
How to spend less money at the gas station?
Fuel prices are still high and it is possible that they will rise in the near future. How to save on gasoline or diesel in such a situation? It’s worth following the principles of eco-driving, but you should think about saving with a gas pump even at the planning stage of buying a car. Moreover, it is becoming easier and easier to choose very economical cars.
Economical driving - eco-driving
According to experts, the use of the basic principles of eco-driving can reduce fuel consumption by 5 to more than 20 percent. In addition, such savings can be achieved with almost no investment, since most of the rules relate to driving style. First of all, we must get rid of all the excess that adds weight to the car. If someone has been skiing and still hasn't dismantled the roof box, do so as soon as possible to reduce air resistance.
— It is recommended to check the tire pressure regularly, at least once every two weeks. Too low pressure can increase fuel consumption by up to 10 percent. It is also a good idea to check the technical condition after winter, since any faults in the suspension or drive system have a negative impact on combustion, among other things, — says Sebastian Ugrinowicz from the authorized Nissan and Suzuki Auto Club service center in Poznań.
According to the principles of eco-driving, we should also brake the engine as often as possible and avoid idling. The method of acceleration is also important - it should be done fairly quickly, depressing the gas pedal to 3/4 and switching to a higher gear when you get to 2,5 thousand. rpm in the case of cars with a gasoline engine and 2 thousand rpm with diesel engines.
Small engine - low fuel consumption
In addition to using eco-driving tips, we can also buy a car with an economical engine. Especially since car manufacturers are installing more and more economical power units. The way to do this is to use engines with a small displacement and fewer cylinders than in older designs. This solution was used, for example, by Nissan, introducing the latest version of the Micra model to the market.
— The 3-liter, 1,2-cylinder unit with 80 hp is ideal for city driving. With low fuel consumption of 6 liters of gasoline per 100 km, it maintains high dynamics. Outside the city, the car also drives well and, with reasonable driving, will burn about 4,3 liters per 100 km. It is worth noting that most cars of the same class, equipped with older units, consume an average of 6 to 7 liters of gasoline in a combined cycle, - says Artur Kubiak from Nissan Auto Club in Poznań. Thus, to cover 100 km, we may need up to 2 liters less fuel than in older cars, which allows for quite significant savings per year. What is no less important is that despite the smaller number of cylinders, the engine works in the same culture as traditional units.
Small and 3-cylinder engines are not only for city cars. Ford uses a sub-liter engine in the latest version of the Focus model. - It is not for nothing that the 1,0 EcoBoost unit was named the best engine of 2012. With such a small power, we managed to achieve as much as 125 hp, which allows for very dynamic driving of a compact car. This is due, in particular, to the use of low-inertia turbochargers in EcoBoost engines, which allows the engine to quickly respond to pressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the special shape of the cast-iron block significantly improves engine warm-up, and the flywheel of a different design helps to significantly reduce energy losses, - says Filip Wodzinski from Ford Bemo Motors in Szczecin.
How much money we save with a distributor also depends on the power of the drive we choose. A liter of EcoBoost can be either 100 or 125 hp. According to the manufacturer, a slightly weaker unit consumes 5,9 l / 100 km when driving around the city, and a 125 hp engine. - 6,3 l / 100 km. The same Ford Focus, but equipped with a traditional 1,6-liter unit, consumes 100 liters of gasoline for 8,3 kilometers in the city. On the other hand, in a combined cycle EcoBoost saves about 1 liter of gasoline per 100 km compared to the old engine design.
Useful Systems
Another way to reduce fuel costs is to choose a car equipped with appropriate fuel economy systems. One of them is the Auto Stop Start Engine used in the Suzuki Swift. - The principle of the system is very simple. When we stop the car at a traffic light or a railway crossing, for example, and switch to neutral, the Engine Auto Stop Start switches off the engine. It starts automatically after pressing the clutch pedal, - says Żaneta Wolska-Marczewka from the Suzuki Autoclub in Poznań. In the combined cycle, the average fuel consumption of a car with such support decreases from 5,0 l/100 km to 4,9 l/100 km. Bigger differences will be noticeable when driving in crowded agglomerations.
Importantly, you do not have to worry that the work of the start-stop system will contribute to the faster wear of some vehicle components. Manufacturers in such vehicles are using much longer lasting starters, more efficient alternators and extra batteries. The energy needed to operate the radio, lighting or air supply when the engine is not running is taken from the latter. A useful "gadget" that supports economical driving, the indicator tells you the best time to change gear. This information is displayed on the dashboard. Such a solution was used, for example, in the Ford Fiesta or Kuga.
Choosing a car with a modern and economical engine also benefits the environment, as these cars emit even a few percent less exhaust gases than cars with older units. However, the main beneficiary is the driver himself - he can drive dynamic cars and at the same time spend less money on fuel. Suppose a driver makes 10 trips per year. km, it is thanks to driving a car with an economical engine that you can save from a few hundred to more than 1000 PLN per year. If the annual mileage is higher, the savings will be higher.

