Improving MPG through altering your driving style.
1. Don’t drive too fast or accelerate too hard. Wind resistance increases drastically with increasing speed. Studies show that for every ten miles per hour you floor it, you lose as much as 15% in fuel economy. So, slow down, and be a fuel efficient, safer and relaxed driver.
2. Try moving in high gears and slow speed as much as possible. When the engine turns slowly, there are fewer explosions in the cylinder meaning lesser use of fuel. That means more economy for you.
3. Try not to accelerate when moving up a slope like a hill. If you are increasing your speed when moving up, you can see your mileage plummet from 30 or 25 MPG to as low as 6 MPG, and even 2 or 3 MPG. So, either maintain the same speed or go a little slow. You can save fabulously on fuel.
4. Anticipate stops and brake less. Every time you brake, you are wasting the car’s energy by cutting down the forward moving force and transforming it into retarding force acting through the brake pads. So, accelerate slowly and stop naturally at the anticipated points by taking advantage of the running friction, instead of braking at the last moment, and then pumping fuel once again to accelerate.
5. Don’t waste fuel by keeping your vehicle idling for long. Cars seldom require prolonged warming – in fact it can do more harm than good by preventing a natural acid build-up from dispersing from the piston rings resulting in increased engine wear. Driving gently is the best warm up there is. When it’s 25 degrees out, warm up for 30 seconds is quite fine. If it’s 10 degrees out, a minute’s warm up is ok.
6. Drive light. It’s also equally important to do away with roof racks as much as possible. You almost waste 5% MPG efficiency for carrying roof racks.
7. Don’t misuse or overuse the AC. When it’s pleasant outside, feel the nature, instead of shutting yourself in and burning extra fuel by keeping the air-conditioning equipment on.
Apologies if the above appears a little patronising but these are basics that are too often forgotten.
The FuelTechExperts Team
