WHAT IS FUEL EFFICIENCY

Fuel efficiency refers to how effectively your vehicle converts fuel into the energy that actually powers the vehicle. While shopping for a new vehicle, the fuel efficiency rating is available on the window sticker. The values that are given will cover a range and will be an average based testing. It is nearly impossible to predict the exact fuel efficiency of a vehicle because your own driving habits impact your vehicle’s Miles Per Gallon (MPG).

HOW YOUR DRIVING CAN AFFECT YOUR FUEL EFFICIENCY 

Bad driving habits have an impact on your car’s fuel efficiency. Aggressive driving and speeding is not a way to obtain better fuel mileage. You should observe the speed limit and set your cruise control. Driving at a constant speed keeps you from accelerating when it is not needed, making for a more consistent optimal fuel economy. By removing unnecessary excess weight, you can increase your MPG because your vehicle does not have to work as hard to power itself to move forward. When you idle you can burn a lot of gasoline. This is why instead of idling you should turn off your engine when it is parked. Cold weather and frequent short stops also reduce your fuel economy, since your engine does not operate efficiently until it is warmed up. 

WHAT CAN I DO TO INCREASE MY CAR’S FUEL EFFICIENCY 

Purchasing a vehicle that has a smaller body style, is lightweight, and has a less powerful engine are the first steps you can take to achieving a more fuel-efficient vehicle. If you are able, you should purchase a manual transmission because you are able to get more MPG rather than with automatic transmissions. Typically front wheel drive vehicles, such as cars, get better fuel mileage as opposed to four wheel drive vehicles or trucks. If you are looking for maximum fuel efficiency, hybrid cars offer drivers sufficient gas mileage. Although they have a higher cost upfront, drivers often see the benefit both for them and for their economy. 

WAYS TO GO GREEN

There are various different ways that cars can be greener. The most popular is hybrid electric cars, which run on gasoline but use electricity from a battery to boost their fuel efficiency. Some hybrid cars have the option of running only on electric power but can switch to using gasoline for longer trips or better horsepower. There are alternative fuels that cars can use to help them be greener. Diesels can run on biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oil instead of petroleum. Biodiesel is less polluting than petro diesel and is made from a renewable resource. Gasoline cars can be converted to run on ethanol or an ethanol blend, which is made from organic materials instead of petrochemicals. Along with hybrid cars, flex-fuel vehicles are another way of going green. Flex-fuel vehicles are designed to be able to run on gasoline or ethanol or a blend of the two. Green vehicles create less pollution because they do not emit CO2 and other global warming contributors. Green cars are especially beneficial in cities, as they can decrease smog and improve air quality.