How to save fuel
We all would like to save fuel, whether it is for a noble cause like saving the planet, or for a selfish cause like not burning a hole in the pocket. Here, we at NDTV Auto are going to show you how to maximize your fuel efficiency and minimize your visits to the petrol pump.
One trick that works well at conserving fuel on highways is imagining that the car has defective wheel bearings. This should limit your cruising speed, which is good for fuel efficiency. Remember that above 60kph, you’re using up most of your fuel to combat resistance from the air. Car designers have done their bit to make cars more slippery, but short of making cigar-shaped cars, there is no solution that will provide a massive improvement. Cruising at 50kph in top gear will give you the most efficiency, but it may be too slow for your liking.
You could lessen the air resistance by driving behind a large truck on the highway, but always keep a safe distance from it. As a rule of thumb, you should be two seconds behind the truck at any speed – an easy way of checking is saying “One one thousand, two one thousand.” If you pass the point where the truck was when you started saying that before you finished, increase the distance. This is vital – the truck will not be able to decelerate as quickly as you can, but it may be able to thud through potholes or rough patches of road that you might need to slow down for.
Another trick that requires a little imagination is the ‘holes in the exhaust’ trick. This will work well for city driving. All you have to do is imagine that your exhaust has holes in it, and your city, strict noise regulations. You can’t drive too slow for fear of getting spotted and pulled over, and you can’t drive fast because high revs means more noise and you’ll definitely be spotted and pulled over. This is no tachometer-watching trickery, just plain imagination helping you get more practical.
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