Tips to increase Fuel Efficiency of Car with IndianBlueBook

Fuel efficiency is a prime important factor while you buy a new car. Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) certifies the fuel efficiency of all cars launched in India, which forms the basis of fuel efficiency which is advertised by all car manufacturers.

However, as this test by ARAI is conducted under simulated Indian Driving Cycle (IDC) inside a laboratory on a dynamometer, the actual on the road fuel efficiency widely varies from the figures obtained by ARAI.

Factors that can affect the fuel efficiency are:

1. The mechanical condition of your car.
2. City or highway. You will get lesser mileage on city roads, considering the frequent stops and crawling in lower gears in city traffic conditions.
3. Driving style. Aggressive driving style negatively impacts the fuel efficiency, whereas a smooth driving style improves mileage.
4. Higher the load and drag on the car, lesser the fuel efficiency.
5. External factors.
6. Type of fuel. Diesel cars are inherently 30% more fuel efficient than a similar petrol engine.

IndianBlueBook tips for extracting the best fuel efficiency from your car.

1. Maintain correct air pressure. Under inflated tyres hamper fuel efficiency of your car. Tyre under inflated by 15 psi increases the rolling resistance, leading to 6% more fuel consumption. Check air pressure every fortnight.
2. Keep your car ship shape. Do periodic services on time. Delaying or skipping periodic maintenance hampers the overall efficiency of the car.
3. Adopt efficient driving techniques to attain best fuel efficiency from any car.

Your driving techniques play a crucial role in achieving the best possible fuel efficiency from your car. Following are the best driving techniques.

1. Adopt a smooth driving style. Sudden acceleration, as well as deceleration, hampers the fuel efficiency. Also aggressive driving style requires frequent downshifts which significantly affect your fuel efficiency.
2. The torque band theory for diesels-While driving a diesel car, ensure that your engine is spinning at 1900-2300 rpm where the diesel engine generates the maximum torque. Hence, ensure that your engine is in this torque band.
3. While driving a petrol car the above torque band theory won’t work always. The petrol cars develop their peak torque at a comparatively higher rpm (4000-4500 rpm) and the torque band theory will hold well only when you reach the cruising speed. The trick is to build up torque linearly and at around 2000-2200 rpm you will have enough torque to keep you in momentum
4. Don’t slam the accelerator pedal. Both in petrol and diesel cars you just require to press 20% of the total pedal travel for extracting better fuel economy.
5. Minimize idling of the engine. Switch off the engine if you want to stop for more than a minute.
6. Use engine braking for stopping. As these days most of the cars are on drive-by-wire technology, the moment you release the accelerator pedal, the fuel supply gets cut off and simultaneous downshifting aids in slowing down the car using engine braking. Contrary to popular beliefs, engine braking is not harmful to the engine.
7. Reduce load on the engine. Lesser the load, better the mileage. Minimize AC usage, as this increases fuel consumption by 15%.
8. Monitor fuel efficiency using the tank full- tank full distance. Regular monitoring helps in keep a check on the fuel consumption habits of your car and you can take corrective measures to improve the fuel efficiency.

Thanks for reading our tips to increase Fuel Mileage of a Car. Do implement mentioned tips and share your story with us. This read is in collaboration with IndianBlueBook.

• Toyota launched Platinum Etios with spectacular features, Check details here
• Knock on Wood for Custom Made Furniture
• Save Water With These Tips to Keep Your Car Clean Without Washing