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With the arrival of peak driving season, reducing your fuel consumption will save you money and reduce greenhouse emissions for our environment. Changing your driving habits combined with managing your vehicular travel provide the greatest opportunity for fuel savings and lowering emissions.
To begin, you need to determine your current fuel consumption–how far can you go on a tank of fuel? Use NRCan’s on-line fuel consumption calculator to find out how much fuel your vehicle uses per kilometre. Please sign-on at: http://myfuel-use.nrcan.gc.ca.
Once you know your vehicle’s fuel consumption, you can improve fuel efficiency and reduce fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by following these simple driving tips:
Don’t Drive Aggressively: When combined, speeding, quick acceleration and hard stops–all considered aggressive driving–can increase fuel consumption by 25%. Driving smoothly is safer and more fuel efficient.
Reduce Your Speed: Decreasing your speed from 120 km/h to 100 km/h saves 20% more fuel. Follow the speed limit and use cruise control on the highway which will prevent inadvertent speeding and, in many cases, help save fuel by keeping your speed constant.
USE AIR CONDITIONING SPARINGLY: Due to the extra load on the engine, air conditioning can increase your vehicle’s fuel consumption by up to 20%. Where possible, use your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation on the highway, or open a window when city driving.
Lighten Your Load: The added weight of heavy items in your trunk or the decreased efficiency of your vehicle’s aerodynamics caused by roof or bicycle racks, both contribute to increased fuel consumption. Lighten your load by carrying only what you need.
Measure Your Tire Pressure at least once a month: Properly inflated tires last longer, make your vehicle safer to drive and save fuel. Inflate cold tires to the recommended pressure which is usually indicated near or on the driver’s door, in the glove compartment or in the owner’s manual.
Plan and Combine Trips: Plan in advance to avoid rush hour or construction zones and therefore, time on the road. Also, combine trips into one outing to save time, fuel and money. Trips of less than five kilometres do not allow the engine to reach its peak operating temperature which means fuel consumption and exhaust emissions will be significantly higher than when covering the same distance with a warm engine.
Avoid Unnecessary Idling: If you’re stopped for more than 60 seconds, except while in traffic, turn off your engine. It has minimal impact on the starter system, and idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel than it takes to restart your vehicle. Unnecessary idling for 10 minutes a day uses about 5% more fuel over the year.
SERVICE YOUR VEHICLE REGULARLY: Consult your owner’s manual to learn about the proper care and maintenance of your vehicle. Follow the service recommendations and change the air filter, spark plugs, engine oil and other fluids accordingly, to ensure you get optimum performance and fuel efficiency. A poorly maintained vehicle uses more fuel and creates more emissions.
USE PUBLIC TRANSIT OR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION WHENEVER POSSIBLE: Do you have a short errand to run? Consider walking, biking or using public transit. Using these alternatives means you immediately reduce both your fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions, ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles
As part of the Government of Canada’s ecoTRANSPORT Strategy, the ecoEnergy for Personal Vehicles Program provides Canadian motorists with helpful tips on buying, driving and maintaining their vehicles in order to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
