8 Ways To Beat Rising Fuel Prices With Better Vehicle Efficiency

Bhubaneswar: Petrol prices have crossed Rs 84 per litre while diesel has reached a record high of Rs 72.76 in the city. If the price rise is burning a hole in your pocket, here are a few ways by which you can actually reduce the fuel cost of your car:

Maintain Your Car

All manufacturers recommend timely service. Correct oil levels, clean air/oil filters and de-carbonized spark plugs can help you increase the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.

Drive Gently

Did you know the ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) fuel efficiency figures are tested under ideal test conditions such as an average speed of 31.6 Kph and not exceeding 90 Kph at any time? That is why the rated figure is usually higher than what you achieve in the real world. Hence to achieve that, emulating the testing conditions such as accelerating slowly and not changing the speed too often. These are keys to getting the best possible efficiency. Fewer braking, driving at moderate speed and using the right gear are important for fuel efficiency. According to a campaign by Indian Oil Corporation Limited, driving between 45-55 kmph is best for efficiency and driving beyond 60 kmph can increase consumption by up to 40% for most cars.

Idling

According to Ecomobile, Canada, keeping the engine on for more than 10 seconds at a stop leads to more wastage of fuel and emission of greenhouse gases than turning it off and switching it on again.

Tyre Pressure

According to leading tyre manufacturer Michelin, under-inflated tyres are one of the biggest causes of excess fuel consumption, because it takes more effort from the engine to move your vehicle. Hence, it is advisable to check tyre pressures regularly. An over inflated tyre, on the other hand, can give more fuel efficiency but can lead to wear and tear of tyre and an uncomfortable ride.

Excess Baggage

Do not store anything inside your car that you don’t need. Every additional weight causes the engine to use more energy to pull it and hence consumes more fuel.

Windows Rolled Up At Higher Speed

According to fueleconomy.gov, it is more efficient to drive with windows rolled up due to aerodynamics. Airflow at higher speed offers resistant to motion and hence increases the fuel consumption by requiring the engine to work more. Some studies indicate that using the air conditioner with windows rolled up at highway speed can be more efficient than opening the windows and driving without the air conditioner switched on.

Shade

According to USA’s EPA (Environment Protection Agency), parking your car in the shade can help it use less air conditioning to cool the interior and hence lesser fuel. Parking under a tree is more useful as these are cooler than other shades. It is also recommended to open the windows to let the hot air out first and reduce the load on the car’s air conditioning to achieve better fuel economy.

Carpool

A great way to cut down on fuel cost is to share a car with people going to the same place. This reduces the per head cost, emissions as well as traffic congestion in your city.