Here are some simple tips on how to enjoy maximum fuel economy.
Weight
No matter what the weight of their car, some people just make their cars even heavier by
carrying lots of unnecessary things - thereby needing more energy to make the car move. This
also includes carting around heavy people - if they're just being a dead weight and making you
use more fuel - get them to walk instead! Remember that if carrying extra weight, your tyre
pressures should be higher - see your car's manual.
Aerodynamics
Anything that interrupts the smooth flow of air past your car needs to be addressed. The
obvious culprit here is roof racks/luggage carriers/roof boxes. You may think that carrying skis
around on your roof all year round makes you look cool and trendy but it's just burning a hole
in your wallet and the ozone layer - take roof racks off if not in use. Windows are also bad! -
open windows drastically reduce your fuel efficiency - so keep them closed unless you've got a
very good reason to keep them open.
If you really must tow a caravan or high trailer, then apart from annoying every motorist behind
you, you're fighting the first two principles of fuel efficiency - low weight and good
aerodynamics - so consider fitting an aerofoil to the roof of your vehicle to minimise wind
resistance.
Finally, body kits or extras that are added to the outside of a vehicle will also affect the
aerodynamics of the car and contribute to extra weight. But more importantly body kits look
rubbish so just avoid them completely.
Sapping power
As you can't open your windows, so you'll be tempted to use the air conditioning to cool down
- well think again. Air conditioning can increase fuel consumption by 10%, however the impact
will be less if travelling at a constant speed on the motorway. So keep those fresh air vents
open and wear minimal clothing when driving in summer! All accessories can drain energy and
use more fuel, even the rear screen demister or the radio. If you want to be really super-keen,
then in winter see if you've got the will power to avoid turning on the engine and using the
windscreen demister, and scrape off the ice or use a de-icer. An easier option may be to buy an
insulating cover for the windscreen or keep the car undercover in the winter.
Speed
No surprises that there's a direct link between burying your right foot on the accelerator and
the amount of fuel burnt! Aim to perfect the art of gentle pressure on the accelerator and keep
speeds down to achieve max mpg. Doing this could easily save hundreds of pounds per year.
The faster you go over 70mph, the more the fuel burns away...
Drive smoothly
Accelerating harshly then braking like a mad person is a sure way to devour the contents of
your fuel tank, as well as ensuring you've got no brake disks or tread left on your tyres - or any
passengers that want to travel with you. By thinking and planning ahead you can apply light
throttle and avoiding heavy braking, so reducing both fuel consumption and wear and tear. Try
to predict traffic at junctions and when in queues avoid accelerating and then braking harshly.
Driving techniques can affect car fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent. Advanced driving
techniques will help with smooth driving and will make you a safer driver - see http://www.iam.org.uk
Gears
Driving in the highest gear possible without labouring the engine is a fuel-efficient way of
driving. A car travelling at 40mph in third gear can use 25 percent more fuel than at the same
speed in fifth gear. The fuel saving of coasting downhill in neutral or with the engine off will be
negligible, but as the car will be out of control this can result in instant death, therefore this is
not recommended.
Stop and switch off
If you stop for more than a few minutes, switch off your engine - the ultimate in economy as
you're using no fuel at all! However switching off your engine for short periods of time can
increase fuel consumption, as it requires more fuel to get the engine started. Also your catalytic
converter may no longer be running at full temperature, so your car will be less efficient,
increasing the amount of pollution produced.
Drive off promptly
After starting your car, rather than leaving your engine running, drive off as soon as possible to
prevent wasting fuel. And to save money on replacing a worn-out engine, drive gently until the
engine has reached its normal operating temperature.
Paul Clarke is the founder of the Green-Car-Guide.com, a website designed to help UK motorists make an informed choice about environmentally-friendly cars,saving them money on fuel and car running costs. For further information please go to http://www.green-car-guide.com. Paul is also Managing Director of Promote Environmental Communication a communication consultancy he has built up over 15 years specialising in the energy and environmental sectors.
