How to Improve Your Fuel Economy: Our 5 Top Tips

With the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and urgent action required to save the planet, improving your fuel economy is more important than ever before. While electric and hybrid vehicles are built with efficiency in mind, advanced technologies come at a much steeper price point.

If you drive a conventional diesel or petrol car, we’ve outlined a few good driving habits to help cut your emissions and save your wallet.

1. Maintain your tyres

One of the most important contributing factors towards fuel economy is the overall performance and condition of your tyres. Not only does choosing high-quality tyres make a difference but keeping them inflated to the correct pressure has a significant impact.

When you buy tyres online, make sure to choose compatible models for your specific vehicle from trusted brands. Check the pressure regularly according to your vehicle guidelines.

2. Accelerate gently

Keeping an eye on your acceleration doesn’t necessarily mean you need to drive slowly. However, even if you’re not concerned about fuel economy, it’s safer and more sensible to drive steadily. You can conserve your fuel by limiting acceleration. If you normally put your foot down at green lights just driving through town, try to get out of this habit – it’s not only impractical and potentially dangerous, but could be increasing your fuel consumption too.

3. Lighten the load

The heavier your vehicle is, the more likely it is to require more fuel to keep it moving. If you already drive a large vehicle like a pickup truck, losing fuel economy in this way will be unavoidable. However, if you drive a family estate car, you can easily shift a few pounds. Remove roof bars or the roof box when not in use and try not to carry too many unnecessary items in your boot either.

If you need to carry luggage and passengers, try to distribute the weight evenly.

4. Stay in gear

It’s easy to assume that coasting should increase fuel economy, but conversely, it might be less efficient for newer vehicles. Many are equipped with sensors that detect the engagement of the accelerator, limiting the amount of fuel delivered to the injector. To avoid coasting, reduce your speed to the appropriate level and then put the clutch down to change gear. This will save unnecessary gear changes or prolonged time on the clutch too.

5. Avoid shorter journeys

Lastly, it’s always worth knowing that longer journeys at a consistent speed are the most economical to make. This is particularly true if you drive a diesel car, since these larger engines are designed to cruise comfortably over longer distances.

For instance, you could walk or cycle to work instead. When you’re proactive, you’ll notice plenty of opportunities to save fuel simply by driving less. In 2021, the average person in England spent just 7 minutes a week on their bike – so why not beat the traffic? If you have any useful tips for other motorists, feel free to share them in the comments section below!