Best driving practices for energy conservation

Transport sector attributes to 70% of diesel consumption. A good Driving or Vehicle Control Style may save fuel consumption upto 20 %.

Major driving flaws

PCRA-Driving Techniques

• Drive between 45-55 Km/Hr at TOP GEAR. The faster you go, the more wind resistance your vehicle will face. If you go at speeds above 60 Km/H, you will waste fuel. Tests on Indian Vehicles prove that you can get up to 40 % extra mileage at 45-55 Km/H as against 80 Km/H.
• Remember - Avoid accelerating or decelerating unnecessarily.  Tests show that a reduction in speed leads to no appreciable rise in commuting time. Much less than what most people think.
• Keep your engine healthy - Tests on a large number of Vehicles prove that you can save as much as 6% by tuning your Vehicle regularly. If your engine emits black smoke, has poor pulling power or consumes large quantities of oil, get it checked immediately at a reputed garage. A delay, may prove more expensive in terms of petrol and oil as compared to the cost of an overhaul.
• Remember - Get your Vehicle serviced at every 5000 kms.
• While starting the Vehicle, Press clutch in Neutral gear.
• Use clutch only when you change gears. Riding the clutch causes loss of energy and damages clutch-linings.
• Remember - Use your handbrake when stopped on an upgrade and don’t forget to release it when restarting. Don’t manipulate the clutch and accelerator to stay stationary because it wastes fuel.
• Drive in the Correct Gear- Incorrect gear shifting can lead to as much as 20% increase in fuel consumption. Start your Vehicle in the 1st gear only, except if you are going downhill then engage the 2nd gear.
• Remember - For city driving, change to a higher gear when you are sure the engine will not struggle. Get into top gear as soon as possible. Use same gear for uphill and downhill journey.
  
• Clean Air Filter Regularly - Air filter prevents dust from Fouling the engine. Dust causes rapid wear of engine components and increases fuel consumption.
• Remember - Cylinder bore wears out 45 times faster in engines without air-cleaners.
• Watch Your Tyre Pressure - Under-inflated tyre increase rolling resistance, which leads to higher fuel consumption.
• Remember - Tests show that a 25% decrease in tyre pressure can cost you 5-10% more on fuel and 25% on tyre life.
• Use the Recommended grade of oil - Check the Vehicle manual and oil manufacturer’s recommendations, before using any particular grade of oil. Always use multi-grade oil for added benefits.  Normally change your Vehicle engine oil as recommended by OEMs.
• Remember - Change oil filter along with engine oil.

Tips for smart driving

Smart driving has the potential to save fuel upto 25% with just the following four tips.

• Accelerate Gently
• Follow speed limits
• Anticipate traffic flow
• Coastic Decelarate

Best Maintenance Practices