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Of ecodriving and car maintenance
In a previous post, I made a vague reference to ecodriving, a way of driving that reduces fuel consumption and in turn reduces emissions. With just a few slight changes in your driving habits, you too can become an ecodriver. These changes can seem insignificant on an individual scale, but when you multiply them by the number of drivers who’ll adopt them, hopefully millions, that can make a huge difference.
Here’s a good ecodriving example: making sure your fuel tank gas cap is tightly screwed can save you 110 litres of gas a year, according to ecodrivingusa.com. This is gas that would otherwise just evaporate into thin air. Another example? Just having tires properly aligned and inflated could save more than a billion litres of gas, and that’s just in California!
This useful site is chock-full of great tips and advice. Here are more tips you get about car maintenance. They can allow you to save a lot on fuel costs.
- Read your owner’s manual. Your glove compartment holds one of the most important sources of fuel economy information, and it’s customized for your specific model and engine.
- Use the recommended motor oil. You can improve your fuel economy by 1-2% by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. 1-2% multiplied by millions is not to be sniffed at!
- Schedule periodic engine tune-ups. It’s about as much fun as going to the dentist’s, but seeing your mechanic on a regular basis can help you save as much as 4% on fuel.
- Replace air filter regularly. Save by increasing your mileage by 10%!
- Check your tire pressure monthly. You can save an additional 3% by regularly checking your tire pressure, which varies with sudden changes in temperature.
- Reduce aerodynamic drag. I admit it, I drive around with my ski rack on the roof all year long (and I add two small folding chairs during the summer). On the highway, about 50% of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. I smell savings in the air.
- Remove excess weight from your vehicle. Do you use your car to store your golf clubs, bike rack, exercise weights and cleaning products? Just 45 kg of needless cargo will reduce your mileage by 2%.
Next time, we’ll see how changing a few habits at the wheel can also reduce your fuel consumption. In the meantime, you can always have fun with this game from ecodrivingusa. Personally, I prefer Grand Theft Auto IV, but that’s just me 
Oh, and if you have something to add to this post, please do. I’m always curious.
9 Comments
Comments
@Gina 90km/h? Hmmm…. I may try it on the highway one of these days, but I think I’d be nervous about what’s coming from behind Thanks for the tips and link. I will pay a visit to your site real soon.
Normand, you really should try driving in the 90s. After years of speeding, I now drive slower and I am amazed at how many other people actually drive at the speed limit AND by how much fuel I save.
Btw, Transport Canada\\\\\\\’s highway fuel rating http://www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation/tools/fuelratings/fuel-consumption-guide-2008.pdf is based on 16 KMs of driving at an average speed of 77 kph with a top speed of 97 kph. Try it; I dare you!
You know what Mike? I’ll give it a try. In the upcoming weeks I will do a trip to let’s say Quebec City (I’m from Montreal, so we’re talking about a 250 ride approx). I’ll do it one way at 90kph and the other way at my regular cruise speed (which I won’t reveal here . And I will share with all of you the results (financial and emotional) of this experience on a post. Deal?
Deal, but be sure to track your travel time. Drag racing between street lights downtown does not reduce travel time. The same concept usually applies to the highway
Travel time will be noted too!
Deal’s done, I did it. Read all about it juste here:
http://www.tdicurious.ca/2008/10/montreal-to-quebec-city-in-ecodriving-mode/
I’ll try another shot at eco driving tomorrow : MTL to Ottawa, but this time it will be in a huge Ford Flex, rated at 9,2 L/100km (highway). Same conditions : 103 km/h, 4 persons, no AC, cruise control, light foot.
Results on Monday.
Well, folks, looks like the official figure for highway fuel economy is indeed atainable, because this time again, I beat it.
Remember, I did achieved 4.2 L/100km with the Jetta TDI the other day (read the story here http://www.tdicurious.ca/2008/10/quebec-city-to-montreal-tdi-style/) which was 12% better than the Transport Canada figure.
Now, with the same people aboard another car (a Ford Flex) 2 adults and 2 young kids, same weekend gear and in the same conditions, here are the results :
198,2 km at 103 km/h
17.9 L
average of 9.0 L/100km.
(9.2 L/100km official rating)
While it is interesting to note that again, constant speed highway driving will get you near the Transport Canada figure, one also can wonder why spend more than twice as much fuel to carry the same cargo.
Random notes :
- as Mike said, driving 100 km/h makes you realize that a lot of people do it.
- motoring is a lot more relax, because you don’t pass so many cars while you are in the right lane.
- during the whole trip, I was looking at the economy meter, and at no time did it drop below the 10L/100km mark. Which makes me wonder again about the precision of these devices. At last, this one was pessimistic, a welcome “lie”.
For the trip back, after 75 km in downtown Ottawa, we hit road 148 (instead of highway 50) so our return route will be similar to the one I did with the Jetta two weeks ago, to compare the more realistic driving of both vehicles.
This time, to cover 275 km, 39.16 L were spent, an average of 14.2 L/100km. In about the same conditions, the Jetta was at 5.8 L/100km.
This confirms the theory that a diesel is more constant over various conditions, while the gas engine is more dependent on the driving style.
Now, I begin to like that ecodriving thing : I will try to match the city driving figures one day soon. That will be a lot more difficult, I guess.
September 16, 2008 by Gina Patterson
Eco driving makes a huge difference – trying to keep your speed on the highway to 90km/hr when you can will save a lot if you tend to speed. In an average sized car, 90km/hr is the approximately the sweet spot where the car will get its optimum fuel efficiency. After that, the engine is going through the fuel tank a lot faster.
And, for city driving: smooth accelerations, then maintaining your momentum is key to fuel conservation. Breaking means you loose all the momentum you just gained burning fuel – so break only when necessary. Instead – take your foot off the gas and coast into stops. T’will save you up to 35% of your tank! For more tips and info, see http://www.DriveWiser.ca.