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Your Complete Guide to Sustainable Driving
Learning to drive more sustainably can be a great way to lower fuel consumption, reduce pollution and save money alongside several other benefits.
To help highlight these eco-friendly driving tips, we have gathered many of them together to provide you with our helpful guide to sustainable driving.
Avoid speeding
When driving on the motorway, it can often be tempting to accelerate to a higher speed than is necessary. However, the faster you push your car, the more power it requires, which ultimately means more fuel consumption. Reducing your speed by a few miles per hour can result in using less fuel.
Avoid rapid acceleration and deceleration
Alongside speeding, repeatedly accelerating and decelerating at speed will also increase your fuel usage. Both require large amounts of energy, which is quickly lost when either slowing down after accelerating or speeding up again once you have decelerated.
Rather than doing everything at speed, try to accelerate at a slower pace and decelerate gradually where possible rather than braking too harshly or aggressively.
Turn off the engine when waiting
Waiting in your vehicle with your engine running can end up unnecessarily burning through fuel – between one to two litres per hour. Compare this to the tiny amount of fuel it takes to restart your car, and it is clear to see what the best option is.
Plan routes in advance
Before taking any trips, try to plan in advance to ensure you take the best route available and, when possible, combine a number of trips into one, as this will help you save both time and fuel. Restarting an engine from cold several times for different journeys typically takes up much more fuel than a single trip covering the same distance.
Check tyres
Making regular checks to ensure your tyres are inflated properly will help improve your car’s mileage, as well as reduce potential risks. A straightforward test with a pressure gauge to ensure your tyres meet the recommended level only takes a moment and is one of the easiest steps you can take to improve safety and drive sustainably.
Oil choice
When buying motor oil, it can often be tempting to pick the cheapest option available. However, ensuring you choose a quality motor oil recommended by your car’s manufacturer can make a huge difference, especially when it comes to improving mileage efficiency.
Avoid a heavy vehicle
Overloading your car, whether with a bike rack or possessions in the boot, will have an impact on its overall efficiency. This extra weight requires the vehicle to work harder, and so more power is needed, ultimately using up more of your fuel.
Simply keeping your car clear of waste and unnecessary items, as well as removing any racks which are not immediately required will go a long way to cutting back on excess weight.
Replacing old parts
As the parts on your vehicle age, they naturally become less efficient. Regular car tuning and maintenance will allow you to keep an eye on which parts may need replacing to ensure you are not wasting unnecessary energy, which makes driving sustainably a much easier undertaking.
Consider alternatives
Looking at alternatives can be a good option for ensuring your travel impact is much more sustainable. Simply walking or cycling to your destination, whenever possible, will not only save you money and reduce pollution, but it can also help improve fitness. While when you are unable to walk or cycle, public transport can also be an ideal alternative for lowering your environmental impact.
However, when walking or public transport are not viable options, consider driving outside of peak times. Avoiding the rush hour can help shorten your journey time and see you spend less time idling in traffic.
Consider your options when upgrading
Simply buying a new vehicle for sustainable driving is out of reach for many, but when the time does come to upgrade, consider a more eco-friendly driving option to help do your part.
Going all-electric or hybrid is a much more fuel-efficient option as well as being more environmentally friendly.
Sustainable Driving Guide: Final Thoughts
We hope our guide to sustainable driving has helped highlight several options worth considering for a more eco-friendly way of life.
At TCM Automotive, we offer a range of professional services, including car tuning, diagnostics and security to ensure your vehicle remains in excellent condition. To learn more about our car maintenance services, call us today on 07581 033 606.
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