8 Tips to stay fuel efficient amid subsidy removal

President Bola Tinubu's statement that ‘Subsidy is gone’ during his inaugural speech yesterday has resulted in scarcity and an increase in the price of fuel in the country.

According to BusinessDay findings on Tuesday, 30 May 2023, many car owners in Lagos parked in a long queue waiting to buy fuel while most of the filling stations were not selling. This has also doubled and in some cases tripled the price of transportation in the state.

However, these are a few driving techniques that can help to save fuel and money for car owners as the country struggles through scarcity.

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) showed 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 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.

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 steering 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.

Read also: Petrol price to settle between N478 and N600/ltr as subsidy goes

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 kilometers. It is suggested that car owners should keep to the right tire pressure to help in minimizing the consumption of fuel.

Tires that are underinflated have a higher rolling resistance on the road, which means that with every traveled kilometer, 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.

Stay a fit ahead of traffic

Before leaving for your destination, it really pays off to check the best route available to see which is shorter. This can be done using Smartphone apps like Google Maps so you don't burn much fuel in stop-and-go traffic. It is also important to conduct regular checks on car tyre pressure. Also, use engine braking when driving downhill, take your foot off the accelerator to maintain your speed and that way, you will burn no fuel until you press the gear button again. It is advisable also to use engine braking in city traffic as well.

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.