Best Ways and Tips on Saving Fuel While Driving

Everyone wants to avoid hefty bills for petrol or diesel. However, it becomes increasingly difficult with continuously rising fuel costs in India.

As petrol prices reach an all-time high in the country, it’s time we looked at some of the best fuel-saving tips.

Let’s start!

Team Digit

Top 20 Tips to Save Fuel

Presently, a vehicle’s fuel efficiency is key to save fuel. Hence, people are opting for vehicles with high fuel efficiency. On that note, here are some tips on how can you save fuel.

1. Do Not Leave the Car on Idle for Long

A vehicle consumes fuel even when the engine is on idle. Hence, it makes sense that you turn the engine off at crossings, red lights, and traffic jams. Moreover, restarting an engine takes about the same amount of fuel that idling a vehicle for 30 seconds takes. So it’s better to save petrol by turning off the engine.

2. Maintain Your Vehicle

Properly maintaining your vehicle can help to save fuel. So, keep your wheels properly aligned, the air filter clean and use high-quality energy conserving oils. Save fuel by maintaining your vehicle.

3. Do Not Drive Aggressively

If the jammed streets do not allow you to drive rashly, thank them for helping you save fuel. Fast starts, swerving in and out of traffic, and accelerating are how you can increase fuel consumption. So practice fuel-efficient driving.

4. When On the Highway Rely on Cruise Control

Another fuel-saving tip is to avoid unnecessary speed changes when driving on the highway. Hence, use cruise control. Also, when driving uphill, there is no need to step your foot on the gas as the engine is already consuming a lot of fuel. Instead, drive at a steady pace.

5. Carpool

The best advice we can give you on how to save petrol is to carpool actively. Rope in colleagues and friends and create a route so that all of you alternatively benefit from the move.

6. Amp the Aerodynamics of Your Vehicle

One of the ways to save fuel while driving is to reduce wind drag. When driving at highway speeds keeping the windows down increases aerodynamic drag. Hence, this could result in a 10% decrease in fuel efficiency. So roll up the windows for better fuel efficiency.

7. Use the Air Con When You Need It

Air cons are arguably the biggest drain on fuel. So the best fuel saving tip we can leave you with is to use the air con sparingly. Doing so can reduce fuel consumption by 5-20%. Also, park in the shade to prevent the fuel from evaporating.

8. Observe the Speed Limit

There is a 10-15% increased improvement in fuel economy when driving at 55 miles per hour than at 65 miles per hour.

9. Keep Tires Inflated to Correct Pressure

Keep the vehicle’s tyre pressure at the recommended level. Doing so is a real fuel-saving booster. The idle levels of tyre pressure for cars and bikes are mentioned below:

Vehicle	Tire Pressure
Cars (Standard)	30 - 35 psi
Cars (SUVs)	35 - 45 psi
Bikes	Front: 28 - 32 psi Rear: 32 - 36 psi
Bikes	Front: 28 - 32 psi Rear: 32 - 36 psi

10. Keep a Lighter Trunk

Vehicles provide better mileage when they are not heavily loaded. It is an old fuel-saving trick that adds weight to the trunk, lowering fuel efficiency.

11. Avoid Roof Racks

Adding extra weight reduces the mileage of the car. The extra weight requires extra power on the car’s part. Remove roof racks or carriers, if any, when not in use. It helps reduce weight as well as air drag, prolonging mileage.

12. Implement Pre-Planning for Your Rides

Plan your rides if you need to travel a lot. Getting the trips sorted out before going out helps cover multiple errands in one go. You can save a lot of time and hassle if you plan your rides beforehand. This also helps to conserve fuel and improve the mileage.

13. Keep Windows Closed at High Speeds

Try to keep the windows closed when driving at high speeds. If the windows are open, the car experiences an extra air drag due to disturbance of the aerodynamics. Hence, keeping the windows closed at high speeds will help you conserve fuel.

14. Choose the Route Wisely

Always keep a note of the route you are travelling. Different routes remain busy at different periods of the day. Plan it accordingly, and then start your trip. This will prevent the car from idling too much and stop-and-go movement, thus conserving much fuel.

15. Use Public Transport

Try to use the public transit system as much as possible. Especially when you have to travel to faraway places, it is advisable to use public transport. This helps you save fuel and reduce travel costs.

16. Ensure Parking in the Shade

Heating up the car can cause the fuel to evaporate, as petroleum fuels are highly volatile in nature. Try to park in the shade as much as possible, as parking in direct sunlight causes the car to heat up, and the fuel may get evaporated.

17. Get Fuel During Mid-Weeks

Fuel prices are generally volatile and keep fluctuating. Filling up your tank mid-week helps you save money on fuel as fuel prices tend to rise before weekends as a consequence of high demands.

18. Do Not Rev Unnecessarily

It is advisable to drive gently and wisely. Avoid revving unnecessarily as the engine rotation reaches high RPM limits. These higher RPM limits tend to consume more fuel. Thus, avoiding revving can help a great deal in both saving fuel and cutting noise pollution.

19. Avoid Using High Beams

Using high-beam lights unnecessarily increases the electrical load on the car and leads to excessive fuel consumption. Try to use DRLs or LEDs as much as possible. Avoid any extra modification lighting.

20. Time Your Fill-Ups

Get your gas filled up in the morning or later in the evening after the sun goes down, as the fuel is denser when it is cooler. This helps to conserve fuel so that it lasts longer.

FAQs on Saving Fuel

All

How to save the most fuel while driving?

You will need to drive at a steady pace and change gears rationally. Moreover, avoid engine idling and peak hour traffic.

What is the best speed to save fuel while driving?

According to the Energy Saving Trust, the best speed for excellent fuel economy is 55-65mph.

How to reduce fuel consumption in petrol & diesel cars?

Here’s how can we save petrol and diesel while driving -

Change the engine oil to the grade recommended by the manufacturer.
Have tyres inflated correctly, if not a little higher than what is required. This way you will save more fuel.
Keep filters in good conditions
Keep the fuel and ignition systems in good order.

How to save petrol while driving a bike?

Maintain the right tyre pressure, proper maintenance and service, and avoid clutch override while driving a bike to save fuel.

Do my car's air conditioners increase fuel consumption?

Yes. Despite many claiming it to be just a myth, the air conditioners of your car do increase fuel consumption by 8 - 10%.

What is the ideal RPM for better mileage?

The 1st gear usually consumes a lot of fuel; the ideal rev range for better mileage is 1500-2000 rpm.

What is the gear tactic to save fuel?

The underrated tactic of skipping gears can help you save a good amount of precious fuel.

Can driving slowly help you save fuel?

Yes. The vehicle has to work less to overcome the air resistance when driving at slower speeds. This helps a great deal in saving a lot of fuel.

How does braking affect the mileage?

Braking does not affect the mileage directly. However, braking results in slowing the vehicle, which causes it to accelerate again, which will consume more fuel.

How to constantly keep the RPM in check?

Rely on the vehicle's RPM meter instead of using the engine's roaring sounds as a reference. Do not wait for the vehicle to roar; shift gears early on.

Which kind of petrol is best suited for greater mileage?

The power petrol is the ideal choice for greater mileage as it helps to remove deposits from the intake valves and fuel injectors in the engine.

What is the characteristic colour of pure petrol?

Pure petrol has the characteristic of being transparent and yellowish in colour.

How to fix the high fuel consumption?

One of the major causes of increased fuel consumption is the blocking of filters. Get the filters cleaned properly from time to time. Also, maintain good driving habits to save fuel.

Does the car's heater also consume petrol?

No. The heater runs on the coolant that is being heated by the radiator by cooling the motor.

Does driving at a constant speed help you conserve fuel?

Yes, maintaining a steady speed helps a lot in conserving fuel.

What role does oil play in conserving fuel?

Using the right oil for your engine is extremely crucial for conserving fuel as it helps to improve engine performance leading to better mileage.

Why are overdrive gears important on highways?

Overdrive gears help to reduce engine speed on highways, leading to improved fuel efficiency.

Why should one avoid routes that are not so busy?

Crowded routes slow down your car and increase idling and stop-and-go driving, which in turn increases fuel usage.

Is it better to transport the luggage on the roof rack or to put it in the car trunk?

One should avoid loading luggage on the roof rack, as this adds to drag and, of course, fuel consumption, although it is wise to take luggage to the boot when travelling.

What role does wheel alignment play in saving fuel?

Wheels play an important role in reducing rolling resistance, thus improving fuel economy.

Does using synthetic oil save fuel?

The use of synthetic oil may offer some benefits. However, it is wise to use the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Do fuel additives actually help in conserving fuel?

Most of the modern fuels have instilled additives. Using external ones may not significantly help in prolonging fuel life.

Should I use premium fuel for my car to save fuel?

You should only use premium fuel if your car requires it. Using regular unleaded petrol is also fine if your car does not require special fuel.

Does warming up help to conserve fuel?

Modern engines do not require warming up. One can start driving gently after ignition.