Top 10 Green Driving and Fuel Efficiency Tips

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Global warming is a shared issue facing all of us, and numerous carmakers, including Kia, are making their best efforts to develop eco-friendly vehicles to help offset their environmental impact. However, there are some things that you as drivers can start doing today to help in this worldwide action towards a greener planet. Today on Buzz, we’ll show you some simple tips to become a green driver while saving some money at the fuel pump along the way.

1. Weight: Many of us have a ton of useless things in our cars that we don’t need for our everyday commutes. Reducing weight can significantly cut down on fuel consumption, so lighten up your load.

2. Remove Roof Racks: Take them down when you are not using them. Roof racks can create wind resistance, which increases fuel consumption.

3. Tire Pressure: Occasionally checking your tire pressure at the fuel pump is a great habit to develop. Did you know that for every 6psi a tire is deflated below its stated pressure, fuel consumption increases by 1%?

4. Refueling: Avoid overfilling your fuel tank since spilled fuel evaporates and releases harmful emissions.

5. Drive with the windows up: This reduces air drag for better fuel efficiency.

6. Limit air conditioning use: We tend to overdue the A/C and using more than needed will consume more fuel.

7. Switch off the engine: If you’re stuck in a traffic jam where you will be stationary for more than two minutes then turn your engine off.

8. Harsh acceleration and braking: This action can use up to 30% more fuel and can cause wear and tear on your vehicle.

9. Control your speed: Did you know that travelling at less than 15mph (24 km/h) creates the most pollution? Your level of pollution decreases as your speed increases up to 60mph (96 km/h), but travelling over this limit will start increasing your pollution levels again.

10. Careful motorway/highway driving: The concertina effect is caused when one motorist brakes sharply and causes the traffic behind to slow down to a near stop due to the delayed reaction of drivers behind. We can anticipate and judge our necessary speed by observing three or four car lengths ahead and giving ourselves some distance from the car in front. When you see a car bake up ahead, simply remove your foot from the accelerator. By the time you get close to the car in front it would have speeded up already. Not only will this increase your fuel efficiency, but you can stop the concertina effect from happening.

These habits are just the beginning, but they will all add up in the long-run and contribute towards a better earth and your own personal fuel savings.

What do you think?

Do you have any tips of your own? Share them with us in the comments section below.

Learn More

• Fuel Economy Driving Tips with the Optima Hybrid
• 7 Tips for Driving in the Rain
• Top Five Useful Tips for Tire Maintenance
• Ten Tips for Long-Distance Driving
• New Habits to Cut the Cost of Driving

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[Leon]

Hou je aan al deze tips en autorijden is totaal geen fun meer

Er zitten wel nuttige tips bij, maar bij mij meestal wel voor een andere reden:

1 hoe lichter m'n auto, hoe lekkerder hij door de bochten gaat

2 tuurlijk moet je je roof racks eraf halen als je ze niet gebruikt, ziet er toch niet uit man

3 zelfde als bij punt 1, met de juiste bandenspanning een veel betere wegligging

4 belachelijke tip: wie laat er nu expres z'n tank overstromen

5 airco is m'n 12 jaar oude auto is kapot, denk je nu echt dat ik de ramen dichtlaat bij 30 graden?

6 Zoals ik al zei: m'n airco is kapot, dus geen extra verbruik, doe ik toch nog iets goed

7 eerste goede punt

8 Of dat het verkeer nog niet langzaam genoeg tegenwoordig, met al die mensen die 100 rijden op de linkse baan terwijl de rechterbaan leeg is

9 zie punt 8

10 tweede goede punt, niet zozeer voor de brandstofbesparing, wel om een betere verkeersdoorstroming te krijgen