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How to increase fuel consumption
by Alex
Expert answer:
Quick answer
Increasing fuel consumption means burning more fuel. If you mean improving mpg, that’s decreasing consumption. But to literally use more fuel, you can drive aggressively, add weight, or idle more.
Detailed answer
Occasionally, drivers want to intentionally burn extra fuel—like testing an engine’s capacity or generating waste heat in cold conditions. Methods include accelerating quickly, using higher RPMs, adding weight, or idling. However, these steps reduce mpg, raise costs, and produce more emissions, so it’s generally unadvised.
If you actually mean “increase fuel efficiency” or “get more mpg,” you do the opposite: drive gently, reduce weight, maintain tires, and keep speeds moderate. Sometimes language confusion arises around “increase or decrease consumption.” Typically, drivers prefer better efficiency (lower consumption). But in rare scenarios—like re-gen testing or certain heating needs—using more fuel might be purposeful. Just be aware of environmental and economic trade-offs.