With fuel prices rising, driving is becoming more and more expensive. And, in addition to the number of kilometers, there is a detail that many still underestimate: speed.
With the May holidays and the approach of the summer holidays, the roads look set to be particularly busy and trips to the pump make you grimace. This year, the recent rise in prices doesn’t help matters. Fuel costs significantly more than it did a few weeks ago, and this quickly affects the bank account. However, there is no question for the majority of motorists of staying at home, they are instead looking for ways to limit expenses and a specific tip could well reduce the bill.
Indeed, searches around fuel savings have increased significantly in recent months. The idea is not to ride less, but to ride differently. Because ultimately, consumption does not only depend on the distance traveled. It mainly depends on the way you drive. In traffic jams, for example, it’s obvious: acceleration, braking, stopping… all these reflexes increase consumption. But even when traffic remains fluid, certain habits continue to be costly, such as speeding up as soon as the road clears in order to compensate for a delay.
Furthermore, the more the speed increases, the more the car must fight against the air. From a certain threshold, the motor must then provide much more effort. Result: we consume much more, without necessarily saving a lot of time. In this context, automotive specialists insist on one point: what counts is regularity. A stable speed, without unnecessary variations, allows the motor to operate in better conditions. Cruise control can help, especially on open sections. And contrary to what you might imagine, slowing down a little does not make the journey much longer. Over a long distance, the difference comes down to a few minutes.
The studies are quite clear. According to the Committee on Climate Change, driving faster significantly increases consumption, even on differences that seem minimal. Very concretely, maintaining a constant speed at 96 km/h allows you to drastically limit your consumption. According to the data relayed, this saves 15% less fuel than a person driving at 110 km/h. And 15% less consumption means 15 euros saved on a full tank of 100 euros.
Note that faced with the situation, some motorists are starting to look at used electric cars, the demand for which is clearly increasing. But for many, the change will not happen immediately, in particular because of the still high purchase price and the lack of accessible charging infrastructure everywhere. In the meantime, we have to make do and optimize what can be optimized.
