Improved Fuel Economy: 7 Simple Steps That Save You Gas
Gas is getting more and more expensive and if you have a long commute or just like to drive, your gas bill can become a burden.
Fortunately, there are many ways to save gas without investing in a new car or supplemental snake oil kits. I will show you seven ways that are commonly available and easy to do.
1. MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT TIRE PRESSURE
Driving on under-inflated tires is not only dangerous, as the tires could overheat, but it also consumes more gasoline than under-inflated tires.
Inflate the tires to the maximum allowed by your car’s manuals and periodically check the pressure with a good pressure gauge.
Many hypermilers inflate their tires more than that, up to the maximum pressure printed on the sidewalls of the tires themselves. This is often up to 50 percent more than the car manufacturer recommends and will provide additional gas savings due to lower rolling resistance.
However, this comes at the cost of a more difficult and uncomfortable ride. And I can’t directly recommend that you do this, even if it’s safe, as there is the potential for uneven tire wear under some conditions.
2. REMOVE ROOF BARS, SKI BOXES AND TRAILERS
If you thought it was too difficult to remove the roof rack or ski box when it is not necessary, think again! It is the same if you drive a pick-up truck without a flatbed cover or if you tow an empty trailer for no reason.
Anything added or tied to the exterior of the vehicle disturbs the aerodynamics, resulting in reduced fuel consumption. Always remove roof racks, bike racks, ski racks, and trailers when you don’t need them.
3. TURN OFF THE A / C
Despite what some would say, the air conditioning unit is consuming a lot of energy and that energy is being taken directly from your gas tank. If possible, turn it off. If that’s uncomfortable, try setting it to a higher temperature as that will make it use less gas.
TIP: Park the car in the shade, let the doors open for a minute before exiting, drive at night if you are going to take a longer trip in hot weather.
Just keep in mind that driving fast with all the windows open is worse for your gas mileage than using the air conditioning.
4. BECOME A BETTER DRIVER
The way you drive is one of the biggest factors affecting your fuel economy. Avoid braking by letting your vehicle stop when you are not in the path of other drivers, keep a maximum speed below 60 MPH or 100 KM / H and do not press the pedal all the way when accelerating.
5. WALK OR BY BIKE
Often times, if you’re not going that far, walking or biking is a healthy alternative and is significantly cheaper than using the car. Not only will you save fuel, but you will also prevent wear and tear on the car that can cost as much as the fuel itself.
6. CORRECT ANY FUEL LEAKS
Obviously, if you have a fuel leak, you will spill your hard-earned gas on the ground, costing you money and polluting the environment. Repair all fuel leaks as soon as possible.
TIP: If your gas cap is missing or broken and you live in a hot environment, especially if you park in the sun and the car gets very hot, a large amount of gas will evaporate and escape into the air through the missing or broken cap. The loss can be considerable and gas fumes damage the environment.
7. CAR POOL
Sharing the vehicle on the way to work can seem like a lot of hassle compared to going alone, but then you’ll save more by using this ritual than by using any of the others (except cycling, of course).
Joining with just one other person to use the same car for your commute will save you almost half of your commute cost.
MORE TIPS FOR SAVING FUEL
The tips above are some of the easiest, most widely available, and inexpensive ways to save a lot of gas. And you don’t have to buy any new devices to do it.
There are many additional ways to improve your mpg. You can get a vehicle with lower fuel consumption (hybrid, diesel, smaller car), improve your driving style, improve the aerodynamics of your car, use tires with low rolling resistance, plan your trip, plan for extreme weather conditions and much more than what is covered in this article. too short to cover.
There are also ways you could end up NOT saving fuel, like if you install one of those fuel saving devices that are advertised everywhere. These devices rarely allow you to save enough fuel to cover the price of the device.
To keep track of your actual gas mileage, you can use a helpful online mpg calculator. You can also use your car’s fuel economy display if it is equipped with one.