Winter eco driving. Guide
How to be eco when it's cold outside? By reinforcing the right habits every winter, we will notice an ever greater difference in the wallet. Eco-driving is a driving style that can be used regardless of the weather, but it is worth learning a few basic rules that will help us reduce fuel consumption, especially in winter.
The first is tires. They should be taken care of regardless of the season, but their condition is of great importance, especially in winter conditions. First of all, we will replace the tires with winter ones. If we are considering buying new ones, let's think about energy efficient tires. We will be safer on the road, as well as reduce rolling resistance, which directly affects fuel consumption. Tire pressure should be checked regularly - it is under-inflated tires that cause an increase in rolling resistance, tires wear out faster, and in an emergency the braking distance will be longer.
Warming up the engine: Instead of waiting for the engine to warm up, we should be driving right now.. The engine warms up faster while driving than when idling. Also, remember that you should not start the engine while preparing the car for driving, washing windows or sweeping snow. Firstly, we will be eco, and secondly, we will avoid the mandate.
Additional consumers of electricity: each activated device in the car generates additional fuel consumption. Phone charger, radio, air conditioner can lead to an increase in fuel consumption from a few to tens of percent. Additional current consumers are also a load on the battery. When starting the car, turn off all auxiliary receivers - this will make it easier to start.
Extra luggage: clean up the trunk before the winter. By unloading the car, we burn less fuel, and we can also make room for things that will come in handy in the winter. It's worth bringing a warm blanket and a small supply of food and drink in case we get stuck in a snowstorm.
– Thinking behind the wheel affects our safety on the roads, and changing driving style improves the quality of the environment. In addition, in our portfolio, we believe it is worth learning about environmental regulations. Despite these obvious advantages of eco-driving, it turns out that changing the technical characteristics of a car is still easier than changing the habits and habits of drivers, explains Radoslav Jaskulski, an instructor at the Auto Škoda School.
