Eco friendly driving tips

Posted 3rd November 2016

Our Eco friendly driving tips can assist you in your fuel economy figures and lower your emissions for the environment. At Evolve driving school we are always conscious in helping people extract the most out of their driving and these eco-friendly driving tips can help you save money and help the environment in the process.

Table of Contents

Our Eco friendly driving tips

Windows/roof racks

If you are driving on the motorway or at fairly high speeds have your windows closed, because driving at let’s say 70 mph can increase your fuel consumption and carbon emissions by a huge 10 percent due to the increase of drag. Remove your roof rack when not in use as this will cause drag affecting the aerodynamics of your car.

Excess weight

Try to keep the weight of your vehicle to a minimum. Only carry what is needed for your journey and de-clutter anything that will add weight from your car. Extra weight adds extra stress to the engine to propel the car and therefore more fuel is needed to move the car.

Tyre inflation

Tyre inflation is a very important factor in the use of fuel while driving. Under inflated tyres will drastically reduce the fuel economy of a car as well as increase emissions and this can increase your consumption by at least 2 percent.

This will also affect your braking distances and overall control of the vehicle. So, proper inflation of your tyres greatly aids your eco friendly driving.

Switch your engine off

Switching your engine off at lengthy stops will save fuel. Idle engine speed is one of the biggest consumptions of your fuel. A lot of modern cars now have the start/stop technology fitted as standard and there is a variety of figures percentage wise for fuel saving dependent on the car manufacturer.

Ease off the accelerator

Ease off the accelerator while driving downhill and allow the car to drive naturally with the slope. The same applies to things like going around bends and this will also ease the stress on tyres and balance of your vehicle.

Slow down smoothly/accelerate smoothly

Anticipate the road conditions ahead. Planning a slow down or stop will have huge advantages on fuel savings and improve your eco friendly driving.

Decrease your speed smoothly and avoid late and sudden braking. This can gain you gaps in traffic and reduce waiting times at busier periods. Move away with steady acceleration and try to avoid over revving the engine in the build up of your speed. We are not all Lewis Hamilton.

Air conditioning

The use of air conditioning in a car uses more fuel to work and is sometimes unavoidable in really hot and sticky summer months. Use it as sparingly as possible and as soon as the air temperature is controlled switch it off and if possible use your air re-circulation on your climate controls. This will keep the air cooler in the car for longer without having hot air brought in from the outside air. Remember to keep windows closed while using your air con.

Don’t be lazy, Walk

Walking to the local shops instead of driving is an obvious fuel saving thing we can do. If it is only 5 minutes away then walk don’t take the car and give yourself a healthy stroll. A cold car for short drives increases fuel consumption much more than a warmed up car on longer journeys.

You can buy yourself a little something extra with the little saving on fuel you would have used.

Gear shifting

Block gear changing as and when conditions allow can reduce the fuel used when driving through your gears. A third to fifth gear change reduces the need for acceleration to the fourth gear change. This also reduces wear and tear on your gear transmission simply by missing one gear. A block gear change down, say from fourth to second gear when you are slowing down again reduces wear and tear and saves on fuel. Avoiding going down through all of the gears is advantageous. Modern vehicles are very very capable of block gear changing these days.

Service regularly

Keep your car in as tip top condition as possible to maintain eco friendly driving. Service it regularly as this will help to keep it running at the most fuel effective and emission safe way. Always remember to keep an eye on oil levels. Have your brakes checked every now and then to keep them in good condition for even braking.

Plan your route

If you are taking longer journeys thus planning ahead for the shortest route can save on fuel and the obvious time saved needed to arrive at your destination. Sometimes the shortest distance might not be the most eco friendly driving route to take. Using a motorway can improve your fuel efficiency as long as you keep to the speed limits rather than slower roads with more junctions to start and stop from.

We hope you liked our eco friendly driving tips to help you save money on fuel. If you have any comments then please use the form below.