|
India - News
Editorial
Opinion
Overview
Infrastructure
Demographics
Entertainment
Site
Map
Search site
Subscribe
Karmayogi
|
|
Something to think about - February 2011
How to save fuel -
By Gaurang Damani
Petroleum accounts for 40% of the worlds' energy consumption. In these days
of high inflation, what better way to be eco-friendly than to increase our
car's mileage.
Driving skills
-
The
most influential factor when saving fuel is the mood you're in. Aggressive
driving reduces your mileage by 33% on the highway and 5-10% in the city!
Allow more time for your journey (leave a few minutes earlier) and you'll
be amazed how much fuel you can save.
-
Most of us just race off from a traffic light without giving it much
thought at all. A driver can reduce fuel consumption by up to 10% by
anticipating traffic conditions ahead and adjusting the speed accordingly.
It takes up to six times more fuel to move a car from a dead stop than it
does for one moving at just a few km/h.
-
Consumption reduction is 20%-25% by avoiding sudden unnecessary braking
and rapid acceleration. Not to mention how much damage it does to the
engine internals.
-
Stay in your lane! Studies have shown that lane changing does not
significantly reduce your travel time, but increases fuel consumption.
-
Only about 20% of the petrol or diesel is converted to motion, the rest is
wasted in heat, vibration, noise. So the time
spent idling your car while waiting burns fuel and costs crores. You may
use a slightly longer route which has fewer stops. Also, on traffic
signals, switch off the vehicle only if it is a long stop, for instance,
for a minute or more.
-
You should change up or
down through the gears as soon as practical. And don’t use gears to slow
down the car.
-
With today's cars, it is not necessary to prime the engine
first by pumping the accelerator pedal repeatedly. However, avoid sudden
acceleration before the engine has warmed up sufficiently.
-
Avoiding high speeds on open roads results in safer driving
and better fuel economy. However, this should not lead one to conclude
that the lower the speed, the better the fuel economy. The fuel
consumption of an average car is best at speeds of 50-90 km/h.
Car maintenance
-
Keep your car in good shape. Routine maintenance on your
car’s engine can increase its
fuel
efficiency
and even extend its life. Just giving your engine a tune-up can improve
mileage by 4% and often much more.
-
Clogged air filters can damage your engine and decrease
fuel efficiency,
by restricting airflow to the engine.
Regularly changing the air filter will improve mileage by 10%. Even
better: Air filters are fairly cheap.
-
Sticking to the motor oil that’s recommended by your car's
manufacturer can increase fuel efficiency by up to 2%. Also,
petrol additives
clog fuel filters and stay at the bottom of the tank, so can be avoided.
-
Tires lose about 1-2 psi pressure per month due to air loss
caused by the tires hitting potholes and bumps. Deflated tires will also
cause the tires to wear out prematurely.
Under-inflated
tires
require more energy to roll and decrease a car’s fuel efficiency. Driving
with properly-inflated tires can improve fuel economy by 3%. Flat wheel
covers increase mileage by 1 to 3%. Tires with thick width will improve
the handling of your car, but it will also increase your car's fuel
consumption.
Other
tips
-
Any unnecessary equipment or baggage in a car’s trunk can
decrease its fuel efficiency by up to 2% for every 50 kg’s. Less weight,
less energy for the engine to have to put into the car to make it move.
-
On your next road trip,
try to pack everything inside the car rather than piling it on the roof.
Stashing stuff on top of the car increases drag and decreases fuel economy
by 5% up to 20%!
-
Whenever possible try to keep the air conditioner at the
lowest level. Having it maxed out can reduce your fuel efficiency by up to
10-25% compared to having the AC turned off.
However, at higher speeds, use of air conditioning is better for fuel
economy than an open window.
-
When filling up the tank, do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a
fast mode. In slow mode vapours are minimized, hence more fuel fits in the
tank.
-
Carpooling! If your buddy works at the same place at the same time hitch a
ride! Maybe it's your turn to drive! Consumption Reduction = 50%!
Travelling in public transport will also save petrol.
Compiled from various sources like the US Department of
Energy (DOE) and Alliance to Save Energy, in public interest.
Gaurang Damani
damanig@diehardindian.com
|
|
Back to:
Editorial home page |
