Four ways to drive more economically

From increased fuel prices to soaring household bills, the high cost of living is impacting many in at least one way or another.

To save money, many drivers are hypermiling – changing and altering their driving habits to maximise fuel efficiency. Here we share four key tips you need to follow if you also want to ‘hypermile’ and drive economically.

Become part of the phenomenon

1. Avoid harsh acceleration

By accelerating harshly, you’re using up more fuel energy.

If you drive gently instead by releasing the accelerator in time, you’ll be able to save your fuel, and in turn save your money.

Owners of most hybrid and electric vehicles can benefit from regenerative braking, which means around 70% of the energy goes back into the battery.

2. Anticipate the road ahead

Keep an eye on the road to avoid unnecessarily braking.

Kevin Brooker – Guinness World Record holder and one of the most successful hypermilers in the UK – says: “Read the road ahead for traffic lights and roundabouts, so you always keep moving.

“If there’s a green light a fair distance off, there’s a high probability it will be red by the time you get to it.

“It’s all about pacing, so you get there when it’s green. With roundabouts, feed into them rather than stop.”

3. Choose appropriate gears

Drive economically by making sure you change to the correct gear at the right time.

Keep up with the flow of traffic and slow down when it is reasonable to do so, and in the highest possible gear without labouring the engine.

4. Use air-con wisely

If you’re driving at high speeds on a motorway, it’s always nice to have the air-con on.

However, if you’ve got it switched on when you’re driving at slow speeds on local roads, it can increase your fuel consumption.

Try opening the window instead when you’re at low speeds and save the air-con for when you really need it.

Discover how turning off cruise control can help you save money on petrol and diesel.