Eco-driving
Eco-driving tips from the Energy Savings Trust.
By following the Energy Savings Trust's Eco-driving tips, you could experience an overall fuel saving of 15% or more.
There are four top tips:
- Shift to a higher gear as soon as possible. Driving at lower engine speeds reduces fuel consumption; change up between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm.
- Anticipate road conditions and drive more smoothly. Rather than last minute braking, decelerate smoothly by easing o on the throttle as early as possible. This allows the car to decelerate using engine braking. With the car in gear and the throttle released, a modern car uses no fuel at all. This form of braking is also smoother on the car and its occupants
- Maintain a steady speed in as high a gear as possible. Driving at a steady speed requires little e ffort for the engine. Avoiding unnecessary acceleration and heavy braking helps reduce your fuel consumption.
- Drive a little slower than your normal speed. Stick to the speed limits and make your fuel go further. For most cars the most effi cient speed is 45-50 mph. The faster you go above this, the more fuel you will use. Driving at 50mph rather than 70mph reduces your fuel consumption by 10% at a stroke.
More tips and information are available from the Energy Savings Trust's Eco-driving leaflet.
This article was published on Jun 6, 2011