Tips for Greener Motoring

The amount of fuel a car uses is directly related to the amount of green house gas emissions it produces. Selecting the right car for your needs and using it wisely will reduce your fuel consumption and help you save money and the environment.

There are three areas to think about when trying to reduce emissions:

1. What car you drive

2. How you drive

3. Where, when and how often you drive.

What Car You Drive

When buying a car, choose the smallest and most fuel-efficient model that suits your needs.

• A car that is bigger and more powerful than you need will produce more emissions and cost you more in fuel.
• If most of your driving is in the city but you want to 4WD or tow a trailer occasionally, it may be cheaper to purchase a smaller car to drive throughout the year and to hire the larger car only when you need it.
• Paying a taxi fare once a month can be much cheaper than spending thousands more on a larger car with more seats or luggage space.

 Compare fuel consumption information to find the most fuel-efficient model that meets your needs.

• Obtaining fuel consumption details from the web or new cars on display will enable you to compare the sometimes significant difference in fuel use between cars in the same category.
• The Green Vehicle Guide at www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au publishes fuel consumption information and star ratings on greenhouse and air pollution emissions for all new models sold in Australia.
• The fuel consumption label should be fixed to the bottom left corner of the windscreen on all new vehicles. In addition to fuel consumption, it will also show the vehicle’s carbon dioxide emissions, indicating its impact on the environment.
• As a general rule, hybrid, diesel and LPG vehicles have lower greenhouse emissions per kilometre travelled than similar capacity petrol engines.

 Consider the lower fixed, annual and operating costs of buying a smaller car.

• More fuel-efficient cars save fuel costs.
• Annual registration fees for four cylinder cars are cheaper than six and eight cylinder cars.
• Stamp duty on car purchases also vary by type of car:
• Hybrids – 2%
• Four cylinder cars – 3%
• Six cylinder cars – 3.5%
• Eight cylinder cars – 4%

 How You Drive

Where safely possible, cruise at a reduced speed.

• If your car has cruise control, use it during highway driving to maintain a steady speed.
• Wind resistance increases quickly at higher speeds. For example, at 110km/h approximately 20% to 25% more fuel is required than at 90km/h.

 Minimise accelerating and braking.

• City fuel use figures are always worse than highway fuel use – not because of the slower speed but because of the need to regularly accelerate and brake in city driving conditions.
• Hard accelerating increases fuel use dramatically.
• Braking wastes the energy that has been used to get the car up to speed, unless you are in a hybrid that uses braking to generate electricity for the next acceleration.
• Look ahead to anticipate the flow of the traffic so you can adjust your speed early to reduce the need for heavy braking.

 Change up through the gears as soon as practical.

• Driving in a lower gear than necessary and revving the engine hard wastes fuel.
• An automatic transmission will shift up through the gears quicker if you ease back on the accelerator once the car has gained enough speed.
• Use the economy mode on an automatic transmission if it is available.

 Use air conditioning only when necessary.

• Air conditioners increase fuel use by about 10%.
• However, at speeds of more than 80km/h, light use of air conditioning is better for fuel consumption than an open window that increases wind resistance.

 Don’t warm up or idle your engine.

• Allowing an engine to idle for long periods wastes fuel. By switching off the engine, even for a short period, you will save more fuel than is used in restarting the engine.
• Modern cars do not need to warm up in idle – they warm up faster while driving.

 Fill your fuel tank only to the first click of the nozzle.

• Any extra fuel can be spilled or lost from the tank’s overflow.
• Consider alternative fuels if they suit your car.

 Keep your tyre pressure up to the recommended figure.

• Low pressure increases rolling resistance and fuel use.
• Make sure your wheels are properly aligned.
• Looking after your tyres will extend tyre life, improve handling and reduce emissions.

Remove unnecessary weight and roof racks.

• Carrying unnecessary weight around in your car increases fuel consumption.
• Roof racks and spoilers increase wind resistance and fuel consumption, in some cases by more than 20%.

 Service your car regularly.

• Keeping your car properly serviced and tuned will minimise its emissions and fuel use. It will also improve its safety and reliability and extend its useful life.

 Where, when & how often you drive

When your household has more than one car, try to use the more fuel-efficient car for most travel.

• Many households have two or more cars so big savings can be achieved by using the most efficient car more often and for longer trips.
• Get into the habit of using the large car only when a smaller car is unavailable or unsuitable for the job.

 Choose local, close destinations where possible.

• The further you drive, the more fuel you will use.

 Plan your journeys and activities.

• Planning your route can avoid delays and diversions, saving time and fuel.
• If you are driving in unfamiliar territory, the RACQ Trip Planner at www.racq.com/tripplanner can help you find the shortest route.
• Planning with others in your household may allow you to car pool and save a trip.
• Planning to do a number of activities or errands one after the other will reduce travel distance and cold starts and minimise engine wear and pollution.

 Avoid driving in peak hour congestion if possible.

• Fuel use and emissions are higher during congestion because of the stopping and starting.
• Travel earlier or later if you can.

 Consider walking, cycling or taking public transport when possible.

• Walking or cycling can be a good alternative to short car trips to give yourself some exercise, and reduce emissions and congestion.
• Catch public transport if available, as it may be a cheaper option. If people who have the option take trains, buses or ferries, there is less congestion for those who need to drive a car.