Cars are not cheap to own or to run, so anything you can do to reduce costs in a safe, sustainable way is worth doing, and that starts with improving your car’s fuel economy.

According to the Office of National Statistics[1], the average price of petrol per litre has increased by nearly double (1.8%) in the last 20 years, so here are some tips and tricks to help your fuel take you further.

#1 – Driving with the windows up and air con off

This might not be what you want to hear in the height of summer, but for the rest of the year and whenever possible, try to avoid using the air con and keeping the windows down.

Having your windows open whilst driving will create drag and affect the car’s aerodynamics, which means your car needs to work harder (and use more fuel) to keep moving. This is especially prevalent when driving at high speeds.

Air con increases energy consumption and causes you to go through fuel quicker, but if you’re desperate to cool your car down, then do so strategically. Only use the air con at higher speeds – like on the motorway – and only put your window down at lower speeds. By the time you hit 60mph, the added fuel consumption as a result of drag is worse than the air con’s fuel consumption.

#2 – Reduce unnecessary wait time in your vehicle

Idling is a massive waste of fuel because that fuel isn’t taking you anywhere. It can be tempting to keep the engine running whilst you wait to pick up someone, defrost your car, or when you’re sat in traffic, but it’s incredibly wasteful.

If you’re not moving and know that you won’t be for at least a couple of minutes, turn off the engine but turn your ignition back on. That way your engine doesn’t keep running, but you still have access to all other systems, like radio and – more importantly – airbags and other safety features. It’s fairly common for modern vehicles to include a Stop/Start button which does this automatically, and we recommend you use it whenever the situation fits.

#3 – Consider changing your driving style

There are plenty of little changes that you can implement to make your driving style more fuel efficient.

• Many modern cars include a Cruise Control feature, which keeps your car at a consistent speed without you constantly having to adjust your accelerating or braking.
• Where possible, change gears at low revs when speeding up as this is a more fuel-efficient way to use your gears. We wouldn’t recommend this for a motorway however.

• Consider your speed. The Vehicle Certification Agency[1] estimates that driving at 75mph uses 18% more fuel than driving at 60mph does. Meaning speeding on the motorway could actually be costing you money, and not just from speeding tickets!

#4 – Reduce unnecessary acceleration and braking

Whilst we don’t recommend coasting (a somewhat old-fashioned myth that coasting and letting your car roll to a stop rather than braking is more fuel efficient), you can reduce your fuel consumption by cutting down on heavy braking and accelerating.

By being more alert and aware of your surroundings whilst driving, you can begin to gradually increase or decrease your speed earlier, so that you don’t have to slam the brakes on at the last minute or put your foot down on the accelerator. Not only is this a safer way to drive, but it also puts less strain on your tyres, which will help them to last longer.

#5 – Maintain proper tyre pressure to improve your car’s fuel economy

Speaking of tyres, tyre pressure can impact your fuel consumption, and tyres with low pressure put you at an increased risk of a tyre blowout and damage to your steering and wheel alignment. Low pressure in your tyres means that your car will need to work harder and use more fuel to move. Energy.Gov estimates that correct tyre pressure can improve fuel mileage by up to 3.3%, so it’s worth keeping an eye on it.

Many modern vehicles will automatically alert you if your tyre pressures are low. Most petrol stations have tyre inflation pumps where you can top up your tyre pressure. You will usually find the recommended pressure for your tyres on a sticker in the driver’s door pillar or on the back of the fuel flap. It can also be found in your vehicle handbook.

#6 – Lighten your load

A heavier car uses more fuel. In fact, every 50kg of weight inside your car will increase fuel consumption by around 2%[3]. You might think that there’s no way you have 50kg of dead weight in your car, but if you have a roof rack, if you never took all four pairs of boots out of your car after a family hiking trip, if you keep your dog’s crate in the back ‘just in case’, then you are wasting fuel and therefore money. Take this as your friendly reminder to give your car a clear-out and help yourself in the long run.

#7 – Service and maintain your car

Our final tip is important for general vehicle maintenance, not just for fuel economy; take your car to get serviced regularly. When your vehicle is running efficiently, your fuel economy is better. This is because a service will pick up on things that you may not have noticed but are slowing you down. Wheel misalignment, engine problems and damaged brakes all will have an impact on your fuel consumption.

If you’re looking for more advice on how to reduce your fuel consumption, or your car is due for a service, then please get in touch and we will be happy to help.