Want to save 40% on your fuel bills? And go green ?

Cut your Fuel bills by upto 40%! Here is how..

Now I ain’t exactly what u call a nature freak, an environmentalist or a miser(debatable that one) when it comes to motoring, however I always end up getting more out of every drop of fuel than the joe average. No I don’t drive at 38.58kmph all the time which is incidently the speed recommended by my bike manufacturer for the optimum fuel efficiency , nor do I drive so slowly that I end up leading a procession of sorts behind me . All I do is follow a few simple rules to ensure that I get the best bang out of my buck when it comes to fuel. U could end up saving as much as Rs3000/- per annum on your fuel bills if u drive a car, and a third of that if u ride a bike should choose to follow these simple practices.

1. Tire pressure check: The most overlooked bit in the history of motoring. Not only do the tires carry your car or bike’s weight, that little cushion of air is also responsible for your safety. The best thing to do is inflate your car or bike tires to the manufacturer recommended air pressure. It is usually written somewhere on the tire wall in case or cars or on a small placard or sticker in case you ride a two wheeler. It is usually written in the form of PSI or pounds per square inch. Overinflating your tire means that there is less than appropriate surface area of contact, which translates into less grip or more chances of skidding, which ever way you want to look at it in. Under inflating tires can have more rolling resistance, which means your car or bike has to work extra harder to give you the same output speeds, hence more fuel consumption. So make it a practice to check tire pressure once every week at least if not sooner.

2. Service your vehicle regularly: In any regular service the various filters get either cleaned or replaced and this can make a huge difference not to the actual fuel bill but to your driving style. Clean and regularly serviced vehicles consume less fuel, perform better and also emit less number of carbons making you a Green Motorist as well. Double whammy!

3. Weight Loss: I refer here to the payload in your car or bike; ditch the extra jack, unnecessary old bits and pieces that you keep in the car. And especially the women folk, carrying extra bags, earrings, shoes, lip sticks and stuff to plaster your face all have weight; more weight equals less fuel efficiency. Imagine you running a mile in your jogging suit, and then running the same mile carrying a 20kg load. Which you is faster/more efficient? Simple.

4. Changing gears at optimum speed: The main difference between a good and an ordinary driver is when he or she changes gear, and this can make a difference of almost 20% in your fuel bills. Change gears judiciously and properly i.e. by disengaging the clutch (pressing clutch lever/pedal) changing gear and then engaging clutch as soon as possible. Avoid stressing the engine too much while up shifting, it does not make u go any faster, just increases the amount of fuel your automobile sips. Try and keep the engine in green zone at most times. Now my friends who brandish Activa’s and scooty’s what about you? For you folk, it is important to close the throttle (accelerator) every time you break and not to wring it open completely every time you want to increase speed. Avoid hard acceleration and hard braking as well. Try and smoothen out these processes and see the difference.

5. Cut off engine at traffic lights: Whenever you are stopping at signals for more than 100 seconds, cut of the engine, this saves 10% fuel and also helps reduce pollution. However if you are stopping for a duration less than 60 seconds, it is not advisable to shut the engine off because there are certain frictional losses that occur every time you start your engine up.

6. Avoid messing up the aerodynamics of your vehicle. Attaching a bit of cardboard to avoid water splashing on your shoes, attaching carry boxes to the top of your car, and attaching unnecessary stuff to your automobile reduces the aerodynamic efficiency by increasing the drag coefficient which again hampers fuel efficiency.

Follow these and see the difference it makes, not only does it saves precious fuel which may last us only a few more years, it saves your hard earned money and even makes you popular with the green guys! Happy motoring.