- Accelerate gently – rapid acceleration uses more fuel
- Don’t carry too much spare equipment in your car – extra weight burns more fuel
- Keep your car motor tuned – a poorly tuned car can use a lot more fuel
- Inflate your tyres higher than the manufacturer’s rating and keep them inflated. Under inflated tyres can increase your fuel consumption by 5% or more, and manufacturers understate tyre pressures in favour of ride comfort.
- Keep your car for five years or more. Buying a new car frequently requires more cars to be made, and every car represents a lot of “embodied energy” used to make it.
- Don’t use your car unless you have to – take public transport or ride a bike instead.
- Don’t buy it if you don’t really need it!
- Consider whether an electric motorcycle or scooter would do instead.
- Consider whether a fuel efficient scooter would do instead.
- Buy the most fuel efficient car you can afford that suits your purpose. Lighter weight vehicles are typically more efficient.
