7 ways automatic cars save petrol amid scarcity

With the scarcity and high cost of petrol arising from the dirty product saga in Nigeria, there is a need for automatic car users and owners to devise means to save fuel in their cars.

This current state of scarcity which has lasted for two weeks and still counting has been an inconvenience to motorists, as many have gone as far as purchasing black market by the roadside at ridiculous prices, not to talk of putting their cars at risk.

While speaking to stranded motorists left with no option but to patronize the black market taking advantage of the scarcity, BusinessDay observed that drivers pay up to N400 for a litre of petrol while some spend more when they are in a hurry.

However, for automatic car owners, there are a few driving techniques that can help save fuel.

Air Conditioner

The air conditioner (AC), which provides cold air inside the car by removing heat and humidity from the indoor air, consumes a lot of fuel.

A study undertaken by Empa on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) disclosed that turning off the air conditioner of a car helps in saving fuel. If the weather is comfortable, car owners can turn off the air conditioner which will help fuel efficiency. Some reports show that the car AC usually consumes at least 10 percent of the energy.

However, car owners can reduce their AC consumption or put it off totally when the weather is cold, to save fuel.

Read also: Gasoline scarcity hits Kogi

Slow and conservative driving

Fuel Data Centre Report compiled by the U.S Department of Energy shows that speeding increases fuel consumption and decreases fuel economy as a result of tire rolling resistance and air resistance.

According to the report, while vehicles reach optimal fuel economy at different speeds, gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 miles per hour (mph). It also noted that controlling speed on the highway can help drivers maintain a constant speed because vehicles use the most energy when accelerating.

“Obeying the speed limit, accelerating and braking gently and gradually, and reading the road ahead can improve the fuel economy of the vehicle by 15 to 30 percent at highway speeds and 10-40 percent in stop and go traffic,” the report said.

Cruise control

Cruise control is a feature that comes in when driving at a constant speed. It is an electric system that allows you to set your car to a specific speed, letting you take your foot off the accelerator pedal.

The automatic speed control system located at the right-hand side of an automatic car starring is designed for safety and to maximize fuel efficiency.

When driving 112 km/h on a freeway, the system will calculate and adjust car parts to maintain the speed. The adaptive cruise is another method for saving fuel as it automatically keeps the car at the right distance.

Car tire pressure

Driving a vehicle with tires under-inflated can increase fuel consumption by up to 4 percent, experts say.

This can reduce the life of tires by more than 10,000 kilometres. It is suggested that car owners should keep to the right tire pressure to help ion minimizing the consumption of fuel.

Tires that are underinflated have a higher rolling resistance on the road, which means that with every travelled kilometre, the tires generate more friction and thereby increase fuel consumption.

Traffic

While in heavy traffic, as usually experienced in Lagos, automatic car drivers can save fuel by putting off the engine and the AC.

Car load reduction

The additional weight of items left in a vehicle requires more fuel to drive.

The Fuel Data Center also shows that an extra 100 pounds in your trunk, for example, could reduce fuel in your tank by about 10 percent.

Transporting rooftop cargo also increases drag, which can reduce fuel economy from 2 to 8 percent in city driving, 6 to 17 percent on the highway, and 10 to 25 percent at 65–75 meter per hour (MPH).

Hence, automatic car owners can consider removing unnecessary items in the car or boot to reduce the fuel consumption of the vehicle.

Vehicle maintenance

The National Driving School, a US-based driving instructor, noted that the more careful a car owner is about maintaining the quality of the car, the better will be the fuel efficiency.

“If you get your car checked regularly and nip any issues in the bud and get them fixed, it is known to improve the fuel efficiency of the car by almost 10 percent.

“All these tips, when kept in mind and under consideration, can make a huge difference to how much fuel you consume and how much fuel you save. And remember, every little bit adds up and helps immensely in the long run,” the company said.