Fuel Consumption

We are all aware of the cost-of-living crisis and know that, now more than ever, every saving helps.

With fuel prices considered to be one of the highest personal costs in the UK, now is a great time to familiarise yourself with ways to save fuel without too much compromise.

So, how can we save on our fuel consumption?

Keep the revs low

To increase your miles per gallon, you should drive in the highest gear possible, for the speed you are driving at. This will reduce the engine revving and excessive speed which are both big factors in using up fuel. Be careful not to allow the engine to labour as this will mean it will run inefficiently. Planned early gear changes and gentle acceleration will benefit fuel consumption.

Keep your load light

When travelling, try not to travel with any excess items you don’t need, as the heavier the vehicle is, the more fuel it will use. This includes roof bars or any storage on top of your car. Remove boxes and bars if you are not using them as they will cause drag, which uses more fuel. The lighter your car is, and the less wind resistance it has, the less fuel it will use.

Anticipate Your Drive

Stop-start driving uses more fuel than steady driving. By anticipating what lies ahead on the road, slowing earlier or keeping your car rolling slowly for longer will help you conserve fuel. Good forward planning and anticipation will help you keep the vehicle rolling. Remember, if you are rolling with no throttle applied you are using little or no fuel, so when you see a queue or hazard ahead, slow down earlier. Why hurry up to wait?

Air conditioning

Air conditioning can use engine power and therefore be burning through fuel. If you are conscious about cutting down your fuel consumption, try and dress appropriately for the weather even if you are inside the car. Or, at low speeds you can open the window for air, using less fuel.

Regularly checking your tyres is part of being a responsible motorist. If your tyres are worn down, you are putting yourself and other road users at increased danger when driving or riding. The legal minimum tread depth for car tyres is 1.6mm for and for motorbikes over 50cc 1mm across the central ¾ with visible tread on the rest.

 

Tyre pressure can also affect your fuel consumption, both underinflated and overinflated. Underinflated tyres cause increased rolling resistance which requires more fuel to maintain speed which can reduce your miles per gallon.  As well as affecting fuel consumption, the wrong tyre pressures can affect the safe handling of your vehicle, therefore they may become unstable or unpredictable.

These tips are great to bear in mind for everyday travels and especially for long journeys.

Of course, the biggest way to cut down fuel consumption is to drive or ride less. However, we know this is not always an achievable outcome for most, so why not try to combine lots of small trips you’ve got planned for the week into one longer trip?

Have you found yourself cutting back on journeys or making adjustments to save on fuel consumption? We want to hear from you in the comments below!