The fluctuation of fuel prices and the concern about fossil fuel consumption and their impact on the environment may be enough to make you worry and inspire you to learn about those small things that you can do to reduce fuel consumption. Oddly enough, there are minor adjustments in the way we drive and habits that can have a significant impact on the way our vehicle consumes gasoline.
- Use the high gears: on manual transmission cars, the first gear is made to start the vehicle, so it is advisable to go to second a few seconds after starting. To optimize your fuel consumption, it is recommended to drive on the higher gears and with less engine speed. In gasoline engines, it is better to go between 2000 to 2500 revolutions per minute, and in diesel cars, it is better to go between 1500 to 2000 rpm.
- Avoid braking in neutral. It is better to do it with a gear set, without stepping on the clutch. That reduces fuel injection to the engine.
- Verify that the tires have a correct pressure. If the tire pressure is too low, the fuel consumption can be increased, as this small detail rises friction, so the engine has to make a more significant effort to move the vehicle and consume more gasoline.
- Drive at a stable speed, avoid accelerating or braking sharply as this causes the engine to redouble its effort and spend more fuel.
- On the highway, close the windows and turn on the air conditioning to avoid the friction of the air that slows down the vehicle and forces the engine. However, if you are driving in the city at low speed, it's better to open the windows and turn off the air to reduce in a 20% the fuel consumption.
- Take out all the extra weight of the trunk: some drivers have the habit of carrying a hundred things in the trunk of the car or buy things and forget to take them when they get home. That extra weight means that the vehicle requires more force to move and triggers the gas consumption levels.
- When filling the fuel tank, make sure you don't pull the handle of the spout completely. It is better to load gas with moderate pressure, little by little because it creates less steam and will fill the tank more effectively.
- It's better to refill the gas tank in the morning because the temperature is lower and gasoline will be denser; you will get more fuel for your money. Remember that gas stations measure the load by volume, not by density, and if the ambient temperature is higher, more vapors will have formed, and the measurement will not be as accurate.
- As long as possible, leave your car at home. Take a walk, make carpooling with your coworkers or family. It'll be better for your health budget and even for the environment.
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