Fuel is rather expensive at the moment, and it won't go down anytime soon. If you are wanting to improve your MPG or just want to get the most out of your money, here are six ways that you can maximise your fuel economy and improve your vehicles efficiency.
Checking your tyres is vital to maximising your fuel economy. Having slightly deflated tyres will increase drag whilst driving, thus consuming more fuel. Also check out the fuel efficiency rating of your tyres, which is rated from A to G by The European Commission. Having A rated tyres compared to G rated can increase your fuel economy bu up to 7.5 per-cent!
Not being aggressive on the accelerator and brakes is another good way to improve your fuel economy. By accelerating hardly, you are using more fuel than needed and braking repeatedly only means you will have to accelerate back up to speed again. When tackling repeating speed bumps it is good to keep a constant low speed instead of accelerating and braking rapidly.
Whether you have had a clear out and are keeping old belongings in your car temporarily, or are thinking of keeping your roof box on for a little bit longer, extra weight to your car will use up more fuel. We don't expect you to take out all of your passenger seats to save weight, but having a lighter load is beneficial.
You may enjoy the loud noises that your car makes when it redlines, but your bank account definitely won't. Petrol cars are generally most economical between 1500 and 2500 rpm, and for diesels, it's between 1300 and 2000 rpm. Aim to change gear at the higher end of these bands to be more efficient.
Using air conditioning and heating frequently will use up considerable amounts of fuel, so only use it when you really have to. Interestingly, your fuel consumption whilst using your climate controls will vary depending on the environment you are driving in. For example, air conditioning can increase fuel consumption between 5 and 7 per-cent in city driving, and using it whilst on the motorway is actually more economical than winding down a window due to the amount of drag created.
Can you guess how many miles per gallon you are getting whilst you are at a standstill with the engine running? The answer is zero. This doesn't mean physically turning your engine off at every traffic light, but if you are stationary for a long amount of time, turning off your engine will most definitely save fuel, and the planet too.