© Vitezslav Halamka petrol station 2
© Vitezslav Halamka
The easiest way to reduce your cars petrol consumption is to drive less aggressively – pulling away from junctions slowly and gradually, or just sticking to the speed limit can seriously reduce the amount of fuel your engine uses by lowering the RPM the car works at. What’s more, planning ahead to reduce the amount of time spent braking also reduces the cost of driving, as regaining your speed after a sharp stamp on the middle pedal can cost you dear.
There are also several minor changes you can make to your car to help save fuel and money. Firstly, strip out any unnecessary weight from your car. That old deck chair in the boot, it’s costing you money to carry it to work every day and not the beach. Try and streamline your car by getting rid of unused roof racks or other accessories which may be increasing the drag of your car at speeds. Finally, check your tire pressure, as deflated tires can seriously damage your economy drive.
What’s more, several odd methods may be employed to save that little bit extra fuel on the road. Turn off your engine rather than let it idle if you are stopped for thirty seconds or more – this is such a great fuel saving tip, some cars do this automatically now. When cruising, safely try to shift to the higher gears as soon as possible – this saves fuel by reducing the amount of RPM the engine produces.
Finally, the best way to save fuel is simple – don’t drive. Using the car for excessively short journeys to the shop and back uses far more fuel in relation to a longer journey, as the engine requires more fuel to operate effectively when cold. What’s more, you’ll be burning calories, rather than fossil fuels.
These small changes to your car, and to your driving habits can help save you money at the pumps as well as help save the planet.