The Rise of Eco-Driving
With rising environmental awareness, the spotlight on eco-driving has never been brighter. CO2 emissions, energy use and fuel consumption can be drastically cut with just a few changes to your car and driving style, and could save you a lot of money on fuel in the process. Our team at Auto Exhaust & Tyres have listed our top advice on driving economically – not only impacting the environment in a positive way, but your wallet too!
Regular Maintenance
A poorly maintained car will use more energy on the roads, as will a car with under-inflated tyres, so ensure you get your car serviced regularly to keep everything functioning at a high level. Also make sure you are using the right engine oil for your car as specified by your manufacturer’s handbook for optimum efficiency.
Auto Exhaust & Tyres offer a range of services from car servicing, tyre replacements to just some professional advice by our expert team, working to enhance your car’s efficiency.
Reduce Weight
It’s simple physics: more weight requires more fuel, so clear out anything you don’t need for your journey – any junk you’ve got stored in the boot or glovebox especially.
Buy Less Fuel
Driving around with more fuel than you need just means you’re carrying around more weight – and therefore using more of your engine’s energy! Think ahead and only top up as much as you know you’ll need for a more efficient and lighter journey.
Streamline
Streamlining your car to reduce fuel consumption by winding up windows and removing any roof-racks or boxes will keep your car to its designed aerodynamic form, allowing the wind to pass more easily over it.
Turn off Electronics
Electrical devices, such as heated windscreens or seats, headlights and demisters increase your fuel consumption, so be sure to turn them off unless actually needed.
Likewise, aircon can significantly increase your car’s fuel consumption, so use it sparsely if at all. Although open windows cause more aerodynamic drag to your car, they are a more energy efficient way of cooling down than blasting the AC.
Adjust your Driving Style
- Avoid braking
Brake as little as you can; foresee any potential signs ahead of slowing or stopping and use your car’s momentum to do so. Rolling or slowing smoothly to a stop is far more fuel efficient than braking suddenly at a set of lights.
- Drive slow, & use high gears
A consistent speed is the most economical way of driving, whilst pressing your accelerator to the floor will burn your fuel up, so slow down when you drive – as hard as that might be to do in rush hour! Driving in as high a gear as is safely possible will also cut down fuel consumption.
- Don’t coast
Rolling downhill or up to a junction out of gear is not an advisable method of driving. It leaves the driver out of control of the vehicle, and these days saves no more fuel than decelerating in gear with your foot off the accelerator.
- Plan your Journey
A lack of planning could lead to you getting lost, and driving around for longer will obviously use more fuel than you want, so you should make sure you know where you’re going before you leave. Checking the travel news will make sure you’re not stuck in traffic on the way there, too.
At Auto Exhaust & Tyres, we pride ourselves on delivering a high quality service every time. That means great customer service from experienced technicians for all your car servicing needs. Get in touch with us today for more advice on how to improve your car’s fuel economy, or for information on the services we offer.
