10 more tips to make your fuel more efficient

Following on from our first 10 fuel-saving tips, we have some more to add! Here, you will find 10 more tips to help you make the most out of your petrol and diesel to save on costs and carbon emissions.

1. Check the air filter

Having a clogged air filter can cause your car to stall, which burns through your fuel. It is important to regularly check your engine’s air filter to keep it free of dust, dirt, and debris, increasing fuel efficiency.

2. Fill up what you need

“Avoiding having a full tank means the fuel you do have goes slightly further,” says Confused.com. Save fuel by not putting in as much. Simple, right?

You may think it’s cheaper to buy your petrol in bulk, but it is more fuel- and cost-effective to only fill up your tank with the fuel you need to get from A to B. All of that weight of a full tank adds more weight to your vehicle, making your engine work all the harder and therefore burning through your fuel all the quicker.

You can find out how much your fuel is costing by using this fuel cost calculator.

3. Stop revving your engine

Did you know that “Every time you apply the brakes, energy that you’ve paid for in fuel is being lost in heat generated by the brake pads and discs”? It’s best to avoid braking sharply and revving that engine to conserve petrol.

4. Avoid cosmetic upgrades

From low-profile and oversized tyres to spoilers found on race cars – while these cosmetics make your vehicle unique and ‘cool’, they are merely for aesthetics and don’t bring any benefits to the car’s performance. These additions create more drag as you drive, burning right through your fuel and your wallet.

5. Avoid the drive-thru

We’re not saying to avoid fast food and takeaways altogether (we’re not monsters!) but try parking up and heading inside the restaurants to make your order. Idling in that queue of cars does nothing for your fuel efficiency.

You might be surprised – you might even cut the queue, too!

6. Don’t warm up your engine

A warm engine is more efficient, it’s true. But idling in your car while it warms up is a waste of fuel and your engine’s efforts.

Similar to revving your engine, simply keeping your engine running before setting off cuts right through your fuel. As setting off has your engine running anyway, why not just set off? It will warm up as you go. Save fuel and go!

7. Cruise control

Probably one of the most fuel-efficient driving tips. If you have it and are on a motorway or a long, constant, flat surface, give cruise control a try. Designed for this exact reason, it’s ideal to save fuel as you drive at a constant speed and avoid unnecessary acceleration.

You’ll be surprised that the most fuel-efficient roads in the UK are motorways because of this!

8. Stick to the speed limit

While an obvious, safer (and legal) requirement, sticking to the speed limit also uses less fuel and energy. Driving faster uses more fuel. Driving at 70mph uses up to 9% more petrol and diesel than at 60mph, and going at 80mph can use up to 25% more than at 70mph.

9. Remove unnecessary weight

The heavier the vehicle, the more fuel it consumes. We’re not telling you to kick your family out of the car to walk while you drive on ahead. Take a look in your boot, in the footwells, in the glove compartment, and take out anything you don’t need. Do you need the car seat and buggy and all those bottles of water? Take them out and only pack them in if you need them. It will dramatically save your fuel.

Also, if you aren’t using your bike racks or roof boxes, take them down. It’s the same as having your windows rolled down. Having these fixed to your car’s roof creates wind resistance and causes your car to experience the ‘drag’ effect, forcing your engine to overwork itself.

10. Car share

When commuting to work, try taking turns driving with colleagues who live nearby or on the way. Even having one less car on the road makes a difference in air pollution. It also gives you a break from driving every once in a while!

Head over to our other guide for 10 more tips for saving petrol and diesel!

Of course, the most fuel-efficient way to drive is to not use fuel at all. When you find yourself at the point of wanting to switch from pump to plug, you know where Egg is for your home EV charger.