4 Savvy Fuel Efficiency Tricks

There are a lot of reasons to save fuel, ranging from environmental concerns to financial ones. Many people buy a new car to maximize their fuel efficiency, but that isn’t always necessary. There are quite a few tricks that you can use to make any vehicle much more efficient. Most of them are fairly easy and also have other benefits, so there is no reason not to give them a try and see just how much they can do for your car.

Lighten the Load

It takes more power to move a heavy vehicle than a light one, which means that they consume more fuel. You can make your vehicle lighter by making sure that it is not hauling any junk that it does not have to carry. Most people slowly accumulate extra cargo in their car over time, so this problem is more common than you might expect.

You can solve the problem by simply cleaning out your car on a regular basis. You do not need to do it very often. Most people can do it once or twice each month to make sure that no excess items build up in the car and be done in just a few minutes. Be sure to check every part of the car, from the trunk to the glove compartment, to make sure that you are carrying as little extra weight as possible. Just a little bit of cleaning can go a long way!

Avoid Air Conditioning

Climate control requires a huge amount of energy. That extra power comes from your engine, which increases the demand for fuel while you are heating or cooling the car. Air conditioning is usually the bigger problem of the two, so you should focus on ways to keep your car cool without turning it on.

One of the easiest ways is to park the car in the shade during warm weather. That will make sure that it does not get hot while you are out of the car, which would tempt you to turn the air conditioning back on when you get back into your vehicle. Dressing lightly and leaving the windows open can also make a big difference on a hot day. If all else fails, you can try to schedule your shopping trips and other errands to make sure that they happen in the early morning or in the evening, when the temperatures tend to be at their lowest. You will probably need to use the air conditioning every now and then even if you use these techniques, but it should reduce your use significantly, and that will make a big difference.

Use Cruise Control

Your car will use more power when it is accelerating than when it is simply maintaining a constant speed. Using the breaks also wastes energy, since they work by converting the energy that turns the wheels into waste heat. That means that you can boost your fuel efficiency by changing your speed as little as possible while you are driving your car.

Most people struggle to maintain a constant speed on their own, so it is best to use cruise control instead of doing it manually. Keep your speed as stable as you can, but remember that it is never worth taking risks to save a little bit of fuel. Slowing down to take a turn safely may slightly reduce your fuel efficiency, but it greatly increases your security, so you should still make a point of doing it.

Maintain Everything

Quality counts when it comes to cars. An engine that is in good shape will provide better fuel efficiency than a a damaged one. Poor functioning in other parts of the car can also have an impact, although that impact is usually smaller. That means that you should fix any problems with your vehicle as soon as they appear to make sure that they do not develop into serious issues. You should also make a point of inspecting it regularly to make sure there are no signs that parts are wearing out. That can be a little bit inconvenient, but it is necessary to keep your fuel efficiency as high as possible.