How to drive to save on fuel

It actually doesn't take that many changes in driving habits to achieve considerable reductions in fuel consumption. Some of the most obvious tips are listed below:

Use the trip computer
Most modern cars come fitted with a trip computer. Make sure the trip computer is measuring your fuel consumption per 100 Km. Should you choose to accelerate a bit briskly you will be able to see a large increase in your fuel consumption. If, on the other hand, you accelerate more gently the increase will be considerably smaller, in this way you can quickly reduce the fuel consumption.

GPS in the vehicle
If you have a GPS in your vehicle, use it even if you know the route. The GPS can be used for calculating when you will reach your destination. If, for instance, you have to be at a place at 10:30, and your GPS tells you that you will be there at 10:20 there is no need to rush or to drive erratically, so stay at or below the speed limits. That way you don't run the risk of any speeding tickets and you will save on fuel*, a win-win situation.

Switch off the air-conditioning
A lot of cars these days have air-conditioning. Whilst it is a very nice luxury to have, it can increase your fuel consumption by up to 20%, so switch it off when it isn't needed.

Careful driving
Careless driving can result in up to 1/3 more fuel consumption than careful driving*. Avoid harsh acceleration and heavy braking.

Use a higher gear
If you change up a gear the engine reduces it's revs**, so the higher the gear the lower the revs. Whenever possible you should therefore change up a gear to reduce the engine revs, in order to save on the fuel consumption (preferably without overloading the engine, of course).

Avoid excessive accelerating
Changing up a gear a little earlier when you pull out, or when you accelerate can also reduce revs. Try to avoid the red area on the rev counter, that area is a tell-tale for overspending the expensive drops of fuel.

Use Cruise Control
If the vehicle is fitted with a Cruise Control, use it. On bigger roads where it assists in keeping constant speeds, in most cases it will reduce the fuel consumption.

Avoid driving at high speeds
The higher the speed the more resistance from the wind, and the more fuel is required to keep up your speed. If, for instance, you drive 8kmh above the recomended speed limits your fuel economy can be affected by up to 23% in a negative way.

Switch off the engine, when idle
An idle engine takes you nowhere, but it still consumes fuel. Switch off the engine when you are at a standstill for more than 3 minutes, and switch it back on when needed.

Plan ahead
Reducing the time spent in the car is the easiest way to save on fuel. To be able to reduce the amount driven, plan it so you can combine all your short trips and errands into one single trip.

Maintain your vehicle
Keep the engine in good condition.
Regular servicing helps keep the engine at best efficiency. A correctly adjusted engine burns the fuel optimally, so change oil in the vehicle regularily and use the oil recomended by the car manufacturer, make sure the air filters are kept clean at the same time. Follow the car manufacturer's recomendations for servicing, this, in turn, can result in savings between 4% and 10%.

The tyres have to be inflated to the correct pressure
Correctly inflated tyres are safer and last longer. If a tyre is under-inflated by as little as 1 psi, the fuel effeciency can be reduced by up to 3%. Driving with under-inflated tyres reduces the life of your tyres and driving with over-inflated tyres can be unsafe so check your car manual for the correct tyre pressure.

Avoid unnecessary weight
Every 45 kg added to your vehicles weight will potentially have a 1-2% negative impact on your fuel economy. So unload any clutter from the boot or from your back seat, clutter is extra weight.

Keep the windows closed
Wind that blows in through open windows will reduce the speed. To compensate for this it's necessary for the engine to work harder, which, in turn, leeds to higher fuel consumption.

Remove the roof rack
If the roof rack is not in use, remove it. It decreases the aerodynamic of the car which increases the fuel consumption by up to 5%.