All the tips on how to save fuel
Do the effects of your “heavy foot” behind the wheel show up in your wallet? In this article, you’ll find some tips on how to save fuel while driving and a few easy tricks to help further reduce unnecessary fuel consumption.
How to drive to use less petrol
Your driving style has a big impact on how much petrol or diesel your car uses. The first piece of advice is to try to maintain a constant speed, avoiding sudden and frequent braking and acceleration; if your car is equipped with cruise control and road conditions allow it (for example, you’re driving on a straight stretch and visibility is good), you can activate it to resist the temptation of flooring the accelerator.
Paying attention to the behavior of other drivers can also help reduce fuel consumption: anticipating braking or slowing down of the vehicle in front of you allows you to decelerate in advance using engine braking – that is, gradually releasing the accelerator and downshifting – instead of braking abruptly.
Also, remember that driving at high speeds, beyond legal limits, is not only illegal but also significantly impacts your wallet due to the increased aerodynamic drag. When it comes to low-speed driving and short stops, always turn off the engine while waiting to resume driving, to avoid unnecessarily burning diesel or petrol; modern cars use less fuel to restart than they do idling for extended periods (perhaps, in the future, you could consider buying a more efficient vehicle?).
There are also some differences between how to save petrol and how to save diesel: for petrol cars, it’s essential to adopt a smooth driving style, anticipating maneuvers and using high gears at low RPMs, while taking care not to put the engine under excessive strain. As for diesel cars, you can take advantage of the greater torque at low RPMs to use higher gears. A key aspect is managing the particulate filter, avoiding short and frequent trips that could lead to clogging. Using high-quality fuel and performing careful maintenance, especially of the filters, is essential.
Other tricks to save fuel
Beyond driving style, there are other actions we can take though they don’t always come to mind to reduce fuel consumption. Among the top tips for saving fuel is turning off unnecessary car functions; among the most impactful is air conditioning, which draws a lot of power from the engine.
Use it sparingly, opting for open windows when driving at low speeds, and remember to switch it off before turning off the engine to avoid sudden shocks to the battery and engine when you restart the car.
Car maintenance also matters: for example, underinflated tires or misaligned wheels increase rolling resistance and therefore fuel consumption; also take care of the engine to ensure maximum efficiency by regularly servicing it and replacing oil, filters, and spark plugs when needed.
Lastly, common sense: if you need to run several errands, try to combine them into a single trip to avoid short journeys with a cold engine, which consume more fuel. Additionally, you can use apps to compare fuel prices and choose the most cost-effective station for refueling.
