avoiding unnecessary stops and starts. In fact, statistics show that harsh braking and acceleration can reduce fuel efficiency by 33%.
You should try and maintain a steady speed to be environmentally friendly. To plan this advance, it is very important that you’re aware of your surroundings and the route ahead. One of which Is predicting what’s coming up the road and prepare your speed accordingly. This highlights that it would be wise to plan your route in advance so that you’re aware of all possible encounters. For example, if you’re approaching traffic lights, slow your car down in plenty of time to avoid harsh braking.
Monitor your speed
Driving too fast is dangerous. Although you should monitor this for legal and safety reasons, there are other benefits of speed control. Make sure that you make the most out of your car if it has cruise control installed into it. If your car does have this iconic feature, remember to turn your car off when stationary (when it’s safe to do so) to save on fuel too. This feature allows you to maintain a steady speed and prevents too much speed fluctuation — improving fuel efficiency. Well, research has found that it can cost up to 25% more in fuel to drive at 70mph than it does when driving at 50mph.
Driving slowly is particularly dangerous in a car, however a common misconception is that it can’t be deemed as dangerous. If your vehicle is moving below the speed of 15mph, this is when the most vehicle pollution is created. In fact, pollution emitted lowers when accelerating to 60mph and then rises again after this threshold.
Fuel costs
Changing gears at lower revs and resisting the urge to roll down windows are just two of the ways in which you can economise on fuel. This driving technique (changing gears at lower revs) prevents your engine from overworking and therefore requiring more power. It has been suggested that when you’re behind the wheel, you should try to change gear when the rev counter reads 2,000rpm for diesel and 2,500rpm for petrol. This stops your engine from working too hard and reduces the risk of clutch and gearbox damage (more unexpected costs that you could do without). This is particularly handy for those that travel over long distances, perhaps visiting friends and family.
It can have a negative impact on your fuel tank if you roll your windows down on a warm day. This is because driving with the windows down can cause your vehicle to drag — requiring more energy to move the car. So, is air conditioning a better alternative when it’s hot? One study discovered that this may actually use even more energy than when the windows are open.
Become an eco-driver and see your savings grow!
