Post Date : 10 May 2022
When comparing tyres that bear the same load, insufficient tyre pressure causes high deflection and increases fuel consumption.Connection between Tyre Pressure and Fuel Consumption:
Most drivers mistake premium fuel as the best choice for the vehicle. Check the owner’s manual for the correct octane level for your engine. Around 20% of drivers purchase premium fuel, but only less than 5% of cars on the road have engines designed for high octane fuel. If your engine was not, then pumping premium will only cost you more. (Source: American Automobile Association www.aaa.com)
Gas mileage can be improved by 15% just by decreasing your highway speed from 100 km/h to 88 km/h. Try to maintain a constant speed and gradually increase or decrease speed when needed to achieve better gas mileage. Slow down on highways and use cruise control whenever possible. Avoid drastic accelerations or sudden braking which uses up more fuel. (Source: Consumer Federation of America)
A vehicle consumes about 700 liters of gasoline each year. Each additional 45 kg of goods increases fuel consumption by 1 liter. Avoid carrying unnecessary items as extra loads put more strain on the vehicle and leads to higher fuel consumption.
Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil to improve gas mileage by 1-2%. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower the gas mileage by 1-2% while using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower gas mileage by 1-1.5%. Also, look for “Energy Conserving” on the API performance symbol to make sure it contains friction-reducing additives. (Source: www.fueleconomy.org)Check your fuel cap to make sure it is secure and not damaged. 556 million liters of gas vaporize annually due to missing or problematic caps. (source: Car Care Council www.carcare.org)
Smooth and Steady Start Fuel consumption is usually the highest during the initial vehicle startup. Many drivers love to hit the throttle and accelerate to be a step ahead. However, this actually consumes 2-3 times more fuel. From startup to 60 km/h, heavy throttle only puts you ahead by 10-20 seconds. 2-3 times the fuel consumption or 10 seconds lead? Make the right choice!
Avoid Braking Abruptly Fuel consumption is usually the highest during the initial vehicle startup. Many drivers love to hit the throttle and accelerate to be a step ahead. However, this actually consumes 2-3 times more fuel. From startup to 60 km/h, heavy throttle only puts you ahead by 10-20 seconds. 2-3 times the fuel consumption or 10 seconds lead? Make the right choice!
Before heading out, you should do your homework to find the best route. Best Route ≠ Shortest Route Distance is just a factor in deciding the best route. Congestion (too much traffic lights or intersections) should also be considered otherwise the shortest route may turn into the longest route and use up more fuel.
Regular maintenance and tune-ups are one of the best ways to improve fuel economy and vehicle performance. Recommended maintenance schedule can be found in the owner’s manual. Dragging brakes, dirty oil filters, worn spark plugs, low transmission fluid, or transmission going into high gear can all reduce fuel efficiency.
For every degree the positive camber is off by, the tyre will be dragged sideways 5 m for each km traveled. The driver’s natural reaction is to straighten the driving direction which subjects the tyres to additional force and deformation that ultimately increases fuel consumption. Positive camber is extremely important for wheel alignment!
Tyre rubber not only has flexibility but also viscidity. When tyres are rolling, they will be compressed and stretched which consumes energy. Tyre rolling resistance occurs when the energy loss is converted into heat and increases the tyre temperature. Choose low rolling resistance tyres for better fuel efficiency!