Turn ON Air Conditioners at High Speed
This is in contrast to what most people think. Having your car Air Conditioner ON at speeds above 70 KMPH actually saves a lot of fuel. This is because cars are specially designed to cut air at high speed perfectly. If you keep your window open, it actually disrupts that perfect design and pulls down the car to a lower speed. So, to maintain the same speed, you need to spend more fuel with windows down. So, at speeds above 70, use Air Conditioner. However, at lower speed, it’s better to avoid using AC because it increases the fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Release Accelerator at High Speed
Whether it is bike or car, when you are at speed above 60 KMPH, stop pressing accelerator. Your vehicle is already in inertia of motion, so it will continue to go for another up to 1 km without any fuel. This has been confirmed in the manuals of many car manufacturers like Maruti and Honda. When your speed decreases, press accelerator for some time to gain speed and then again release the accelerator.
Take longer route if it is smoother
Do not take a rough road (like patchy or gravel surface road) to save a few kilometres. If there is another route which is slightly longer, but is much smoother, then go for that. Rough roads increase petrol consumption by up to 30%. Plus, add to that, it also damages your bike / car undersides and paint work which cost you additional money. So, take a rough shortcut if the longer route is really long.
Do not always switch off your engine on signals
If you switch off your vehicle’s engine at every red signal, its time you change this habit. If the time at the signal is less than 20 seconds, then it is better to keep your engine on. Because starting the complete ignition cycle again consumes more fuel which you think you save. At red lights with over 20 seconds of wait, it is better to switch of your vehicle.
Remove Extra Weight from your Vehicle
If you are in the habit of keeping lots of items which you don’t use regularly in your bike or car, its high time you remove them and keep them in your garage. Each extra kilo reduces your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. For a car, addition of each 50kg increases the fuel consumption by 2%. Also, installing extra fittings like roof box outside your car increases your car’s aerodynamic drag, because, as mentioned earlier, it changes the way air flows around your car.
Do not accelerate too much
Fuel consumption at high speed increases considerably. When your vehicle is at 100KMPH, it consumes 20% more fuel compared to drive at 60 KMPH. At the speed of 120 KMPH, the fuel consumption is 30-35% more than the regular consumption. The ideal speed to drive your vehicle is 60 KMPH.
Drive gracefully – at constant speed
Do not try to drive fast when you see vacant road and then slow down when you see some traffic. Instead, it is better to drive as much as possible, at constant speed. If you anticipate a red light or speed breaker or jam ahead, it’s better to stop accelerating long before, rather than applying breaks at the last point. As mentioned earlier, driving at 60 KMPH, wherever possible is the most efficient driving.
Check Tyre Pressure Regularly
Most of us forget to check this. An inflated tyre with proper air pressure plays a very significant role in increasing the mileage. Check your tyres pressure once every fortnight.
Avoid Peak Hours
Do not leave for office/college at the same time when all others leave. Do not start back from office/college at the same time when all others start. Anticipate peak hours, avoid such times. This simple practice can save your as much as 50% fuel, and that’s a lot of saving!
Get your vehicle the service it deserves
It’s better not to skip even the paid services which are prescribed by your manufacturer. Keeping your vehicle in good health and getting it regularly serviced pays off you much more in longer turn! And it’s a myth that with time the mileage of vehicle decreases. In fact, a car which has been driven 100,000 km will give a much better mileage if it is properly serviced at regular periods.
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