Lately, a lot is being said about saving on everything. Saving money, saving time, but also reducing global pollution and harmful gas emission.
Car manufacturers do everything they can to keep pushing these boundaries. They keep making their cars more gas efficient, they work on hybrid cars that would greatly reduce the CO2 emission, or they even experiment with cars that would run solely on the alternative and renewable energy sources.
This is obviously a good thing. But that doesn’t mean a common driver cannot chip in to help with this global saving by reductions. Probably the best way to do this is by practicing eco-driving. If you don’t know what it is then it’s high time you learned that.
What is eco-driving?
According to carVertical, eco-driving is a concept that encompasses driving habits that reduce the use of gas in a car. Therefore, it is a way of using your vehicle that will allow you to use your gas tank to the max, saving you some money as well as reducing the CO2 emission.
Although not a common thing yet, eco-driving is becoming more and more popular, to the extent that driving schools launch special courses teaching just that. However, the basic rules are simple enough to understand without taking any extra lessons.
All you have to do is to read this article and be willing to apply the following rules to your driving habits.
Eco-driving on highways or straight and empty roads
Let’s start with something simple – driving on highways or straight and empty roads. Whenever you find yourself driving fast, close your windows. Experts say that as long as you keep your speed below 50 mph it is OK to grab some fresh air, but if you’re moving faster than that, you should close them.
It is because in such a situation the drag increases to a point significant enough to lower your car’s fuel economy. And while we’re on the topic of speed, as long as you’re not in hurry, try to keep your speed below 55 – 60 mph.
While driving faster may feel tempting, let me counter with a convincing argument as well. Driving at the speed of 55 mph instead of 65 or more reduces the fuel consumption by as much as 10 – 15%. It is a lot.
While you may take a bit longer to reach your destinations, after a while you will have it compensated by the lowered gas bills. Finally, when you’re driving on a highway, try to keep your speed constant.
As much as it’s possible don’t accelerate nor break (obviously if the
situation demands it doesn’t hesitate to do that!). By doing this, you will lower the engine’s gas intake even further.
Energy-efficient driving in the city
Now let’s move to drive in more city-like conditions with traffic jams, road lights, and signs. Obviously, all the above-mentioned tips are still viable here, but the last one is especially important.
As we all know, driving around a city often demands you to stop and move. To increase your gas economy, try to anticipate these moments as early as possible and stop/accelerate smoothly. While it is satisfying to hear your engine purr when you hit the gas pedal after getting the green light, it also increases your fuel consumption.
While the amount is not large, believe me, it adds up after a short while. Therefore, if you will be able to predict such situations ahead (usually by keeping a distance between you and the next car if possible) you will be able to brake and accelerate gradually.
Another thing to remember when driving around a city is to move up to the 2nd and then the 4th gear as fast as possible. Higher gears are much more economical so the sooner you get there the better.
Obviously, don’t switch to a higher gear if your engine is not ready for it. Build up proper speed first. Finally, let’s talk a bit about idling. How often do you keep the engine running simply because your wife went to a bank for a minute?
If you don’t do that then you’re doing fine but if you do, remember this: always kill the engine if you will be idling for more than 30 seconds. An obvious exception to this rule is standing at a red light.
You’ll never know when you’ll get the green light so you have to be ready to accelerate. However, standing in a traffic jam is a perfect example of a situation where you can utilize this tip.
You will see in advance that the column starts moving so you will have plenty of time to start the engine before you will be able to move 20 meters forward and stop again (naturally, shut down the engine).
Some good driving tips
Finally, let’s discuss a couple of good driving practices that can be utilized regardless of the situation on the road.
Most importantly, use a heater/air conditioning only when it’s really necessary. They take a significant toll on your fuel economy. And if you really want to have them on, try switching them on and off every couple of minutes. Let the air in the cabin warm up/cool down, turn the device off, and turn it on again once it has become cold/hot again.
Another tip we can give you is to not overload your car. The greater the weight of the vehicle, the more power the engine has to generate to put this weight into motion. So if it’s possible, reduce the car’s weight, for example by removing a roof rack or removing unnecessary things from the trunk.
Obviously, these tips are not written in stone. Should you happen to violate some of the once in a while nothing bad will happen, probably you will not even notice the difference. But the difference between applying them and not applying them is definitely significant, especially for your wallet. So don’t hesitate, and start eco-driving today. It’s easy and the benefits can be great. But remember: never prioritize these tips over safety.
