Best Techniques For Saving Fuel

By understanding how various driving habits affect fuel economy and implementing strategies for fuel and money savings, drivers can reduce their fuel consumption. How you drive greatly influences how much fuel your car uses. Want details on how to drive economically? Read about it below.

Go More Slowly and Cautiously When Driving

Due to air resistance and tire rolling resistance, speeding causes a drop in fuel efficiency. While varying speeds are necessary for vehicles to obtain their best fuel economy, gas efficiency typically drops off sharply above 50 mph.

Since cars expend the most energy when accelerating, using cruise control on the highway can help drivers keep their speed consistent. Respecting the speed limit, accelerating and decelerating gradually, and paying attention to the road in front of you can increase your car's fuel efficiency by 15%–30% at highway speeds and 10%–40% in stop-and-go traffic. Driving more carefully makes you and other drivers significantly safer.

Combine Your Travels

Combining journeys can help you save time and money by reducing the number of times your car needs to be started and stopped. This is especially beneficial in colder areas where it can take longer for your engine to warm up to its most fuel-efficient temperature. While the engine is heated and operating at its most fuel-efficient temperature, shorter journeys can consume twice as much fuel as a single long, multi-purpose trip that travels the same distance. Cold engine oil and other drive-line fluids cause an increase in friction in the engine and transmission, decreasing engine efficiency. Planning your route ahead of time will help you travel less, as well as spend less time operating a cold engine. The Fuel Economy in Cold Weather page on FuelEconomy.gov has details on how cold weather impacts fuel efficiency.

Lower Your Vehicle Load

The extra weight of objects left in a vehicle means that it needs more fuel to move. For instance, carrying 100 extra pounds in your trunk could reduce your fuel efficiency by 1%. In addition to increasing drag, carrying rooftop goods can decrease fuel economy by 2% to 8% in city travel, 6% to 17% on the highway, and 10% to 25% at 65 to 75 mph. Reduce the weight of any superfluous things to lower your car's fuel usage.

Rely on Feedback

It could be challenging for drivers to spot possibilities for fuel conservation when they are on the road. According to a 2018 study(PDF) by the National Center for Sustainable Transportation, immediate or in-vehicle feedback influences driver behavior and boosts fuel economy by an average of 6.6%. When combined with other tactics like driver training or performance-based rewards, this improvement can be even greater.

Using in-car displays, automakers are increasingly giving drivers immediate feedback. For instance, Honda's Eco Assist and HondaLink features use an advanced feedback system to instruct drivers on how to drive more effectively and what actions affect their fuel efficiency.

For instance, Nissan's ECO Pedal also has a dashboard indicator and a push-back accelerator pedal control system to stop engine revving. According to Nissan, efficient driving practices combined with a drive assist feature and an ECO pedal dashboard display can increase fuel efficiency by 5% to 10%. There are other aftermarket feedback devices available.

Final Words

While driving speed is probably the most important element influencing fuel consumption, there are several other driving behaviors you can adopt that can significantly reduce the amount of money you spend at the pump.