Fuel Efficiency & Economy - Go further for less

When it comes to the costs of running their vehicle, most people just shrug their shoulders and keep on paying.

Tips for Fuel Efficiency and Fuel Economy

Here are some tips for fuel economy and efficiency, adapted for New Zealand with thanks to the Government fuelsaver website and EECA guidelines.

Driving wisely and choosing the right car are the keys to fuel economy. It’s quite straightforward to save 10% of your fuel usage: every driver can improve their fuel efficiency by as much as 30% if they really try.

Adopt some simple driving habits, carry out basic checks on your car and choose the most fuel efficient car for your needs. Even the tiny things like plug-in lighter nudges up usage by a fraction. More realistically there are many practices the average driver can incorporate into their daily habits to improve fuel efficiency, and also contribute to overall sustainability which of course is vital in today’s world. In a nutshell, all drivers should be gentle and smooth behind the wheel, avoiding sudden turns, acceleration or braking.

Slow down

As well as increasing accident risks, driving over the speed limit on the open road increases fuel costs by up to 10 percent. If you’re driving fast enough to be fined for speeding then the fuel cost will be significantly more. By traveling at 100km/h instead of 110kmp/h you can trim around 13% from your fuel bill.

Keep your load down

It sounds obvious, but a heavier vehicle means more drag. Carrying unnecessary weight in the vehicle increases fuel consumption by around two percent for every 50 kg. So take those golf clubs out of the boot after the game and remove the roof rack when you’re not using it. The same goes for the bike rack.

Think before you drive

Consider walking, cycling, or taking public transport before getting into your car. If you need to use the car, plan your journey. Picking up groceries and other items on the way home saves taking the car out later.  Planning your route can save a surprising amount of fuel; so much information is available on the internet that drivers can accurately plan ahead.

Avoid short trips

Short trips have a significant impact on fuel efficiency. You use 20 percent more fuel driving when your engine is cold.

Drive smoothly

Make sure you accelerate smoothly. Change gear early (but don’t labour the engine). If you drive an automatic, choose ‘economy’ gear switching as this will keep the engine speed down.

Look ahead

Check what’s happening, maintain a safe following distance and you’ll keep at a more constant speed. Anticipate what will happen in your path, whether it’s traffic lights or other vehicles moving across or whatever: decelerate ahead of time and be ready to move ahead or stop smoothly without having to make sudden decisions. This uses less fuel than accelerating and braking all the time. Brakes get hot as they store the energy they take away from the car’s motion and you have to repurchase that energy to get the car back to the same speed. If you drive so wisely that you use the brakes only for an emergency and the final stop, you are then doing well.

Reduce idling time

If you’re going to be stationary for more than 30 seconds, switch off the engine.

Love your car

A little love goes a long way. Keeping your tyres at the right pressure improves fuel efficiency, as does checking your alignment, engine timing, air filter and spark plugs regularly.

Watch your air con

Use air conditioning only when absolutely necessary as it tends to eat fuel, up to 10 percent more in fact. Use it when it’s needed rather than as a kind of default setting. Other features, such as the rear window demist, can also be a drain, so make sure you switch them off when they’ve done their job.

Windows up

Windows down is an alternative to air con ... but open windows at speed create so much drag they waste even more energy.

Test your car’s fuel efficiency. If you want to measure just how much of an improvement you’re making to your car’s fuel economy, you need to have a starting point. Follow these easy steps

  • Wait until the fuel gauge needle is on an easily visible mark just before you’re due to fill up (this could be at the top of the ‘E’ or the next mark above if you’re worried about running out of gas). Make sure you take the reading on a flat piece of road.
  • When you fill up, keep track of how many litres you bought. The easiest way to do this is just to keep the docket in a safe place in your car. You don’t have to fill the tank completely, but if you do, make sure you don’t over fill it - just until the pump clicks off the first time.
  • Reset the trip meter before you drive off. Drive around as you normally would. When the fuel gauge reaches the same point as in the first step, write down the distance you have travelled from the trip meter.
  • Now you have all the information you need to calculate your fuel economy. Simply divide the number of litres you used by the distance you travelled. Now multiply this by 100. The result is your fuel economy in litres per 100km.

Calculate your fuel economy. There’s an excellent, simple equation to tell your car’s fuel economy, on the EECA website www.energywise.org.nz. Also check out www.eeca.govt.nz and www.fuelsaver.govt.nz. You can also request a copy of EECA’s Think Tank brochure.