With the recent launch of E10 petrol here in the UK, and current petrol and diesel prices consistently over £1 per litre, we want to help you make the most out of every drop of fuel.
We’ve put together a guide of ways that you can improve your car’s fuel efficiency and save yourself some money – you may be surprised at the difference they can make to your driving experience.
Check your tyre pressure
One of the biggest factors that affect fuel consumption is the performance of your tyres. When you think about it, they are the only thing that connects your car to the road, so ensuring they are performing at their best is vital.
Tyres naturally lose air over time, usually at a rate of around 2 PSI per month, so checking your tyre pressure regularly will not only help preserve your fuel but improve your driving performance.
If tyres are even slightly deflated, your car will be using more fuel to keep the car running smoothly due to the added friction and resistance with the road. Under-inflated tyres can actually decrease your miles per gallon by as much as 2.5%.
Ensuring your tyres are filled to the correct air pressure levels will also prolong the life of your tyres themselves, saving you money in the long run.
Check the EU label
It’s also worth looking at your tyres European Commission rating, which categorises each tyre from A to G based on their fuel efficiency. An A-rate tyre can improve your vehicle’s fuel economy by up to 7.5%, compared with a G-rated tyre.
When you factor this in with the correct tyre pressure, you can actually increase your fuel economy by almost 10%!
Remove excess weight
The more weight you put in your car, the more fuel it will need to get to your destination. During traffic jams or stop-start traffic, this is even more significant.
Things like roof boxes and bike racks are the biggest contributors to the weight of your car, but equally just having a clear-out of the backseats and boot of your car can have a significant impact as well. On average, an extra 50kg of weight in the car can increase your car’s fuel consumption by up to 2% – this may not sound like a huge amount, however over time this can certainly add up.
It’s best to only carry the essentials in your car, and leave any extras at home until you absolutely need them.
Fill up half-way
Like we mentioned above, any additional weight will increase your car’s fuel consumption – this goes for a full tank of fuel, too!
Driving with the added weight of a full fuel tank will actually end up burning more fuel itself, so it’s best to only fill your tank up halfway at a time. Make sure you don’t leave it too late, though, as driving with too little fuel can damage your catalytic converter. This part can be very costly to replace, so make sure that when you do fill up, it’s before the warning light comes on.
Regular car servicing
One of the main benefits of a regular service is that your vehicle will be performing at its optimum, which can help with fuel economy and saving money on costly repairs in the future.
While performing a car or van service, important components such as brakes, suspension and exhaust systems are also checked in detail to make sure they are in good condition.
Not many people are educated on the importance of tyre safety, so during your vehicle’s health check, these will be checked to ensure they meet the minimum tyre tread depth limit of 1.6mm and are suitable for the upcoming weather. For the Winter months, it’s recommended that your tyres are a minimum of 3mm to ensure optimum performance and safety.
A service should be carried out annually, or for newer cars, every 12,000 miles – whichever comes first.
Turn off the air-con
Although we are now headed into the colder months of the year, it may be tempting to still use the air-conditioning for days when the sun is out, or you’re stuck in traffic en route to work. However, using your cars air-con actually puts extra strain on the engine to keep the car cool. Instead, try opening the windows at low speeds, or at high speeds when you need cooling down, ensure the windows are closed before using air conditioning to avoid the drag from the wind.