Tips for Fuel Driving

Learning how to drive more economically can help with more than your fuel savings, and it can help increase your bank balance. Fuel economy also helps reduce the costs of vehicle maintenance. Being able to drive more economically can also help you become a safer driver on the road. Here are a few tips to help you improve your fuel economy.

5 Tips for fuel driving to help you improve your fuel economy

1. Gradual Acceleration

Once you stop at a stop sign or a red light and are about ready to move again, if you have smooth, gradual pressure on the accelerator to get up to cruising speed, it will allow your engine to use less fuel compared to pressing the accelerator harshly.

Attempting to reach the maximum speed limit quickly does waste a lot of gas. If you multiply that over several trips, you’re leaving stop signs, and when the red lights change to green, it can use more of your fuel. Learning to accelerate smoothly and gradually will also allow you to create a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead of you.

2. Look Ahead and Anticipate

Another way to improve fuel economy is to look well ahead up the road. Looking ahead to where you think you will be in roughly the next 15 seconds will allow you to see when the traffic ahead begins to slow down. When you see vehicles further ahead of you, begin to slow down, you can start slowing early. Slowing early means you may not have to come to a stop before being able to accelerate again.

The engine has to work harder when you have to move the vehicle from being stopped compared to having to move it if the vehicle has only slowed down to 15 – 20 km/h or so. If you compare that to riding a bicycle, it’s a lot easier to continue if you can keep it moving before you pedal again. It would take less energy from you to get your bicycle back up to speed. Your vehicle works the same way. The less energy you use to move up to speed will improve fuel consumption.

3. Choose the Best Road

The best speed to improve fuel consumption is not the 50 km/h roads you think. Driving on 60 km/h roads will allow your engine to work more efficiently. Having less traffic may mean fewer stop-and-go situations if you can choose roads with fewer stop signs or traffic lights. Driving at a consistent speed does improve your fuel economy.

Driving on the expressway or high-speed highways may not be the best choice to reduce fuel consumption. Since 100 km/h or 110 km/h is not the best speed for the best fuel economy. Instead, try the 70 km/h or 80 km/h secondary highways since those roads would be better for your fuel economy.

4. Choose the Best Lane

Sitting in the same lane all the time can slow you down since you may have to stop behind buses to let off or pick up passengers and may not want to drive in the left lane constantly as drivers do tend to make left turns. Choose the lane that flows more consistently. It is also a good idea to change lanes to avoid having to stop. Changing lanes can be done smoothly without much slowing at all.

5. Unnecessary Idling Wastes Fuel

Idling in a line of 4, 5, or 6 vehicles in a drive-thru can waste fuel. You may be surprised by just how much quicker it can be to get your order by going inside instead of using the drive-thru. In cold weather, drivers avoid starting the vehicle and let it idle at home for a few minutes before driving. This wastes fuel as the engine does not warm up as quickly as some think. The engine warms up more while the vehicle is in motion. After starting the engine in cold weather, wait for roughly 15 – 30 seconds, then driving away is better and wastes less fuel.

If you can improve your mileage to roughly 700 km on a tank of fuel compared to 600 km, you would not have to stop at the gas station as often, which would help you keep your money in your bank account.

Making smart decisions like these is only the beginning. Let Trubicars help you reach your goal of becoming a smooth driver, able to save fuel each time you drive. Visit the Trubicars website for more information!