There is no denying that fuel efficiency is one of the key factors that most buyers keep in mind while buying new cars in India. And that is the reason why carmakers these days are working on smaller yet powerful engines that would ensure both performance and mileage. For people not in the know, fuel efficiency figures quoted for different cars in India might differ in real life conditions, since the ARAI certified mileage figures are obtained under "standard test conditions". The fuel efficiency also depends on how one drives the car, a rash driver intends to lose more fuel than the one who drives at constant speed in right gears.
So, if you are losing a lot of money on fuel, here are some fuel saving tips for drivers -
Avoid Excessive Idling - It is advisable not to warn up the vehicle for more than 30 seconds. For first 30 seconds, check your engine gauges and adjust the seat and mirrors. Do not put your vehicle set idling to heat up for long time.
Observe the speed limit - Normally, the petrol powered vehicle's mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 100kmph. We recommend you to use cruise control, if your car has this feature, to maintain constant speed on the highway.
Avoid heavy luggage - Excessive luggage will add weight to your car and reduce its fuel economy.
Keep your vehicle clean - Dirt, mud and bugs on cars creates drag that reduces the overall efficiency over long distances. Keeping the car clean reduces aerodynamic drag that improves fuel economy.
Be gentle with the accelerator - It is advisable to press the accelerator about 20 per cent, which is more than enough to keep engine in power band in each gear. This will increase fuel economy.
Other fuel saving tips to achieve high fuel efficiency-
- Maintain right tyre pressure
- Shift gears at correct rpm
- Drive in correct speeds around 60-70kmph
- Switch off engine if you are stopping at one place for more than 1 minute
- Minimum use of Air conditioning
