As a vehicle enthusiast, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of a well-calculated car average. In this blog, we will discuss tips and tricks on how to make your vehicle more fuel efficient.
What is meant by Fuel Efficiency?
Fuel Efficiency refers to how far a vehicle can travel with a specific quantity of fuel. Higher fuel efficiency means that the vehicle can go farther using less amount of fuel. It is usually measured in terms of the distance traveled (in miles or kilometers) per unit of fuel consumed (in gallons or liters).
The higher the fuel efficiency, the more economical the vehicle is, as it consumes less fuel to travel a certain distance.
Here are some tips on how to improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.
- Avoid idling: Turn off your engine when you expect to be idle for more than a minute or two. Idling consumes fuel without contributing to the mileage. Even though the vehicle is not moving, the engine is still running, which means idling contributes to air pollution and the emission of greenhouse gas.
- Regular Maintenance: For better fuel efficiency, it is important to get your vehicle serviced regularly. Scheduled maintenance such as oil changes, air filter replacements, and tire rotations ensure that the vehicle is well maintained. As a result, the engine operates efficiently leading to improved fuel economy.
- Lighten the load: A lighter vehicle requires less energy to accelerate and maintain speed as compared to a vehicle with heavyweight. Carrying unnecessary items in your vehicle causes the engine to consume more fuel. Therefore, keeping the vehicle as light as possible can help save fuel and reduce operating costs.
- Tire Maintenance: Keep your tires inflated and aligned. Under-inflated tires create more rolling resistance which slows down a moving vehicle. This decreases fuel efficiency. If the tires are underinflated by 10 psi, fuel efficiency could be reduced by 2% to 3%.
- Replace Worn Spark Plugs: A damaged or faulty spark plug is prone to misfiring, which means that the fuel is not burnt efficiently, resulting in incomplete combustion. The drop in engine power leads to reduced engine performance and increased fuel usage. Moreover, continuous misfiring can damage the catalytic converter too, leading to costly repairs and an increased load on other components such as the ignition coil and motor. To read more about spark plugs click here: https://okayker.com/the-importance-of-spark-plugs/
- Dirty air filters: If the air filters are dirty or clogged, this will restrict the flow of air into the engine. As a result, the fuel is not burned efficiently, leading to incomplete combustion and wasted fuel.
- Use cruise control: If you are on the highway, you should use cruise control to maintain a constant speed. This helps to prevent unnecessary acceleration and reduces fuel consumption. However, when driving on curvy roads, you should disengage the cruise control to avoid increased fuel consumption.
Now that we have gathered some useful tips, let’s move on to see what benefits improved fuel economy brings.
- Cost Savings: The biggest benefit of fuel efficiency is cost savings. More fuel-efficient vehicles consume less fuel to travel the same distance as compared to less efficient vehicles. As a result, car owners have to spend less money on fuel, which reduces their expenses over time.
- Reduced Air Pollution: Improved fuel efficiency results in fewer tailpipe emissions and reduced greenhouse gasses, which helps to improve air quality. Since these pollutants contribute to smog and acid rain, fuel-efficient cars help to minimize these negative environmental effects.
- Engine longevity: Better fuel economy means an extended lifecycle of the engine as there is less wear and tear on your vehicle’s engine and components.
- Energy conservation: Improved fuel efficiency reduces the overall demand for fossil fuels, contributing to energy conservation and sustainable utilization of resources.
Combining these tips and tricks will help you to maximize fuel efficiency for your vehicle. A fuel-efficient vehicle not only increases the car’s average but also contributes to better mileage.
The Future of Fuel Efficiency
As the automotive industry grows and evolves, a bright future awaits the way we drive. Advancements in the automobile sector have introduced Electric Vehicles and Hybrids as eco-friendly alternatives to gasoline-powered vehicles.
These new vehicles are designed with a feature known as Eco Idle Battery that automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop such as traffic lights. This results in reduced fuel consumption as it saves unnecessary idling.
Likewise, modern vehicles have a fuel delivery system that is designed to optimize fuel combustion known as Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI). EFI aims to improve fuel efficiency by controlling the amount of fuel injected into the engine’s cylinders.
To conclude, the future of the automotive sector is being designed in such a way as to promote aerodynamics that promote better fuel efficiency and reduced tailpipe emissions.
