The Middle East conflict, the campaign against Iran, has sent oil prices soaring. We are feeling the effects at the petrol pumps – fuel prices are climbing almost daily and heading towards record highs. The economy and consumers are being hit hard in an already strained economic climate. Apart from the events of the war, speculation and high government taxes are, of course, also contributing factors. A prime example of this is Germany with its ill-fated ‘world saviour’ mode. The ‘big canton’ is the absolute frontrunner in Europe when it comes to price trends; interested readers would probably prefer to use the term ‘laggard’ when interpreting the situation. Italy (-25 cents) and Austria (-10 cents) have at least managed to bring themselves to reduce government levies for the duration of this crisis. This provides consumers with some tangible relief for the time being. Other governments are finding this rather difficult and are resorting to other measures, the purpose of which is certainly open to question.
A practical lesson in green politics
Anyone who considers the far-reaching consequences of high fuel prices at the moment should bear in mind that, years ago, the Greens in Germany called for a petrol price of 5 Deutschmarks per liter. With the introduction of the euro, they effectively doubled their asking price to 5 euros. Like-minded circles in Switzerland were no different, proposing a price of 5 francs. Today, as we are faced with a fraction of that demand, we can see where Green politics is leading us. And this is now just one example among many. I came to realise this a long time ago: ideology and intelligence cancel each other out!
What each and every one of us can do
At times like these, the question naturally arises as to how one can ease the strain on one’s budget. In fact, it is possible to make savings to a certain extent, and these are things that everyone can directly influence. The ADAC has put together a list of eleven tips on this very topic.
Tip 1: Optimise your driving style
Accelerate briskly, change up in good time (at around 2000 rpm) and maintain your chosen speed at low revs. Only change down when the engine starts to jerk or rumble.
Read and follow the advice in your car’s owner’s manual and keep an eye on the fuel consumption and gear indicator.
There are also things you can do with vehicles fitted with automatic gearboxes. On many models, you can select different driving programmes (e.g. Eco, Normal and Power) using the ‘driving mode selector’. Select ‘Eco’ mode here. The automatic gearbox will then shift up sooner and down later, reducing the engine speed. And consequently, fuel consumption.
Tip 2: Drive with foresight
Braking wastes energy. You should therefore make use of engine braking for as long as possible. When approaching a red light, do not change out of gear. Most cars are fitted with a coasting cut-off system that completely shuts off the fuel supply when coasting.
Take your foot off the accelerator in good time and let the car coast towards a built-up area in gear for the last few hundred metres, for example, rather than braking abruptly just before you reach it.
Tip 3: Avoid short journeys
A car uses the most fuel when the engine is cold. To run smoothly, a petrol engine at least requires a richer mixture (with a higher proportion of fuel) during the warm-up phase than when it is at its optimum operating temperature.
For short journeys, it is therefore better to switch to a bicycle or combine several short trips into one longer journey. Avoid letting the engine warm up whilst stationary – it is illegal, harms the environment, wastes fuel and damages the engine. Furthermore, the engine warms up only very slowly.
Tip 4: Switch off the engine when idling
As soon as the engine is running, it consumes fuel – even when the vehicle is stationary (around 0.5 to 1 litre per hour). Therefore: switch off the engine if you expect to be stationary for longer than 20 seconds! This is actually a legal requirement at level crossings.
If your car doesn’t have an automatic start-stop system, you can turn the key yourself. In our experience, this extra work for the starter motor and battery is negligible, particularly when the engine is warm.
Tip 5: Switch off any electrical appliances you don’t need
Electrical devices in the car, such as control units, lighting, fans, air conditioning, and safety and comfort features, draw their power from the vehicle’s electrical system. The electrical energy is supplied by the alternator, which is driven by the internal combustion engine. Consequently, electrical devices and other consumers that are switched on use fuel.
Unlike driving resistance, the demand for electrical energy does not depend on the distance travelled or the speed, but on time, i.e. the duration of use.
For example, depending on the vehicle model, technology and operating conditions, air conditioning leads to additional fuel consumption of around 0.3 to 1.5 litres per 100 kilometres.
An auxiliary heater costs an additional 0.2 to 0.5 litres per hour.
Making sensible use of these extras is a good idea, as a comfortable interior climate keeps the driver alert. However, to ensure your fuel bill doesn’t get too high, you should limit the time they are switched on to what is strictly necessary.
By the way: Open side windows or sunroofs disrupt the airflow against the vehicle’s bodywork and therefore also increase fuel consumption. For example, having windows open on both sides at 100 km/h leads to an additional consumption of around 0.2 litres. Only at low speeds – such as in city traffic – can open windows therefore offer a significant fuel-saving advantage over air conditioning.
Please note: Never skimp on your lights, windscreen wipers or windscreen heating – and thus on your safety!
Tip 6: Reduce the load and thus the total weight
Whether it’s a road atlas, crates of drinks or various bits and bobs: every extra item in the car adds weight and costs fuel. This is due to what’s known as inertia – the amount of energy required to accelerate a mass to a higher speed.
So it’s best to take out everything you don’t need! An extra 100 kilos of load results in up to 0.3 litres of additional fuel consumption. Especially in stop-start city traffic, the weight of a load has a negative impact on fuel consumption. Every time you pull away or accelerate, it costs extra fuel.
Roof racks, roof boxes and bike racks in particular significantly increase your car’s fuel consumption. You should therefore remove roof and rear racks immediately after use. Generally speaking, transporting items such as bicycles on a rear rack attached to a tow bar offers fuel-saving advantages over transporting them on the vehicle roof.
Tip 7: Use energy-saving tyres
Tyres have a significant impact on driving resistance, which is why the ADAC tyre test regularly assesses tyres for their rolling resistance. With optimised tyres, you can save up to 0.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. This means that a tyre which may seem expensive at first glance but has very low rolling resistance can more than pay for itself over its lifetime.
Tip 8: Make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure
You should also check your tyre pressure regularly, as under-inflated tyres increase your car’s fuel consumption. Even a 0.3 bar drop in tyre pressure increases rolling resistance, leading to unnecessary extra fuel consumption.
To save even more fuel, you can slightly increase the tyre pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, provided this is specified in the owner’s manual.
Tip 9: Make sure you carry out regular maintenance
At first glance, this point may seem unimportant, given that modern vehicles are equipped with maintenance-free digital engine electronics. In principle, there are no maintenance-related factors affecting fuel consumption here.
Nevertheless, do take your vehicle in for a service regularly. This is because there are spare parts that are certainly relevant to fuel consumption – such as the engine air filter or the spark plugs. Regular oil changes, which should always be carried out using a modern low-viscosity oil, are also important for achieving good fuel economy. The vehicle manufacturer’s specifications must be followed in this regard.
Tip 10: Stick to the recommended speed
By maintaining a speed that is adapted to the flow of traffic and as constant as possible, you can reduce fuel consumption. This is because frequent acceleration and braking consume energy and therefore fuel. Furthermore, every vehicle has to overcome air resistance (which builds up around the bodywork). This aerodynamic drag increases faster than speed, and can therefore cause fuel consumption to rise at an above-average rate.
Tip 11: Take a driving course
By taking part in a driver safety course, you can improve your driving skills and get to grips with how your vehicle handles through practical driving exercises. You’ll also receive valuable tips on safe and anticipatory driving. Some training centres also offer special eco-driving and fuel-saving courses. In Switzerland, these courses are provided by the TCS.
