The prices of fuels have exploded like never for 50 years so that refueling has become a real Chinese torture. But as we have to keep moving, we have no choice: we have to go to the checkout! Let’s get creative: with some effort, we can figure out how to consume less gas. It will be good for the planet and your wallet…
Between soaring fuel prices and need to reduce the use of fossil fuels, we no longer have a choice! We must try to get out by all means of our car addiction and use our vehicles when there really is no other possibility. Here are 8 tips to reduce your fuel consumption.
Can you work from home?
If you’re wondering how to use less gas, one of the best answers is to not use your car at all. So of work from home when it’s possible. This eliminates trips to work, which also reduces air pollution. If you are a manager, consider encouraging your employees to work from home when possible.
Some people have enough flexibility into their schedule to work from home at least one or two days a week, saving them the time and money of commuting.
Public transport and collective transport
Wondering how to save money on a daily basis? Use public transport if there is one in your area or collective transport such as buses or trains if they are available on your routes. It costs less (usually) and it’s often more convenient than driving yourself anyway!
It is a Mfast and effective way to reduce the number of kilometers that you browse individually (therefore at a high price). Every liter of fuel you save counts for your wallet and your personal carbon footprint.
No cars in town on Sundays
As we have said, the most obvious thing to consume less gasoline is not to consume any at all. If, for short distances, you can walk or take a bike to reach your destination, do not hesitate because it is good for your health.
And wouldn’t banning cars in town on Sundays be a good idea to consume less fuel ? That would make cities that are less polluted and more pleasant to live in. It would probably also be a good thing for local businesses. I’ll let you think about it…
More family time and games with the kids, bike rides, walks in the park or in the woods. Is that passing car (and traffic jams), we would not have the opportunity to gain in quality of life. The question needs to be asked…
Prefer the train to the plane over long distances
A Paris-Bordeaux flight takes 1 hour 15 minutes, compared to 2 hours 45 minutes by TGV. But do not forget the constraints: you have to go to the airport (often less accessible than the train station) and arrive early to catch a flight, queue at security checks, etc. Even if the plane is much faster than the train, the total travel time is not, in the end, very different.
In addition, consider that the train is a lot less harmful for the climate and the atmosphere. According to ADEME estimates, taking the train pollutes 32 times less than the car per passenger and per kilometer and 23 times less than the plane. It makes you think, right?
Carpooling to reduce fuel consumption
To consume less fuel and reduce your carbon footprint, the carpooling is a solution which is required. And Blablacar is no longer alone on the market, today there are dozens of sites that offer this possibility: Idvroom, Mobicoop, The Green WheelCarpooling…
It’s very easy to use: you enter a place of departure, a destination and a date of departure before launching the search. You can then choose the carpooler with the most similar route to yours. For regular trips, once your carpooler has been found, you won’t have to worry about your mode of transport the next day.
If you say to yourself: “my car consumes too much gas”, just imagine the savings you will achieve and the impact of such a change on your personal carbon footprint!
Reduce speed and respect distances
If you take your car and wonder how to consume less gas, the first thing to consider is speed. Did you know that when driving at 90 km/h on the motorway, your vehicle uses 20% less fuel that if you are driving at 100 km/h and 40% less only at 120 km/h.
If, in addition, you maintain a safe distance between your car and the vehicles in front of you, you will avoid pressing alternately once on the brake or once on the accelerator. In maintaining optimal speedyou will drive with economy and you will have found out how to save fuel.
How to consume less gas by grouping your shopping
When you take your vehicle, you can save money by grouping your different trips rather than considering several trips. For the combine in one tripyou can use a GPS app like Waze or Google Map, which offer the possibility of creating a route in several stages. This will allow you to consume less fuelreduce the kilometers traveled with your car and save time. A triple benefit !
Car sharing, a solution for the future
As a vehicle spends on average 90% of its life immobile in its parking space, self-service cars are increasingly popular. The principle ofcar sharing is to provide individuals with one or more cars to use when needed. It is a rental principle that favors use to the detriment of full ownership. Fewer vehicles on the roads : this is how to consume less gasoline on a collective level.
Most of the time, self-service does not require a reservation and allows the renter to pick up a vehicle at the places indicated by the service. It’s usually through an app like Citizen that the rental can find and collect the car.
Adopt an electric vehicle as soon as possible
If the car is absolutely essential for your daily organization, sooner or later you will have to go electric. It’s obviously this type of car that tells you how to consume less gasoline… not at all in fact! Let’s not forget that the European Commission has planned to end petrol and diesel engines in 2035. So the idea of switching to an electric vehicle as soon as possible makes sense.
In marketplaces like Autosphere Where Renault Pre-Owned, the first prices for small used electric vehicles are around 100 to 130 euros/month (plus the initial contribution), so it becomes playable. And don’t forget that electric vehicles have fewer parts than combustion engine cars. They are therefore less expensive to maintain.