Last week was about the incredible fuel economy we achieved in the new ‘mild hybrid’ Ciaz. So how can you improve your fuel economy? Here are some tips, even though some are fairly obvious

Last week I wrote about the incredible fuel economy I achieved in the new ‘mild hybrid’ Ciaz. So how can you improve your fuel economy? I’ll try and give you some tips, even though some are fairly obvious.

Everybody has their own tips and tricks to save fuel while driving, some of them are downright dangerous, for example, tailgating. Following the car in front closely can make a significant difference to fuel economy, especially at speed (if you have noticed cyclists during race events, they take turns as the lead runner). Because the car in front is doing the hard work of cutting across the air for you, this is dangerous simply because of reaction times while braking; you will have almost none if the car in front brakes hard for an astray cow. Hey, because this is India after all. But you can keep some things in mind when you either buy your next car or drive a car today.

Use your gears

Even in an automatic, it may not be a bad idea to manually change the gears if you have that option through a shifter or with paddles. How and when you shift gears can make a remarkable difference to your fuel economy. Short shifting, that is shifting early, is not a bad idea but you can also end up shifting too early. Many cars have a engine-revolution dial, called a tachometer, so you do not need to always keep paying attention to the engine note and decide when to change gears. Modern gearboxes are also more forgiving of mistakes. Change a bit earlier, on a petrol car. If I am driving with fuel economy in mind, I change above 1,500-1,800 revolutions per minute (rpm) instead of 2,000 rpm. If you change too early, two things happen. You find yourself with no torque and that means  you end up burning a lot of fuel revving the engine hard. Every car, however, is geared differently. That is one aspect that makes the cars unique, so changing at 1,500-1,800 on the Maruti-Suzuki Ciaz is not the case with say the Hyundai i20. And use your gears for braking as well. While cruising on neutral is a very Indian thing, again, in case you need power, you will find it lacking. Mash through the gears while slowing down and you will have the right gear to accelerate when you need to as well as get the advantages of cruising.

Choose your route carefully

We are all creatures of habit, but taking the same route home everyday from work or school is not always a great idea. Unless your car has a ‘start-stop’ system and a battery large enough to handle the the load of an air-conditioner in traffic, you end up literally burning money. But you can use Maps software, especially Google Maps to figure out if roads are crowded. And sometimes it may not be a bad idea to spend an hour longer in office, instead of spending an hour longer in your car. Believe me, waiting it out on a day the roads are clogged is not a bad idea. And if you know you will be stuck in traffic, try and switch the engine off. While this is easier said than done on a hot summer day, you can spend a lot of fuel while idling.

Keep your ac at 24C

Again, easier said than done, but once the car has cooled down a bit, try and keep your air-con at 24-degrees. This is an ideal temperature and keeps the car cool enough without using the compressor too much. Keep in mind, the car’s engine is powering a generator that produces all the electricity you use and the air-conditioner is by far and away the biggest user of electricity in a car.

Drive sensibly

Yes, buddy we know you can drive fast but sensible driving with moderate acceleration and measured braking without really pushing the speed limit at any time, can really make your ride more economical. Sure, there might be a time and a place to break the speed limit, maybe you are rushing to hospital although one can argue that driving fast at most times rarely saves you too much time. Stick to the speed limits, use your gears smartly and you will see major improvements in your fuel economy.