With fuel prices at an all-time high in the UK, there has never been a better time to familiarise yourself with ways in which you can save fuel on your day-to-day journeys. In this blog, we’ve put together 6 ways in which you can reduce your fuel bills.
Go easy on the accelerator
Excessive speed and engine revving is one of the biggest factors in using fuel unnecessarily. Keeping your revs low is the best way to save fuel when driving, so drive in the highest possible gear for the speed you are driving at to increase your miles per gallon.
Lighten the load
The heavier the vehicle, the more fuel it will use. Therefore, make sure you are not travelling with any items you don’t need, as this will increase the weight of the vehicle and use more fuel. Reducing drag is also a good idea, so only drive with your windows open when necessary and don’t leave roof bars or boxes on top of the vehicle when not in use, as they too will increase fuel consumption, especially the faster you drive.
Anticipate Your Drive
Being able to anticipate what lies ahead on the road will ultimately help you save fuel. For example, being able to see that traffic is starting to slow, or that the next set of traffic lights is on red will allow you start braking earlier and potentially keep the car moving for longer as opposed to coming to a complete stop. Stop-start driving uses more fuel than if you keep the car rolling, even at low speeds.
Cruise control
Using Cruise control is a great way to reduce fuel consumption when driving on constant flat roads, like motorways and duel carriage ways. Cruise control works best when driving at a constant speed, but may increase fuel consumption when driving in hilly areas or roads where the travelling speed may vary.
Check your tyre tread
The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm, which you can check by using a 20p coin. Put the coin into the tread, and if the boarder of the coin is visible then your tyres are too worn. When your car cannot grip properly, more fuel will be used.
Check your tyre pressures
Underinflated and overinflated tyres can both reduce your fuel economy. Underinflated tyres mean increased rolling resistance that require more fuel to maintain the vehicles speed, therefore reducing your MPG.