Thanks to Covid-induced supply chain issues and Russia’s war with Ukraine, oil prices have risen to more than $ 100 a barrel. This and the death of refining capacity (conversion of crude oil to petrol / diesel) caused the price of petrol and diesel to rise to record highs. One way to curb these prices is conservation – the less fuel we use, the less fuel we have to pay for, and if everyone uses less fuel, the price of oil will fall. Russia supplied about 11% of the world’s oil and the 2020 restrictions due to Covid reduced demand for fossil fuels by about 20% which brought the price of oil to zero (for a short period). It demonstrates the principle of conservation that causes prices to collapse and defeats fuel price inflation.
If every driver on Earth were to adopt the best practices of this series of articles, we would reduce fuel consumption by more than Russia supplies to the world market, thus bringing the price of oil to common sense. And it will reduce carbon pollution, which will buy us more time to increase EV production.
This article was originally published in December 2020 on CleanTechnica and will be republished with updates.
For most people, they buy a vehicle and go to the gas station when the needle is low. However, how one drives, they can get many extra miles (or miles) of the same fuel, which reduces the total amount of fuel consumed and the carbon pollution created (which also saves money in the meantime). Each refill will cost the same, but you will go longer between refills, which means more rides / days per tank.
This journey begins with the purchase of the vehicle if you are buying an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle and not an electric vehicle (EV). No matter how well you follow the steps below, a Hummer cannot match the fuel efficiency of a Geo Metro. But even the Hummer can make big gains in efficiency. Of course, it is not always realistic to replace your vehicle in the time of microchip shortages, but a lighter and more fuel efficient vehicle will dramatically reduce how much you spend on fuel.
Those looking to buy EVs have started putting their name on various waiting lists, which is not a bad idea, assuming anyone who requires a deposit is refundable. An EV will cost 1/4 to 1 / 8th of the cost of electricity compared to what you currently spend on petrol / diesel.
When looking at buying a vehicle, look at your local government’s mileage ratings and choose the most fuel efficient vehicle you can get away with. Buy only as many vehicles as you need, not as many as you can stretch for. very few people need An SUV – it may be more convenient, but it requires more fuel and will cost much more to own over its lifetime (more expensive tires, brakes, repair parts, insurance, etc.). Many people can get by well with a compact or medium-sized vehicle even if they do not want to face it. Of course, see if an EV will fit the bill and is cost competitive. There are more EV models coming out in 2022 and 2023, so if the current offerings do not meet your needs, do not give up.
Newer vehicles of the same class often have better efficiency than older vehicles, partly due to age / wear and tear but also because technology has advanced. Although we have not yet found a way to overcome the laws of thermodynamics, energy conservation, etc., manufacturers have improved engines with technologies such as variable valve timing, direct injection, idle engine stop, more complex and more speed transmissions / continuously variable transmissions, and more. That said, if you are looking for a new vehicle, definitely consider an EV and remember that it can cost more in frontbut, depending on your annual mileage and how long you keep the vehicle, it will often more than pay the difference compared to a petrol vehicle in fuel economy.
That being said, you probably already have a vehicle and are not currently in the market for a replacement. So, on the meat of this article: drive for fuel efficiency.
You may have heard of the term hypermiler. People who follow this philosophy strive to maximize their gas mileage and can use extreme and sometimes even unsafe methods to use less fuel. Do not do something unsafe, even if you can rationalize it.
To begin with, you want your vehicle to be in tip-top shape. In the old days of breaker points and carburetors, you had to get regular adjustments, which involved manual adjustments to make sure the air-fuel mixture and spark / valve timing were as perfect as mechanical. With modern fuel injection and computerized timing and engine controls, you do not have to do as much manual or regular maintenance. What you need to do, however, is even more critical. Make sure the spark plugs are within their rated life and are properly unlocked. Make sure the fuel injectors are clean, because vehicles that have injected fuel require cleaner fuel than cars with carburetors. Therefore, you should strive to buy your fuel from companies that advertise the beauty additives in their fuel, which will also help maximize vehicle mileage (and consider using Top Tier fuel in countries that offer it, which have additional engine cleaners ). Use the grade of engine oil recommended by the manufacturer. Thinner oil can improve the economy a bit, but can reduce engine life, so it’s usually not worth it.
Make sure your tires are at the air pressure recommended on the label inside the driver’s door. You can use a higher pressure for slightly additional fuel savings (up to the maximum listed on the tire’s sidewall), but you’ll have to endure a tougher ride, which is not good for your suspension. Tire pressure will drop a few psi in the winter and a few psi will rise in the summer. Check your tires monthly if you have not installed a tire pressure monitor. If you do, check the warning threshold – some will wait until a tire is very low before giving a warning. Nitrogen in the tires has some benefits, but is not necessary. It keeps pressure longer, so if you do not check it regularly, it saves work. Also, if you do not drive many miles a year, it slows down the aging of the tires a bit – you may be drying out a little longer before the tires of age. If your tires tend to wear out due to tread wear, then the longevity benefit evaporates.
Also, if your tires die due to age instead of mileage, then periodic use of tire shine with UV protector can extend their lifespan.
Of course, you want to keep up with fluid and tire replacement intervals so that components do not wear out prematurely and cause a major repair bill. It does not help much efficiency, but does improve vehicle reliability and life expectancy. Your user manual should contain this information. Do not skimp on preventative maintenance – for example, a timing belt breaking on a malfunctioning engine or worn automatic gearbox fluid destroying the gearbox is very expensive yet preventable. Skipped maintenance is false economy.
When was the last time you replaced your engine’s air filter? Most can be homemade and you can buy it cheaply at the retailer or a third party. Fancy aftermarket filters are mostly gimmicks, and an OEM filter will do the job well as long as it is replaced when needed. Most cars will have a maintenance schedule that indicates replacement intervals for this. Do not confuse the engine air filter with the cabin air filter.
Your engine’s Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor and oxygen sensor (s) tell the computer how much fuel to add for optimal combustion. If they do not work properly, the air / fuel mixture will be off and this often increases fuel consumption. Some MAF sensors can be cleaned with electronic cleaner spray, but verify this for your car model before you do it yourself. As for oxygen sensors, your car has some built-in diagnostic equipment that can throw a control engine light. If this light is on, then determine the reason (there are dozens of causes that cause it to illuminate) and solve the problem to maximize your fuel consumption.
Keeping your vehicle’s exterior clean (especially in winter) maximizes its aerodynamics. Waxing can also help a few percent on the highway. And there are some rims that can slightly improve aerodynamics. Avoid after-market outdoor equipment that changes or adds to the exterior shape of the vehicle. Everything from grille screens to spoilers affects aerodynamics, and despite the claims, usually not in a positive way.
Tires also affect mileage to a small extent, and you can buy fuel-saving models. Some have less grip than standard tires, but counter-intuitively, not all fuel-saving tires have less grip, as some have altered rubber composition and optimized sidewall resilience. Google can often help you find the rolling resistance of any tires you consider as replacements or fuel-saving tires in your vehicle’s size. Many tires now claim to save fuel, so try to look up any tests that have been done to return the claim, as the savings are likely to be marginal if they are not intentionally designed to save fuel.
Fuel efficient tires can increase your mileage by an average of 2-5% compared to standard summer / all season tires. And even more so compared to performance tires, track tires, all terrain tires and snow tires.
You need a lot more fuel to drive through viscous solids and liquids, and heavy rain, snow, gravel, mud and more will significantly increase your fuel consumption.
Higher octane fuel improves mileage in high compression engines. However, it is mostly in performance cars. There are some higher compression non-performance vehicles that get a slight improvement out of it, but not nearly enough to justify its higher cost. However, many manufacturers add extra clean additives to their high-octane fuels and advertise it, trying to muddy the waters and get more people to buy fuel that their car does not really need. Save your money and use the octane fuel specified in the user manual.
Stay tuned for Part Two — Driving Behavior.
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