These eco-driving tips are the motoring equivalent of fitting low-energy bulbs and not leaving the television on standby.
They are simple ideas that really will make a difference and help you save about 10 per cent of your petrol.
Maintenance
Get your car serviced regularly to maintain engine efficiency and make sure you use the right specification of engine oil (check your owner’s manual).
Check tyre pressures regularly and before long journeys; under-inflated tyres create more rolling resistance and so use more petrol.
Before you go
Lose the extra weight. Heavier loads mean extra petrol, so if there’s anything in the boot you don’t need on the journey, take it out.
Roof-racks and boxes add wind resistance and increase petrol consumption. If you don’t need it, take it off, if you do, pack carefully to reduce resistance.
Leave promptly. Don’t start the engine until you’re ready to go as idling wastes petrol and the engine warms up more quickly when you’re moving; in the winter.
Don’t get lost. Plan out unfamiliar journeys to reduce the risk of getting lost and check the traffic news before you leave.
Consider alternatives. If it’s a short journey, could you walk or cycle rather than taking the car?
En route
Drive smoothly, accelerate gently and read the road ahead to avoid unnecessary braking.
Decelerate smoothly. When you have to slow down or to stop, decelerate smoothly by releasing the accelerator in time, leaving the car in gear.
If you can keep the car moving all the time, so much the better; stopping then starting again uses more petrol than rolling.
Change up earlier. Don’t put pressure on the engine but try changing up at an engine speed of around 2 000 RPM in a diesel car or around 2 500 RPM in a petrol car.
Cut down on the airconditioning. Airconditioning increases petrol consumption at low speeds, but at higher speeds the effects are less noticeable. So if it’s a hot day, open the windows and save the airconditioning for high speed driving. Don’t leave the airconditioner on all the time, but aim to run it at least once a week throughout the year to maintain the system in good condition.
Turn it off. Electrical loads increase petrol consumption, so turn off your heated rear windscreen, demister blowers and headlights, when you don’t need them.
Stick to speed limits. The faster you go the greater the petrol consumption and pollution.
If you do get caught in traffic, avoid wasting petrol; turn the engine off if it looks like you could be waiting for more than three minutes.
Coasting
Although it used to be quite a common practice to save petrol, rolling downhill or approaching a junction with the car out of gear is inadvisable because the driver doesn’t have full control of the vehicle. You lose the ability to suddenly accelerate out of tricky situations.
With changes in vehicle fuel systems coasting won’t save you petrol these days either.
