Tips for Greener Driving
Personal car travel produces 13 per cent of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions. It also contributes to local air pollution and congestion. The type of car you own, the way you drive it and the fuel you use can make a big difference to your impact on the environment.
Here are six tips to help save fuel and cut your carbon footprint:
Pump up to cut down
Under-inflated tyres create more resistance when your car is moving, which means your engine has to work harder, so more fuel is used and more CO2 emissions are produced. Simply check and adjust your tyre pressures regularly and also before long journeys. This will also help to increase the life of your tyres. Under inflated tyres increase CO2 but over inflated tyres can be unsafe so check your car manual for the correct tyre pressure. Remember, a car with a heavier load may need different air pressure in the tyres.
Less clutter in your car means less CO2
Clutter in your boot is extra weight your engine has to lug around. By removing it, you could reduce your engine's workload. This will burn less fuel and cut your CO2 emissions so always unload any items you won't need for your journey before you set out.
Driving at an appropriate speed reduces CO2
Speed limits are the maximum lawful speeds which may be driven in ideal circumstances. Drivers should never exceed the speed limit. Staying at or within the speed limit increases driver safety. It also reduces CO2 emissions and saves money on your petrol costs. At 70mph you could be using up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more fuel than at 50mph.
Less stopping and starting means less CO2
Every time you stop then start again in a traffic queue, the engine uses more fuel and therefore produces more CO2. Keep an eye on the traffic ahead and slow down early by gently lifting your foot off the accelerator while keeping the car in gear. In this way, the traffic may have started moving again by the time you approach the vehicle in front, so you can then change gear and be on your way.
Over revving accelerates emissions
Modern car engines are designed to be efficient from the moment they are switched on, so revving your car only wastes fuel and increases engine wear.
Using your gears wisely by changing up a gear a little earlier can also reduce revs. If you drive a diesel car try changing up a gear when the rev counter reaches 2,000 rpm. For petrol car change up at 2,500 rpm.
Idling is wasting fuel
When the engine is idling you're wasting fuel and adding to CO2 emissions. If you're likely to be at a standstill for more than three minutes, simply switch off the engine.
Searching for a greener car
Buying a greener car doesn't mean compromising on cost or performance. More efficient cars use less fuel and attract a lower rate of road tax. They produce fewer emissions and save you money.
Fuel efficient cars tools
Find a new fuel efficient car in a specific category (for example: small family car, estate car) or by model.
Car Fuel Database
Search by fuel economy, tax band, running cost and car make or model. The results include fuel consumption costs, CO2 emissions and road tax payable.
Things to remember
During your search, remember that different versions of the same car model or type of car can vary significantly in fuel efficiency. As a general rule, smaller cars and cars with smaller engines are more fuel efficient.
The Fuel Economy Label
We post the fuel economy label with every special offer to show how fuel efficient each new car is:
- the labels show a rating from band A (green) to band G (red), with band A being the most fuel efficient
- the labels show how much road tax is payable each year; the more fuel efficient the car, the less tax you pay
More information can be found below
HAPPY GREEN DRIVING! |
