You might think you’re the world’s canniest driver, but do you motor about with a sound knowledge of your fuel consumption and carbon emissions?

Learning to drive in an energy-efficient way helps the environment and makes financial sense, whether your “wheels” constitute a massive off-roader or an eco-friendly runaround. Smart driving techniques are also safer and reduce the wear and tear on your car.

1 No warm-up required
Who hasn’t turned on the car’s engine before getting in on a cold winter’s morning, just to warm it up? It’s worth remembering modern cars are designed to set off straight away, so warming your engine is needless and wastes fuel. It also causes engine wear – as does keeping the engine running when you’re stationary. If you’re stuck in traffic it’s best to turn your engine off completely as most modern cars are designed to use virtually no extra fuel to re-start.

2 Check your revs
Being an energy-efficient driver means being an attentive driver – so keep an eye on your revs. Change gear before your rev counter hits 2,500 rpm in a petrol car, or 2,000 rpm in a diesel.

3 Slow down and keep it smooth
The golden rule of energy-efficient driving is to stick to the national speed limit. You use 25% more fuel driving at 85mph than 70mph, so take it down a notch. Driving smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and braking, also saves fuel and is a safer way to drive.

4 Considerate cooling
As air conditioning can significantly increase your car’s fuel consumption, try to reduce its use as much as possible. At slow speeds, it’s better to drive with the windows rolled down.

5 Off with the rack
When it’s not in use, remove your roof rack, bike carrier or roof box. The air resistance caused by roof accessories tampers with your car’s aerodynamics and elevates fuel consumption. And clear your boot out too – carrying additional weight reduces your miles per gallon.

6 Share it out
Starting a car pool at work, or your child’s school, saves money for all concerned. It’s also a good way of introducing kids to the benefits of being eco-aware as they’ll enjoy the ride to school with their mates in tow.

7 Service time
Regular services enhance your car’s safety and lets you monitor how efficiently your car is performing. Check tyre pressure regularly too; driving on soft tyres increases fuel consumption and tyre wear.

8 Make plans
Plan your journey well ahead, using other forms of transport for short trips if you can. Avoiding congestion and road works also saves fuel – and your temper may be less frayed, to boot.

9 Calculate your MPG
Driving efficiency is measured by your miles per gallon (MPG). You can link to an easy MPG calculator at
guardian.co.uk/ford-econetic. The calculator lets you compare a variety of different makes and models to see which scores more highly for both MPG and CO2 emissions.

10 Contemplate a new car
If it’s time to replace your old gas-guzzler for something with better eco-credentials, you may still be able to take advantage of the UK Scrappage Scheme, a £2,000 discount against a brand new car or van (3.5 tonnes limit). You can find out more at ford.co.uk/scrappageincentive

If you’re in the market for a new car, and are looking to prioritise both cost efficiency and environmental impact, investigate the new Ford ECOnetic range. ECOnetic is a new approach to the way Ford makes its cars, based on the philosophy that it’s possible to have fuel-efficient cars that don’t compromise on driving experience.

The range – which has been developed using clever refinements, rather than relying on different fuels or expensive batteries and bolt-ons – includes the new Fiesta ECOnetic, Focus ECOnetic, Mondeo ECOnetic and new Transit ECOnetic. The MPG figures are outstanding and the CO2 emissions are some of the lowest of any manufacturer. For information, visit fordeconetic.co.uk.

Bedford driving schools and driving instructors in Bedford can offer Eco-Safe driving lessons to drivers wanting to improve their driving. Search for Bedford driving instructors of driving schools in Bedford on www.Bedford-Driving-Schools.co.uk

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 10:50 pm and is filed under Driving, Driving Lessons, Driving Schools, Eco-Driving. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.