5 tips to increase your car's fuel economy

These alone can drive down your fuel costs by 20 per cent

With the rising fuel prices, driving a car in India is turning out to be an expensive affair. Considering the worries of the car buyers, the auto-manufacturers have come up with some brilliant technologies that have enabled the modern-day cars to deliver incredible fuel efficiency.

However, with the passing time and irregular maintenance, even a highly fuel-efficient car's mileage might decrease. In this scenario, upholding the fuel efficiency becomes the biggest concern for a car owner.  

So, to get you out of the mileage worries, here are five mileage booster tips that will surely help you to improve the fuel efficiency of your car by up to 15-20 per cent.

1. Tyre pressure check

Make sure that you check the air pressure of your car tyres at regular intervals. The fact is that usually, every month, tyres lose around 2 PSI air.

Car tyres filled with adequate air have longer tread life and also deliver higher mileage due to less rolling resistance. Therefore, it is always advisable to keep your car tyres filled with recommended tyre pressure, which is mentioned in the owner's manual of your car.

2. Say 'No' to overloading

An overloaded car is not only hazardous to your life but it also has a severe impact on your car's mileage. An over-burdened car is heavier than the standard weight your car can pull and to pull the additional weight gained by the overloaded car, it requires more power and force.

To make an overloaded car run, the engine consumes additional power thereby increasing the fuel consumption.

Remember, on an average, an extra weight of 50 kilograms in the car will increase the fuel consumption by two per cent. Therefore, it is always advisable to carry only the essential items in your car.

3. Timely and regular service

There is nothing better than a car's timely and regular maintenance. It is tried and tested solution that keeps your car in the best condition.

A car requires timely checkup of things like the spark plugs, air filter, engine oil etc.

If maintained well at regular intervals, such components and lubricants can reduce the engine load thereby helping you to achieve increased kilometres per litre.

4. Driving style

The fuel efficiency of a car is not solely dependent on its upkeep, but it also involves the driver's major role to play.

To get better mileage figures from your vehicle, stay away from the bad driving habits such as over-speeding and unnecessary acceleration at high revs as it affects the fuel utilisation.

Cars with a cruise control feature have a great advantage in curtailing the fuel consumption as it helps you to maintain a constant speed ensuring optimum fuel usage.

5. Install fuel efficient tyres

Not only car makers, but also the tyre manufacturers have introduced high-end technologies to curtail the vehicle fuel consumption by an adequate margin.

Currently, there are many tyre brands in India which are focusing on the mileage efficient tyres which reduce the rolling resistance (the 'energy consumed' by a tyre when it is in motion).

This reduction in rolling resistance allows the car to run effortlessly thereby saving the energy and mileage.

A lesser known fact is that the fuel-efficient tyres can save fuel by up to a whopping 20 per cent.

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