How to consume less gasoline on the road (and pollute less) when prices are at their highest point? Vehicle maintenance, serene driving: the solutions are basic but require a bit of practice.
• Eco driving
To save between 15 and 20% of fuel and, therefore, several hundred euros per year, you have to adapt your driving style, according to Ifpen.
Is about:
– Reduce your speed, for example from 120 to 110 km/h on the motorway.
– Maintain a constant speed, if possible with cruise control (5% savings).
– Drive at a moderate speed (approximately 2,000 rpm for a diesel, 2,500 for a gasoline engine).
– Anticipate braking phases. This also saves the brakes and tires.
– Cut the engine in case of prolonged stoppage (from 10 seconds, excluding traffic jams), or take advantage of “Stop & start” in a recent car (the engine turns off if you are in neutral and release the clutch). This saves 18% fuel in traffic.
– Activate the “eco” mode, if available: reduces consumption by up to 3%.
These tips do not necessarily add up, it all depends on the uses and routes. Most of these tips are also valid for an electric car, and preserve its range. To take stock, you can monitor your consumption on the on-board computer or on an app (such as Geco Air).
• Some reflections
– Reduce the load by emptying the trunk of any unnecessary objects.
– Remove the roof bars if they are not used: they add up to 2% of fuel consumption on a highway trip, and a roof box much more. A hitch box has less air intake.
– Close the windows at high speed (+5% highway fuel consumption).
– But also avoid setting the air conditioning at 16° when it is 40° outside (up to 13% savings), or on short journeys. When starting, it is better to drive a little to ventilate the car before turning on the air conditioning. And park in the shade.
– Disconnect the electrical auxiliaries (USB sockets, etc.), which cause a small overconsumption (+0.7%).
• Good misconceptions
– Disengage the clutch and drive in neutral: the engine continues to run. It’s best to keep off the throttle and downshift (use engine braking) when you want to slow down. This also prevents particulate emissions linked to braking.
– Sticking to the back of a vehicle to take advantage of its suction is obviously very dangerous.
– Excessive inflation of the tires accelerates their wear.
– Cutting the contact downhill also cuts the brake assistance.
– It is useless to warm up the engine for more than 30 seconds before starting.
– Go to the pump early in the morning: the gasoline may be a little denser because it is colder than at the end of the day, but the variation is negligible.
– Reprogramming your engine is still risky. Furthermore, none of the accessories that promise savings have shown actual effectiveness in tests conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
– Switch to bioethanol: this fuel is less expensive, it somewhat limits emissions. But the use of land, water and chemical products for the cultivation of plants, which will be transformed into fuel, is denounced by NGOs.
Source: BFM TV
