Eco-driving is easy on the environment and your pocket

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Obviously, the choice of vehicle can and does make an enormous difference when it comes to fuel consumption and C02 emissions but for most of us, adopting an eco-friendly style of driving will have a positive impact both financially and on the environment.

The benefits of environmentally efficient driving is that it reduces the use and demand for non-renewable fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, helps to improve the overall air quality and reduces ambient noise levels. The benefits also include an increase in the life of your engine, tyres, brake pads, plus savings in maintenance and fuel bills.

There are several ways to help reduce the amount of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere and, at the same time, save you time and money through lower fuel consumption. The changes can be small such as making sure your fuel cap is secure to more beneficial changes such as better route planning.

Anticipate

By looking well ahead, scanning the road and easing off the throttle in good time, it is possible to avoid harsh and late braking, which will immediately save fuel. By keeping the car moving, albeit very slowly, this conserves the vehicle's kinetic energy, which in turn saves fuel and reduces CO2.

Drive smoothly

Using the steering, transmission and brakes in a smooth manner rather than harsh, last minute braking allows the car to decelerate using engine braking. This is not only more comfortable for you and your passengers but it is more efficient due to energy loss. Using the cars momentum i.e. travelling downhill with no throttle input can save a considerable amount of fuel.

Following distance

Driving with an appropriate distance between you and the car in front is not only safer but has the potential to be more efficient as it avoids sudden and late braking. The better your forward visibility and planning, the more time you will have to anticipate sudden changes.

Speed

The faster you go, the greater the fuel consumption and pollution you will create. Driving at 120 kph uses up to 9 per cent more fuel than at 100kph and up to 15 per cent more than at 80kph. Driving at a steady speed and using cruise control where appropriate during the course of your journey will help to keep fuel consumption to the minimum. Sudden and abrupt variations in speed eats up copious amounts of fuel and gives off increased amounts of C02 emissions.

Traffic calming measures

Braking sharply, accelerating, then braking sharply again for the next traffic bump will consume a lot more fuel than gently riding the bumps at a steady pace.

Gears

Being in the correct gear is very important if you are trying to save fuel, in some cases cruising in third gear can be 25 per cent less efficient than cruising in a higher gear. Changing into the highest appropriate gear as soon as you can is more preferable than changing up and down through each gear. Keeping the engine in a low gear longer than necessary consumes large amounts of fuel.

Try to keep your engine running at its most efficient level, for the majority of engines this is between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. As a guide you should shift up a gear when the engine is revving at around 2,500 rpm for petrol engines and 2,000 rpm in a diesel car. Correctly matching engine speed and road speed, plus using the gears in the most cost effective way, will reduce fuel consumption and also reduce wear and tear on the engine and gearbox.

Air conditioning

This should be used wisely and switched off if not necessary.