Stretching A Litre Of Fuel - Mileage Tips

From midnight yesterday, the price of petrol gets a steepest-ever hike of Rs. 7.54 a litre. Though the diesel, CNG and AutoLPG prices remain untouched, they are not cheap either. And the prices are never going to come down. Sky-rocketing fuel bill are nightmares for the car owners and has made the personal mobility expensive. Here are few simple steps you can try to maximise your car's fuel efficiency, which seems necessary at this scenario. Because stretching a litre a fuel saves your wallet; reduces fuel depletion and environmental impacts; keeps your car healthy and makes you enjoy the drive.

Saving fuel is not stinginess, but a clever driver always tries to do that. It's nothing but smartness!


#1 ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY

You are not on race, so always drive with grace. Stop playing the boy racer on road and accelerate as gently and normally as possible. Although in cities, accelerating slowly as possible is not considered the best option to save fuel - and it can also irritate other road users as well. Accelerate smoothly through the gears to your desired speed and then change to the highest gear possible. Avoid any jerky gearshifts. 

Avoid sudden and heavy braking except unexpected situations. Guess the situation ahead and stop accelerating, so that you can reduce your speed gradually. This saves waste of fuel.

#2 CRUISING GENTLY

When cruising, try to use top gear as early as possible from around 60kmph. Aim to keep the engine speed between 2000 to 3000rpm. Driving around 60 to 70 kmph saves fuel to a notable extent. And fuel efficiency drops terribly when you rev the engine towards the maximum, and cruise above 90-120 kmph range.


#3 TURN-OFF ENGINE

Switch off the engine if you're going to be at a standstill for more than a minute. Modern traffic signals have counting displays, so it isn't a big affair to stop-start the engine on time.


#4 EQUIPMENTS SWALLOW FUEL

Use of electronic equipments like the music system, rear demisters, lights and air-conditioning adds to the fuel bills. Heavy speakers and woofers drain more energy, and reduces the battery life as well. You can easily observe the sluggishness in acceleration once A/C is turned-on. 

Also Read: How to have a COOL car?? Optimising Car's AC


  #5 WIND RESISTANCE

Keep the windows and sunroof shut and ensure all tyres have the right air pressure. Wind resistance and drag from under-inflated tyres will increase fuel bills. Do not over-inflate tyres as well, you will affect the car's ride and handling and mileage. Always remove roof racks when not needed, and don't carry unnecessary items in the boot.



#6 ROUTES

Take on less congested routes and traffic-free timings to your usual routes. Such alternatives might add miles to your journey but, if they cut out stop-start motoring, you could save fuel.



#7 HOOD MAINTENANCE

Keep the engine clean. A dirty one with lots of sooty deposits can worsen fuel economy. Look for oil leakages and fix them promptly. Changing lubricants can help improve things.


Read More: Does Turning Off Idle Engine Really Help Save Money?

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