5 Ways to Make Your Car Journeys More Planet Friendly

1. Fuel Efficient Cars

Driving a vehicle that can squeeze more miles out of a gallon of petrol is an easy way to make a journey greener. While downgrading from a large luxury saloon to a small hatchback can easy reduce petrol consumption by 70%, the change also involves a compromise in comfort. Drivers looking to be greener can, instead opt for cars with smaller engines that are still adequately powerful. Another major benefit can be had by simply opting for a diesel-powered car instead of one that runs on petrol.

2. Green Fuel

To the extent that they are available, green fuels can help to minimise the environmental impact of a car journey. Cars and lorries running diesel can handle a mixture of regular mineral diesel and up to 5% biodiesel, which is a renewable fuel that burns cleanly. Some diesel cars can run on pure biodiesel as well. Vehicles that run on petrol can always handle a mixture of up to 10% bioethanol, which is a clean alcohol-based fuel derived from corn, sugar or other feed stocks. Flexible fuel vehicles can run on E85, which is a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. For journeys in cars powered by regular petrol, drivers should always use fuel with the correct RON rating. Fuel with too little octane will make the engine run inefficiently while too much octane will lead to unburned fuel passing through the exhaust pipe.

3. Drive Smoothly at the Speed Limit

Cruise control does more than let a driver rest their right foot — it also saves petrol. Driving smoothly at a set speed allows the engine and transmission to find an efficient power band and not to have to waste fuel by accelerating to make up for when the driver lets the car lose speed. Setting the car at the speed limit reduces the fuel-wasting aerodynamic drag that increases at higher rates of speed, as well.

4. Use car GPS

Using GPS helps in many ways. GPS systems prevent drivers from getting lost and also help drivers to find the shortest and most efficient routes. Some GPS vehicle trackers can also report back to the driver with an accurate indication of their travelling speed to help them better choose an efficient rate. Finally, drivers in commercial or fleet cars with vehicle trackers are typically much more efficient drivers, since having their workplace know their driving habits makes them more sensitive to such things as speed limits.

5. Good Car Maintenance

Keeping a car well maintained will make it more reliable for a longer period of time and enable it to burn less petrol. Simply keeping the tyres at a proper air pressure can reduce fuel consumption by 10%. Replacing a clogged air filter can do the same, and something as simple as washing the car can increase efficiency by one or two miles per gallon.
Making a car journey more environmentally sensitive is an easy thing to do. The combination of today’s GPS vehicle trackers and green fuel technology with old-fashioned common sense can lead to a greener planet for the future.
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