How to Maximise Your Fuel Usage

With average prices at UK forecourts at record levels, never has it been more important to maximise the efficiency of the fuel that drivers put into their vehicles.

There are ways to get more bang for your buck, welcome advice indeed considering prices reached an average of 167p for unleaded, with diesel up at 179p, recently.

The RAC has come up with some useful tips on making your petrol go further to save drivers money in the face of mounting costs.

Highest gear possible to boost efficiency

By getting into the highest gear possible within the relevant speed limit at the time, you are reducing the revs coming from your engine.

The faster an engine spins, the more fuel it uses so limit those revs to reduce this impact. This may be easier on motorways, but the advice in built-up urban areas is to get in as high a gear as is practically possible as quickly as possible.

Nice and steady

A smooth driving style is essential to minimising fuel consumption. By braking gently and avoiding excessive acceleration (that can include pulling away from lights quickly and speeding up quickly) that will inevitably lead to sharp and sudden braking, you are avoiding excessive fuel consumption.

Your driving style should focus on planning ahead and reacting in good time, so speed reduction is gradual and fuel consumption limited.

Don’t underestimate the drag

If you have a roof box or roof bars on the top of your vehicle, you may be inadvertently using more fuel than you want to. Conserve fuel by taking these off the vehicle when not required, thus making it more streamlined.

The RAC references stats from the Energy Saving Trust that an empty roof rack adds 16% drag at 75mph, with a roof box adding 39%. Driving with your window open also adds to the drag.

Minimise the weight

By reducing the unnecessary weight in your boot, you make your vehicle lighter and thus it uses less fuel as a result. Avoid sticking stuff in the boot and forgetting about it as you could be upping your fuel costs.

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