1 ) Pump up your tyresKeeping your tyres inflated is one of the easiest and most important thingsSaving petrol means saving money one can do to improve fuel economy. If arange is recommended by the manufacturer, the higher pressure should be usedto maximize fuel efficiency.Deflated tyres run hot and jeopardize safety. It will also cause the tyresto wear out prematurely, affect the vehicles adversely, and hurt the fueleconomy by increasing the rolling resistance. Tyres lose about 1 psipressure per month due to air loss caused by the tyre hitting holes, bumpsand kerbs. Therefore, the tyres should be checked at least once a month.Just 1 tyre deflated by 2 psi will result in a 1% increase in fuelconsumption.
2) Drive at moderate speedAvoiding high speeds on open roads results in safer driving and better fuelecon! omy. In highway driving, over 50% of the power produced by the engineis used to overcome aerodynamic drag. Drag and thus fuel consumptionincreases rapidly at speeds above 90km/h. On the average, a car uses about15% more fuel at 100km/h, and 25% more fuel at 110km/h compared to when itis doing only 90km/h. However, this should not lead one to conclude that thelower the speed, the better the fuel economy - because it is not. The fuelconsumption of an average car increases sharply at speeds below 50km/h.
3) Clean the air-filter regularlyClogged air filters increase fuel consumption by restricting airflow to theengine, and thus should be cleaned/replaced when necessary. Clogged airfilters can increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
4) Use thinner tyresTyres with thick width will improve the handling of your car. However, itwill also increase your car's fuel consumption. Thicker tyres mean morerolling resistance! , and thus will consume more fuel.
5) Start up the car properlyWith today's cars, it is not necessary to prime the engine first by pumpingthe accelerator pedal repeatedly.Do not crank the engine excessively Thisonly wastes fuel.When starting the engine, idle it no more than 30 secondsto warm it up. An engine will warm up faster on the road. However, avoidsudden acceleration before the engine has warmed up sufficiently.
6) Drive in high gear (overdrive)The engine runs most efficiently between around 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. Tomaintain these low revs you should change up through the gears as soon aspractical and before the revs reach 2500 rpm. For automatic transmissioncars, you should always switch on your overdrive to help save fuel.Overdrive will allow your engine to change gears at lower revs. It also putsyour transmission into an "economy" mode and lets it engage the final"overdrive" gear when cruising to ! keep the rpms extra low, therebyincreasing fuel economy.
7) Travel lightAvoid carrying any unnecessary weight in your car. On the average, every50kg added load in your car will increase fuel consumption by 2%.
8) Anticipate traffic aheadA driver can reduce fuel consumption by up to 10% by anticipating trafficconditions ahead and adjusting the speed accordingly, and avoidingtailgating and thus unnecessary braking and acceleration. Accelerations anddecelerations waste fuel. Braking and abrupt stops can be minimized by notfollowing too closely and slowing down gradually when approaching a redlight. It takes up to six times as much fuel to move a car from a dead stopthan it does for one moving at just a few km/h.
9) Avoid strong accelerationThe fuel consumption remains at a minimum during steady driving at amoderate speed of about 90km/h. Keep in mind that every time the acceleratoris hard pressed, t! he engine goes into a "fuel-enrichment" mode ofoperation that wastes fuel.The vehicle should always be gradually andsmoothly accelerated. Using cruise control on highways can help maintain aconstant speed and reduce fuel consumption.
10) Minimise aerodynamic dragAdditional parts on the exterior of a vehicle such as roof racks andspoilers, or having the window open, Roof racks are bad for fuel economyincreases air resistance and fuel consumption, in some cases by over 20%.
11) Don't let your engine idleMinimize fuel wasted in idling by stopping the engine whenever your car isstopped or held up for an extended period of time. Idling more than a minuteconsumes much more fuel than restarting the engine. By having the engineswitched off, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuelinvolved in restarting the engine. The net increased wear and tear from thispractice is negligible.
12) Use the air-con sparinglyAir conditioners can use about 10 per cent extra fuel when operating.However, at speeds of over 80 km/h, use of air conditioning is better forfuel economy than an open window
