Car Mileage Tips: Stretching a litre of Fuel
From midnight yesterday, the price of petrol gets a steepest-ever hike of Rs. 7.54 a litre. Though the diesel, CNG and Auto LPG prices remain untouched, they are not cheap either. And the prices are never going to come down. Sky-rocketing fuel bill are nightmares for the car owners and has made the personal mobility expensive.
Here are few simple steps you can try to maximize your car’s fuel efficiency, which seems necessary at this scenario. Because stretching a litre a fuel saves your wallet; reduces fuel depletion and environmental impacts; keeps your car healthy and makes you enjoy the drive.
Saving fuel is not stinginess, but a clever driver always tries to do that. It’s nothing but smartness!
#1 ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY
You are not on race, so always drive with grace. Stop playing the boy racer on road and accelerate as gently and normally as possible. Although in cities, accelerating slowly as possible is not considered the best option to save fuel – and it can also irritate other road users as well. Accelerate smoothly through the gears to your desired speed and then change to the highest gear possible. Avoid any jerky gearshifts.
Avoid sudden and heavy braking except unexpected situations. Guess the situation ahead and stop accelerating, so that you can reduce your speed gradually. This saves waste of fuel.
#2 CRUISING GENTLY
When cruising, try to use top gear as early as possible from around 60 kmph. Aim to keep the engine speed between 2,000 to 3,000 rpm. Driving around 60 to 70 kmph saves fuel to a notable extent. And fuel efficiency drops terribly when you rev the engine towards the maximum, and cruise above 90-120 kmph range.
#3 TURN-OFF ENGINE
Switch off the engine if you’re going to be at a standstill for more than a minute. Modern traffic signals have counting displays, so it isn’t a big affair to stop-start the engine on time.
Read More: Does Turning Off Idle Engine Really Help Save Money?
#4 WIND RESISTANCE
Keep the windows and sunroof shut and ensure all tyres have the right air pressure. Wind resistance and drag from under-inflated tyres will increase fuel bills. Do not over-inflate tyres as well, you will affect the car’s ride and handling and mileage. Always remove roof racks when not needed, and don’t carry unnecessary items in the boot.
#5 EQUIPMENTS SWALLOW FUEL
Use of electronic equipments like the music system (especially with heavy amplifiers and woofers), rear demisters, lights and air-conditioning adds to the fuel bills. Heavy speakers and woofers drain more energy, and reduces the battery life as well. You can easily observe the sluggishness in acceleration once A/C is turned-on.
Also Read: How to have a COOL car?? Optimising Your Car´s Air Conditioning
#6 ROUTES
Take on less congested routes and traffic-free timings to your usual routes. Such alternatives might add miles to your journey but, if they cut out stop-start motoring, you could save fuel.
#7 HOOD MAINTENANCE
Keep the engine clean. Not just the exterior of the engine case and wiring, but also internally. A dirty one with lots of sooty deposits inside can worsen fuel economy. Look for oil leakages and fix them promptly. Changing lubricants and brake fluids can help improve car´s overall efficiency.
Also Read: Road Safety Starts At Home – Seat Belts to start with
