The Garage 356

OPINION
ECONOMY
DRIVING
& HOW TO
HYPER MILE
As I speak to friends & family members on how
to get more mileage out of their tank of fuel I
introduced them to the concept of economy
driving & how to hyper mile. I even challenge them
that by doing so they could, potentially, get an extra
50 miles per tank as a minimum and I want to share
that concept with you.
First thing, ask yourself do you even need to make this
journey? Can you go wherever it is your going on another day,
or tie two journeys into one at a later date? If so, you’ve just
saved making a complete journey.
Second, is the car in optimum condition? Is the boot empty or
full of shoes/coats/gym equipment, etc? Is the back seat empty
or covered in school bags/clothes/coats/shoes? Carrying extra
weight increases fuel usage. Are your tyres at the correct pressure?
Do you need to drive around with a full tank of fuel?
Once you’ve established that you really do need to make this
journey & that the car is optimal, let’s look at the drive. When you
get in, adjust the seat/mirrors, put your seat belt on & tune the
radio before you start the engine as a cold idling engine uses more
fuel. Start it up & let it idle for about 5 seconds before setting off,
this allows for oil to be pumped around the engine & for the piston
crown to start expand. For the next few miles stay in a low gear to
work the engine and assist in heating up, not exceeding 2-2.5k revs.
Once you are up and driving, that’s when it gets more difficult
& important. Timing & anticipation is the trick. Timing the lights &
anticipating other driver movements, reducing the deceleration &
acceleration. When you accelerate you use more fuel, thus timing
junction’s means you don’t have to slow so much which in turn
means you have less to accelerate.
The final point though is arguably the one that will save you the
most fuel/money, and that is the art of coasting. As you approach
a junction back off the throttle slightly & allow the car to start to
slow way in advance. Most modern cars have low friction engine
and gearbox oils, with low rolling resistance tyres. In older vehicles
when you take your foot off the throttle the car would start to slow
By Onkar Chahal
down immediately & noticeably, now they can coast for miles.
If you anticipate the cars around you and utilise your local
knowledge, you could potentially coast for a mile as you approach
the roundabout. The trick is to arrive at almost the speed you need
to be without braking, that way you have timed it right.
So I walk to town/bank/opticians etc, keep enough fuel on board
for just that week and coast about 3 miles, each way, every day as
I anticipate traffic at roundabouts & junctions. The boot is empty &
the tyre pressures are checked. I also keep the fuel computer on
instant economy as opposed to average, so I can see the difference
my throttle inputs have as I try to maintain a high reading. Every
day I coast 6 miles which equates to 30 miles a week. That’s the
equivalent of driving to work and back for free, once a week.
If we extrapolate those figures, we’re doing 120 miles a month for
free or 1000 a year. Now you can’t tell me you wouldn’t notice that
saving, could you?
It takes some getting used to, and it isn’t for everyone! When you
master it though, your economy will improve hugely as your running
costs reduce.
Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to improve your tank
range by 50 miles. Can you? Will you?
12 THE GARAGE
12 Opinion Onkar.indd 1 30/10/2023 11:46