Drive smart to save fuel and charge
Maintaining a firm tyre pressure could reduce your running costs. According to TyreSafe, tyres inflated to just 6psi below the recommended inflation could increase fuel consumption by 3%. Plus, for every gallon of fuel you burn, 20lbs of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
Other easy efficiency hacks include clearing out any unnecessary items (a heavier car will need more fuel/charge to move) and gently braking and accelerating.
EV drivers
- It’s important to know your car’s range so you can plan your journey. Most manufacturers recommend regular charging and keeping at least 20% of charge. We recommend that you download ZapMap on your phone, so you know where the nearest chargers are.
- If your car allows it, use regenerative braking. This is a feature of EVs and hybrids that converts some of the energy lost during braking into electricity, which can then be used by the car’s battery. It works best when you are driving in traffic and using the brake slowly.
- Heating and cooling an EV can eat into the charge. In hot weather, try pre-conditioning your car – adjust your temperature settings whilst the car charges so it’s comfortable from the get-go and uses less power. Same logic applies in cold weather, pre-set the temperature to keep you toasty on those frosty mornings.