Malaysian motorists are lucky that fuel prices are subsidized by the government and they don’t have to pay RM6 a litre of petrol like motorists in England. However, having cheaper fuel doesn’t mean that driving economically should be unnecessary because petrol is a fossil fuel and there’s only so much left in the ground. Since industrialisation began and then automobiles arrived, our fuel reserves on the planet have been diminishing and at some point, we may simply run out of such fuel, which is why manufacturers are hard at work finding alternative forms of propulsion. These alternative powerplants are slowly becoming commercially viable but it remains to be seen how fast they will completely replace the conventional internal combustion engine that has been with us for over 100 years. In the meantime, we should be doing our best to slow down the depletion of the fossil fuel reserves left and that means reducing fuel consumption while we drive (since giving up driving is impractical for many).
Shell, like other petroleum companies has been hard at work to provide fuels that can go further on each litre, the latest being the FuelSave formula. Nevertheless, motorists can still go further with each litre if they follow these tips from Shell’s motoring experts:
1. KEEP THE ENGINE TUNED
Tune and service your engine regularly. A properly-tuned engine can improve fuel economy by up to 5%.
2. USE HIGHER GEARS
When you drive slowly in a higher gear, you will burn less fuel because the engine revs are lower (provided the gear selected is suitable for the speed). Change up to the highest possible gear whenever possible.
3. LIMIT AIR-CONDITIONER USAGE
Air conditioning puts added strain on the engine, resulting in extra fuel being consumed. Try to limit its use or alternatively you can wind down the window. Though you will lose some fuel efficiency with the window open, it is still far more economical than using the air conditioner. Up to 8% savings can be gained by not using the air-conditioner. If you close the window, you can still get air in by selecting the Fresh Air mode in the ventilation system.
4. USE CRUISE CONTROL
If your vehicle has cruise control, use it because it helps maintain a constant speed which is better for fuel economy.
5. AVOID EXCESS IDLING
While the engine is idling, your vehicle is going nowhere but fuel is still bring burnt up. What a waste! Turn off the engine if you are in a queue or jam; as a rule, if you have stopped for over 10 seconds, switch off the engine.
6. AVOID OVER-REVVING
Accelerate in each gear smoothly and change up to the next higher gear as soon as possible. Taking the revs all the way to the redline will burn up a lot of fuel unnecessarily.
7. AVOID RUSH HOUR
Rush hour traffic is stressful and unpleasant for any motorist and it is also where a lot of fuel is wasted. If possible, plan your route to avoid jams or better still, travel outside the peak hours when congestion is less and you’ll find that your fuel economy will be better.
8. USE CORRECT TYRES PRESSURES
Keep your tyres at the right pressure. Correctly-inflated tyres are safer, last longer and drive more efficiently. A tyre that is under-inflated by just 1 psi can reduce fuel efficiency by 1-2% due to increased rolling resistance. Refer to your carmaker’s recommendation for the correct pressures to use and check them regularly.
9. GET RID OF UNNECESSARY WEIGHT
Avoid carrying excess weight. For every extra 45 kgs on board, fuel efficiency can worsen by 1 - 2%. So clear your boot of stuff which does not need to be there all the time (eg golfbags, suitcases, picnic gear, etc).
10. FUEL MATTERS
Fuel economy can be better with good driving habits and using the right fuel. Shell’s FuelSave Unleaded petrol can save up to one litre of fuel per tankful of 50 litres compared to petrol without the FuelSave formula.
source - motortrader
