MANILA, Philippines–Volkswagen’s Think Blue campaign offers practical tips for achieving optimum fuel mileage, not just in a VW car.
Drive calmly and smoothly. Use your brakes less and let your vehicle coast or roll on its own momentum. This is “predictive driving,” and not only does it save fuel, it also helps prevent traffic jams.
Switch gears earlier, fill up later. Drive in the highest gear possible. TDI and TSI engines love running in third gear at 30 kilometers per hour. In fact, they deliver astonishing pulling power from as low as 2,000 revolutions per minute.
Let it roll. Did you know that you can go 100 kilometers on 0 liters of gas? By coasting with the car in gear, the overrun fuel cutoff feature of TDI and TSI engines interrupts fuel supply to the engine so that not a single drop of fuel is used. The best time to apply this is when you’re going downhill or approaching a red light, which is when you can also benefit from the engine’s braking effect. You’ll also save fuel by disengaging the clutch. This is particularly effective when combined with predictive driving to coast on a long stretch of road. Coasting downhill is effective, too, but only if the gradient is not too steep.
Use auxiliary equipment in moderation. Control your air-conditioner temperature—it could save you up to half a gallon of gas. In order to lower and maintain the interior temperature at the peak of summer, air-conditioning uses up to 2 liters per 100 km, even at low speeds. One solution: run the air-conditioner before your journey, then drive with the windows down for a while.
Inflate your tires to the proper pressure. Rolling resistance can account for up to 15 percent of overall fuel consumption. If you’ve inflated your tires to the recommended air pressure for a full load, rolling resistance and fuel consumption will be lower. When buying tires, look for tires with the lowest possible rolling resistance. Besides being quieter, they can save you up to an extra 3 percent of fuel.
Avoid short trips. Your engine uses the most fuel when it’s cold. In fact, it can quickly reach almost 8 gallons per 100 km. By consolidating trips, your engine is more likely to reach its standard operating temperature and will consume far less fuel.
Low-viscosity, high-grade oil leads to low-cost, high-efficiency driving. The right oil will save you money and reduce emissions. Save up to 5 percent with high-quality oil. The sooner your engine is lubricated, the sooner it will lower emissions. Low-viscosity oils do this better than any other type of oil.
Maintain your car’s aerodynamic profile. Add-ons like bike racks, ski racks and roof boxes increase drag and have a negative effect on your car’s aerodynamics. Install them only when needed. Increasing aerodynamic drag by 33 percent can increase fuel consumption by up to half a gallon every 100 kilometers.
Less weight, more savings. Lose the dead weight. Every pound of cargo costs you fuel. For example: a load of 100 kilograms can increase fuel consumption by up to 0.10 gallons per 100 kilometers—so be sure to inspect the contents of your car on a regular basis.–Tessa R. Salazar
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