Saving fuel made easy
Saving fuel made easy: 10 valuable tip
Fuel prices keep going up, increasingly burdening the household budget – especially of commuters. Practical tips for saving fuel come in handy at this point. The following 10 recommendations are easy to implement and help to significantly reduce the fuel consumption, which is good for your budget and the environment, as economical driving also reduces the CO2 emission by up to 20 percent.
The best method is of course to leave the car parked if possible and handle short distances by bicycle or by foot. But you can also protect the environment while driving without loosing your independence and mobility. As a thumb rule: Drive economically, i.e. more conscious, providently and intelligently.
First and foremost, driving economically means that you are saving money! In the light of high fuel prices, observing the presented tips will pay off for you directly. You can drive longer and refuel less for the same money. You can adopt the fuel-saving tips after a short time and permanently benefit from reduced fuel consumption. Happy saving!
1. Immediately drive after starting the engine
Start the engine without operating the throttle. Start driving immediately, as warming up the engine is unnecessary and a waste of fuel.
2. Drive with low engine speed
During driveaway, switch to second gear after one car length and – for petrol engines – switch to the respective next gear after each 2000 rpm (maximum: 2500 rpm). For diesel engines, switch to the next gear at lower engine speeds.
If your car does not have a rotational speed sensor, switch to the third gear at 30 km/h and subsequently to the next gear each 10 km/h.
To save fuel, apply two thirds of throttle when accelerating.
3. Drive providently
Drive providently and use your momentum. Float with the traffic and always keep a sufficient distance to the car in front of you.
4. Use throttle cutoff
During slight delays on horizontal roads or while driving downhill, reduce the throttle (to use the throttle cutoff), which saves fuel in contrary to decoupling.
5. Switch off the engine when waiting
Switch off the engine in case of extended waiting times (in case of darkness, be careful to ensure appropriate lighting). Switchoff-times have a fuel-saving effect for advanced engines at operating state temperature.
6. Drive with a slightly increased tire pressure
The tire pressure should be checked at least every three weeks and should preferably be around 0.2 bar higher than the rate value for the empty vehicle. For a loaded car, increase the air pressure accordingly (see operating manual). The use of smooth running tires also saves fuel.
7. Reduce the car load
Tidy up your car. Be careful to avoid any additional load. A weight reduction of 100 kg corresponds to a fuel reduction of 0.3 litres per 100 km.
8. Drive "topless”
Remove roof and rear racks as well as other superstructures immediately after use in order to reduce the air drag. Such superstructures increase the consumption even at low speed.
9. Careful use of power-consuming devices
Only switch on electrical secondary systems in your car, when needed. Do not forget to switch off the devices and use the air-condition system carefully. Preferably park your car in the shadows and thoroughly vent it before driving.
10. Regular car maintenance
Have your car serviced regularly in a qualified workshop. Obstructed air filters, worn spark plugs and a bad motor setup lead to increased fuel consumption.
Use "smooth running oils”. In addition, contaminated oil filters and used, contaminated motor oil can damage the engine.
