We are living in a very interesting and a challenging era. Most of the cars manufactured today have some automation and computer support as an inevitable part of the technology, and car manufacturers are all working very hard in order to make our driving experience as comfortable as possible. Unfortunately, not many measures have been taken to make the vehicles more fuel efficient. Where Petrol and Diesel prices keep rising every few weeks in India, fuel efficiency of the vehicle should be of serious consideration for any car owner, who is keen in saving on their monthly expenses. Few years back, we did not consider fuel efficiency as an important factor when purchasing a vehicle, but overtime this attitude has changed to a large extent. As one of India’s leading car leasing companies, we at ALD Automotive appreciate that car owners, today, are inclined to find ways to improve the fuel efficiency of their cars. Accordingly, we have gathered some simple steps that you can follow in order to save more fuel in your vehicle.
There are many simple ways to reduce fuel consumption, and it's vital that you as a car owner take necessary action. Here are some suggestions to help you drive more economically:
Avoid Vehicle Idling
When you see that traffic signal indicate a halt of more than 60 seconds, switch off your car engine when stationary and remain in the vehicle. You could otherwise be wasting up to 300 millilitres of petrol by leaving the engine running while stationary or parked for approximately 10 minutes.
Say Goodbye to Roof Racks
Try avoiding roof racks or any other heavy load on top of your vehicle. This extra weight can cause an aerodynamic drag which can consume 20% extra fuel on the highway. So, for example, if you’re a cycling enthusiast, you may detach that bicycle rack off your car when you do not actually require it.
Avoid Fast Acceleration
That screeching sound of the tyre on the gravel gives a certain pleasure especially to young drivers but this kind of fast acceleration can only lead to an increased consumption of fuel. By this, we do not imply that you should drive slowly at all times. Gentle acceleration that would lead to a gradual increase in speed (0 - 20 km/hr in 5 seconds), up to a maximum of 50-80 km/hr, is recommended, in an ideal situation on Indian roads.
Keep a Tab on Tyre Pressure
Your car tyres play a significant role in making your vehicle fuel efficient. How? If your car tyre is even slightly deflated, it would create a low tyre pressure and this as a result would increase the rolling resistance. The more this resistance, the more power is exerted by the engine leading to an extra consumption of fuel. To avoid this, we strongly recommend that you monitor the tyre pressure at regular intervals. For most car models, the tyre pressure is monitored with the help of a sensor mounted in the wheel and as soon as it falls 25% below the manufacturer’s recommended level, it should warn you on the dashboard. Research suggests that for every 20% under-inflation in tyres, it can lead to 4% extra fuel consumption. Also, you need to ensure that the alignment between wheels is checked frequently.
Minimize Air-conditioned commute
Air-conditioned commute has become normal for most drivers today, however this manual regulation of your car can increase its fuel consumption up to 20%. What we would suggest is you switch on the air-conditioning throughout your drive only on hot summer days. During other days, it is advisable to use the flow-through ventilation system in your car. Also, if you are driving your car at speeds exceeding 80 km/hr, it is advisable to go on the AC mode as the open window during such times would create a drag which causes even more fuel consumption.
Minimize Driving
Yes, you heard it right! Imagine you have to drop to children to school which is located half a kilometre away from your house. Wouldn’t walking them to the school be a healthier option? If you calculate the fuel spent on such short journeys on a monthly basis, you would be convinced that a little walk makes more sense than a short drive. In the long run, this also would become a healthy value system imparted to your children as they grow up and start driving. We also advise that you opt for car-sharing when more than one family is traveling to a common destination, provided that the number of persons do not exceed your car’s seating capacity. This one-instead-of-two-car policy would, overall, help save a lot of fuel!
Understand the Traffic
The way in which the traffic system works on Indian roads varies depending on the location. The traffic system is much organized in all the major metropolitan cities but it is exactly the opposite in the small towns and villages. As a fleet managing company, we would always recommend our drivers to thoroughly study the traffic system of the location they are in and drive accordingly. So, for instance, if you are based in a tier-3 city where there are no traffic signals or traffic cops regulating the vehicle movement in every street, it is safe to drive slowly and not cause fast acceleration and deceleration. This rapid deceleration and acceleration can result in excess fuel consumption and you end up paying those extra rupees for petrol.
Combine all of the above mentioned tips and you will most likely end up achieving a respectable fuel efficiency in your car, especially if it is an all-electric or a hybrid vehicle. Ultimately, the most efficient way to drive is to keep a constant tab on everything from your throttle and brake pedals to the temperature regulation system in your car. In the end, fuel-efficient driving would be our best contribution to creating a sustainable environment.
Summary
In times when we discuss sustainable living and smart drive, what should become our priority is making our vehicles more fuel efficient. This can only be achieved by understanding certain important factors like our driving habits, the condition of the vehicle as well as the condition of the roads. What habits of you as a driver and what conditions of your car can result in more fuel consumption and how can this be improved should be given a serious thought, today.
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