The quicker you drive, the more fuel you consumption it is as simple as that.
Department for Transport figures state that you will use up to 9% more fuel driving at 70mph than you would at 60mph, and up to 15% more fuel than driving at 50mph. Travelling at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph.
The optimum driving speed for ensuring the best fuel economy is 55/56 mph, this is the figure generally used by vehicle manufacturers when quoting quote fuel consumption figures. However the mpg that you can achieve is dependent on several different factors including as tyre pressure, excess weight in the boot, use of roof racks and your driving style.
Reducing speed is an effective way of improving your mpg, however motorists are advised to slow down only when it’s practical to do so, taking into consideration the type of road, the speed limit and the current driving conditions.
Below are our top 10 tips to help you improve your fuel efficiency and save money:
Fuel economy tips
- Less fuel equals more mpg – If most of your driving is done in urban areas keep to a maximum of half a tank of fuel – fuel weighs 8/9 lbs per gallon – less weight will improve fuel economy.
- Slowest speed, highest gear – the key to achieving higher mpg figures is driving at the lowest speed you can, in the highest possible gear. The optimum fuel economy speed will be different for every vehicle. While there is an ideal speed, road conditions and gradients don’t often allow you to do that speed so you have to improvise and learn to adjust your driving according to the road ahead. Also, if you were to maintain one speed, either manually or by using cruise control, you would never achieve maximum fuel economy.
- Have a gentle right foot – having a gentle right foot on the accelerator and ensuring all acceleration is smooth will improve your mpg putting your foot to the floor reduces fuel economy drastically.
- Lighten the load of your vehicle – don’t keep unnecessary items in your boot as they add weight to your vehicle, which affects fuel economy. On average, every 100lbs will increase your fuel consumption by 2%. This is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle’s weight so it affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
- Maintain momentum – keeping your vehicle moving is key to fuel economy. Obviously this depends on traffic conditions and what’s happening on the road ahead, but constantly slowing down then accelerating uses more fuel.
- Plan your route – Consider making one round trip rather than several short trips. A warm engine uses less fuel than a cold engine. Several short cold start journeys will increase fuel consumption even though the total mileage could be the same – there are several Apps that can help plan your journey in a more fuel efficient way.
- Regular maintenance and servicing by a specialist garage such as A1 Clutches will improve the efficiency of your vehicle resulting in greater fuel consumption.
- Tyre pressure – ensure your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure as indicated in your owner’s manual. This will vary depending on the load you are carrying:if you have four passengers and luggage then you will need your tyres inflated to the maximum recommended pressures.
- Don’t be too cool – using your air conditioning increases fuel consumption, don’t use your air conditioning unless you really have to.
- Don’t get dragged down – remove your roof racks and bars as they create wind resistance and cause your vehicle to use more fuel through the ‘drag’ effect. Roof bars tend to weigh between 5lb to 10lb but the aerodynamic factor is far greater. An empty roof rack affects fuel consumption by about 10%.