Most drivers dream of the lowest possible fuel burning for the highest possible mileage. But if we look at rising gasoline prices, we realize that this "wish" has little chance of becoming a reality. The average price for regular gasoline across the country hit an all-time high of $5.02 per gallon on June 14, 2022. Although the price has dropped considerably from its peak nowadays, the current average of $3.35 per gallon can still be expensive especially if you drive long distances.
So, drivers still seek strategies and techniques to optimize gas consumption to reduce the fueling burden. The NeoTires team has several tips that have proven to be efficient for this purpose. A quick spoiler here: you won't find rocket science recommendations and techniques here. All the tips that follow are as simple as they can be.
All you have to do is put them into practice and stick to them so that they become a normal driving style. If you are tired of visiting the gas station frequently, check this list out. We hope you will find the necessary solutions to reduce this stress.
Tips To Improve Car Fuel Economy
Have The Fuel Tank At Least Half Full
To begin with, do not leave fuel filling up to the last moment. Try to always keep your fuel tank at least half full. This is even more important in winter conditions when the vehicle usually consumes more gas. Also, keeping at least a half-tank of gas helps you not to fall prey to fuel shortages. These can happen especially when you hit a long journey or when you find yourself in the middle of nowhere.
Last but not least, you never know when you will get caught in congested traffic either during rush hours or during the holidays. Having enough fuel in your tank is essential to get over this risky situation more easily and to have flexibility until you reach a gas station. Thus, our recommendation is not to let the fuel indicator drop below half. This gives you peace of mind that you will arrive at your destination safe and sound regardless of the unforeseen situations that may arise. 1
Follow the Fuel Prices
Many drivers are already used to following local oil prices as easily as they follow currency exchanges. This could help you optimize your fuel expenses as well, especially when you plan a longer trip. There are various online sources and even apps that you can install on your device that track prices in the area where you live.
It is unlikely that you will catch any promotions or hot deals for fuel because they do not spread in this industry. Just imagine, it would be so great to get some "catch the limited offer of 30% off on all types of fuel. Only today!"- wouldn't it? Dreams aside though, the price of petrol can be a bit lower at highway stations, at warehouse stores, or in centers far from urban areas.
Tracking this information online could help you get a better price. You never know when you pass by a station on your way home that offers better prices.
Avoid Driving Whenever Possible
Perhaps this recommendation will tickle the nerves of many drivers. However, if your goal is to reduce the gas burning, this technique might work. I dare not say that avoiding travel will significantly increase your savings. But, if this will be part of a whole cycle of strategies, it will bring a complementary contribution.
What we recommend is just to think about whether there are trips or small outings by car that you could avoid. Maybe you can replace driving with a walk or biking, which would preserve the amount of fuel for longer. 20% of drivers have already switched to cycling instead of vehicle journeys for several reasons. At least, across the UK. Also, maybe you manage to postpone some activities in order to group more of them for later so that you can make one exit with the vehicle instead of several repeated exits.
These small changes in the routine would make the fuel in your tank consume more slowly. I reiterate that this technique alone is not likely to change much. But if you combine it with the other strategies in this post, things might change for the better.
Maintain Speed Limits
I am sure that most of you are familiar with the fact that the driving style contributes to fuel consumption. If your goal is to get the most out of a tank of gas, there is no way to ignore controlling the speed limit. The higher it is while driving, the more fuel the vehicle burns to cope with the effort.
An old but gold Consumer Reports test confirms that speed plays an important role in the level of fuel burning. It's worth mentioning that the amount of fuel burned depends on the vehicle, the roads, the condition of the tires, etc... So it would be difficult to assume what is the exact impact on consumption. Either way, here's what the tests on a Toyota RAV4 and a Nissan Altima show...
Both vehicles were evaluated from the perspective of fuel consumption at speeds of 55, 65, and 75 mph each. The Altima recorded a 6 mpg improvement in fuel economy with just switching from 65 to 55 mph. The RAV4 showed an improvement of 8 mpg under the same conditions. 2
The Higher The Speed The Less Fuel Efficiency
The speed limit of 75 mph also showed adverse effects in terms of fuel economy. The Altima got 7 mpg more at 75 mph than at 65 mph. Analogously, the RAV4's difference is 6 mph more than the speed of 75 mph.
What I'm trying to tell you here is that sometimes, we don't even realize the impact of just 10 mph higher speed. Obviously, we will not drive like snails on the highways, as this is against traffic rules. But take into account the way you drive in city traffic and in urban areas where you will surely stop because of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. Is it really worth it to drive at a higher speed when in fact, you could save?
There is one more essential aspect related to speed: it's about safety. So, you don't just optimize fuel consumption by obeying speed limits. You also ensure safe driving with minimum risks for you as a driver and your passengers.
Avoid Frequent Speed Alterations
Or, in other words, try to drive as evenly as possible. Changing speed is not at all beneficial for your fuel tank. So, you would do well to avoid hard accelerations followed by aggressive braking. In comparison, even driving is more efficient in terms of fuel consumption and this is demonstrated by tests.
According to some of them, an older Toyota Camry loses its fuel efficiency by 2-3 mpg when subjected to frequent acceleration and braking bursts. Once the driver presses the accelerator pedal aggressively, the vehicle starts to use more fuel. With sudden braking right after the acceleration, the fuel used for acceleration gets wasted. Such cycles are not at all beneficial in the long term and you shouldn't be surprised that the car demands "to be fuel-fed frequently".
What you can do alternatively is to opt for an even driving. Increase the speed when you are sure that you can keep it up at a steady pace. Take into account the surrounding driving conditions and try to anticipate traffic maneuvers. It makes no sense to accelerate hard when your GPS indicates a traffic jam in half a mile. Smooth acceleration, braking, and cornering are the way to a reasonable mileage. In addition, you bring a beneficial contribution to your engine, braking system, as well as your tires. Here are other disadvantages of hard braking and hard acceleration that could make you avoid them 3:
And, the icing on the cake, the U.S. Department of Energy says that such driving habits are expected to lower gas mileage between 15% and 30% at highway speeds and between 10% - 40% in stop-and-go traffic. So, it's up to you to decide.
Vehicle Aerodynamics
How often do you take into account car aerodynamics? Probably never, and that's ok because most drivers don't. However, we recommend starting to pay attention to it if you want to have a positive result on your MPG. It is not excluded that the vehicle has many attributes that could adversely influence its aerodynamics that you have never even noticed.
Take, for instance, the roof racks. These might be overlooked by many drivers. However, they make the engine exert more power to combat the aerodynamic drag caused by them at high speed. Needless to mention how unfavorable the unnecessary things on the roof are from the perspective of aerodynamics, and therefore fuel efficiency. For wider perspectives, let's see the results of Consumer Reports tests that calculated the impact of aerodynamics on vehicle mpg.
The tests were carried out on those RAV4 and Altima vehicles that I had previously mentioned in highway speed conditions. For diversity, the testers varied with rooftop boxes, hitch racks, and regular roof racks on which they tried to mount 2 mountain bikes.
After the tests, it turned out that carrying these objects on the roof was the most challenging. Both vehicles lost plenty of mpg from which the RAV4 dropped by 7 mpg from 39 to 32 mpg whereas the Altima went from 46 to 33 mpg with 13 mpg lost.
Does The Empty Roof Make A Difference?
"I don't usually carry anything on my roof" - you might say. Then you have to take into account the results of the empty roof rack tests. According to the data, the RAV4 lost 2 mpg while the Altima vehicle - almost 5. This is in the context of the empty roof rack which seems harmless from the perspective of aerodynamics.
What about the hitch-mounted rack and the rooftop box? The Toyota was more friendly with the bike on the hitch-mounted rack. It lost 5 mpg which is a more decent result compared to the 12 mpg lost by the Altima in the same conditions. Aerodynamics is explained by the fact that the bikes were stuck out beyond the sedan sides. This is a premise for extra drag. Toyota, being wider and somehow more massive, "hid" the bikes better behind its bodywork. Hence the milder mpg result.
The test results are almost similar in the context of rooftop boxes. Again, the RAV4 stood out with a 5 mpg loss. The Nissan registered a shortfall of 9 mpg. The conclusion is that the sleek and more supple body of the Altima is more disadvantageous from the perspective of aerodynamics than a boxy and wider one like the RAV4. 4
Opt For Good-Quality Fuel
We recommend being careful with the gas you pour into your vehicle. Possibly, for reasons of economy, you will want to pump something cheaper. But "cheaper now" usually turns into "more expensive later".
Many gas companies take part in various quality programs that confirm their high standard. Some of them include Shell, Chevron, Costco, and other Top Tier suppliers... Your job is to do your little research and opt for those fuel suppliers that have the right quality standards. You will be amazed to discover that many popular names in this industry do not actually have attested top-quality oil.
The main idea here is that high-quality gasoline helps optimize your mpg. While you have the false impression that you are saving on cheap, poor-quality gasoline, in fact, you will have to pump more and more often because of its dubious formula. In addition, the fuel of mediocre quality could leave residues in the engine which, in the long term, can affect its serviceability. Quality fuel includes components that dissolve these residues, which increases engine protection.
The final thought here is to opt for fuel whose cleanliness is confirmed. It is ok if you occasionally pour gas of mediocre quality in cases of shortage or other unforeseen reasons. But this does not have to be the usual standard for you if you want optimal mpg and the protection of the vehicle's internal systems.
No Need To Choose Premium Gas
So, we are talking here about the optimization of fuel expenses and the efficiency of fuel burning. For this purpose, good quality gas will totally do and it is not always necessary to go for the premium suppliers just because they cost way more. If you are sure that a certain supplier has quality standards validated by certifications, that's all you need to know. You can trust that it offers a pretty good product, even if it does not have the status of a premium fuel supplier.
Remember that our goal here is to save money. For this, mid-grade suppliers will work fine as long as they are found in the list of certified suppliers. In many cases, premium gas is more or less the same as midgrade gas. The price difference might be justified by branding and more marketing and not necessarily by much better quality.
Check Your Tires And Their Pressure
NeoTires specialists as well as other experts in the field recommend that all drivers take into account the condition of their tires and the pressure in them. Ideally, tires should be inspected at least once a month unless some symptom would suggest tire failure.
Tire pressure is essential for safety and driving performance. This tends to decrease for various reasons such as osmosis, weather changes, or certain defects. The problem of tire underinflation consists in the fact that it causes a series of adverse effects in a chain.
First of all, too little pressure will accelerate the tire early and uneven wear. Secondly, the driver will feel handling and stability issues. Last but not least, fuel economy will drop because the vehicle will exert more effort to promote the rolling of the deflated tire. With this in mind, when was the last time you checked your tire pressure?!
Turn Off The AC
I know, it's very comfortable to drive in a cool comfort when the Sun is burning at 95 Fahrenheit outside. And I dare not recommend you skip the AC under such conditions. But if you are used to using it in mild conditions, think about how necessary it is for you. Every time you turn the AC on, it consumes gas. If driving with slightly open windows comforts you no less than with your AC on- go ahead with it to see some incremental savings.
Why do I say "slightly open windows"? you might think. Well, because driving with open wide windows at high speeds goes against the aerodynamic rules we have talked about previously. The vehicle opposes greater resistance with open windows, which does not help you much in terms of fuel economy. So, everything comes down to moderation and calibration without taking it to extremes.
The main point here is to opt for natural ventilation only when it is reasonable, for example, at moderate temperatures. If we talk about extreme heat conditions, the AC is a must because it helps you stay alert to road conditions. Nobody needs a driver exhausted by the heat.
Car Fuel Economy: FAQs
How Can I Improve My Fuel Economy?
Some easy steps can help you optimize your vehicle's fuel economy. Consider the following: driving evenly, obeying the speed limit, avoiding acceleration alternations in city areas, skipping the AC when possible, and maintaining optimal tire pressure can really help improve fuel economy. Also, drivers should take into account all these aspects simultaneously rather than just apply one of them.
What Makes a Car More Fuel Efficient?
Apart from the aspects that I have maintained previously, aerodynamics and the type of tires also contribute a lot to fuel efficiency. remove the roof racks if you are not using them from your vehicle. According to tests, they influence the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Also, if fuel efficiency is a priority for you, you could opt for fuel-efficient tires. These provide less rolling resistance which adds some mpg. The tradeoff is a little less grip than with regular tires. but that's the price to pay if you prioritize fuel economy.
Is 8 Liters Per 100km Good?
Much depends on the type of vehicle, the type and purpose of the tires, and the driving conditions. As such, please do not take the data below as a golden rule, but rather as an estimate. The standard mpg for small vehicles is around 5-6 l/100 km. Slightly more massive vehicles such as CUVs and SUVs should normally consume around 8-9 l per 100 km. Please note that vehicle consumption also varies depending on the weather, whereas in winter, consumption is generally higher.
Does AC Consume Fuel In Cars?
Yes, absolutely. Turning AC on will necessarily increase vehicle fuel consumption. Moreover, the conditioning system generates more fuel burning than any other auxiliary feature in the vehicle. Due to the extra load on the engine, the AC is expected to increase gas consumption by up to 20-25%. For fuel economy purposes, try to turn it off whenever possible.
Why Trust Us?
I joined the NeoTires team 5 years ago and I was delighted by how passionate each member is about tires. Our team wants to help all motorists to get maximum pleasure, performance, and comfort out of their driving experiences. And the right tires are an optimal way to this goal. However, choosing the right tires is not always an easy task, especially when it comes to certain specific criteria that drivers need for certain tasks and road conditions.
Any tire is like a recipe made of various ingredients. Some of them have ingredients that boost dry performance, others - wet performance. Similarly, some products are richer in attributes for fuel efficiency, others for maximum traction and grip. So, it is always about a certain tradeoff in favor of certain necessary benefits. NeoTires is here specifically to find the tire that offers the necessary attributes specifically for the conditions in which you drive the most.
Here you have a wide range of products from reputable and reliable brands. In addition, you get competitive prices and advantageous buying conditions. Our trained and qualified assistants together with our mechanics will help you select the right product. As such, we cannot change your driving conditions. However, we can influence the performance of your vehicle in them. Drive safe and choose your tires wisely!
