If you have a little knowledge of Fluid mechanics then you would know that increasing the speed increases the aerodynamic drag exponentially. Just to put things in perspective, driving at 100 km/h vs 120 km/h will reduce fuel your car’s consumption by 15%.
Keep your eyes and your head on the road and try to anticipate the traffic. Slowly accelerating and braking can increase your fuel economy up to 20%.
Tyre inflation should be checked at regular intervals, maybe every two weeks. A tyre inflated by 2 PSI can increase your car’s fuel consumption by 1%.
As open windows disrupt the streamline of the car, it can increase the aerodynamic drag and thus, the fuel consumption by 10%. So if you are looking to cruise at high speeds, turning on your Air Conditioner might be more affordable than opening all your windows – though this may vary from car to car and for particular speeds.
Maintaining a steady speed and avoiding excessive acceleration or deceleration can be fuel effective.
You might want to keep “The Transporter” body bags in your basement if you want to save on your fuel. Cutting down on your chubby belly can also come in handy (jokes intended). In simple words, don’t carry additional luggage and loads if don’t require them for that particular trip.
In case you are using a carburettor based car, shutting off the engine if in a long traffic idle can save some cash – but that too in warm conditions. If the conditions are cold you might want to reconsider this option as it would take more fuel to restart all additional electronics than to keep running them. For cars with Electronic fuel injection, this is not a problem for as soon as you lift your foot from the pedal, the ECU decreases the fuel supply to the engine. The best way for this is to plan your trips beforehand and avoid the rush hours.
Examining vehicle’s rated fuel efficiency before making the decision of buying is the most logical thing to do. Usually vehicles with small stature, EFI engines and manual transmissions will provide better fuel economy.
Do you have any more tips for fuel economy?
Comment below!