Fuel prices are putting an increasing strain on motorists’ budgets. But don’t worry: you don’t need to change your car to save money. Loïc Schiocchet, Mobility Solutions Promotion Coordinator at ACL, shares his best tips for reducing your everyday fuel consumption.
Anticipate, anticipate, anticipate
This is the foundation of eco-driving. Look well ahead: if you spot a red light, there’s no point keeping your foot on the accelerator only to brake at the last moment. Ease off gradually, keep a comfortable distance from the vehicle in front, and let the car decelerate naturally. The less you stop, the less fuel you use. And with a bit of luck, the light turns green before you even need to come to a halt. This is all the more important in traffic jams: stop-and-go driving consumes a huge amount of energy and fuel. Smoothing out your speed in these situations already means saving.
Start straight away, accelerate without overdoing it
A common habit is to let the engine idle to “warm it up”. This is unnecessary. During a cold start, the engine injects more fuel and runs at a higher speed in order to heat up the catalytic converter quickly and reduce pollutant emissions. Letting the vehicle idle only wastes fuel. It’s better to start the engine and drive off immediately, but gently: the oil and coolant will reach operating temperature faster, which reduces both fuel consumption and engine wear. When it comes to acceleration, aim for the middle ground. Accelerate briskly, but without flooring the pedal. Setting off too slowly is just as counterproductive as accelerating too hard.
Maintain a steady speed
If I could only give one piece of advice, it would be this: keep a steady, moderate speed. The faster you go, the more fuel you burn — largely because air resistance increases with the square of your speed. On the motorway, driving at 110 km/h instead of 130 can already noticeably reduce your fuel consumption and the cost of a full tank, while also improving your range.
The details that add up
Shift up early. Modern engines can run at low revs without any issues. Your vehicle’s eco mode is useful in town and in traffic, but tends to be counterproductive on the motorway, where the engine needs to work harder. Check your tyre pressure regularly — there are even tyres specifically designed to reduce fuel consumption. Clear out your boot: every unnecessary kilo costs you at the pump. As for air conditioning and heating, they don’t consume all that much as long as you keep the temperature reasonable. However, bear in mind that every electrical consumer puts a load on the alternator, and the harder it works, the more fuel you use.
Should you switch to RON 98 or premium fuel?
Not necessarily. Most modern cars are optimised for unleaded 95, which is perfectly adequate. RON 98 results in slightly lower consumption, but the difference is negligible; it’s mainly beneficial for sports and high-performance engines. Premium fuels (V-Power, Ultimate, Excellium…) primarily serve to clean the engine and injectors thanks to their additives — useful from time to time, but not on a daily basis.
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