Vehicle Fuel Use
702. Vehicle Fuel Use
Many colleges and universities maintain a fleet or pool of vehicles for use by faculty, staff and students. Vehicles should be operated and maintained to conserve fuel and reduce operating costs.
BMP
Drive Sensibly Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by five percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
5 – 33% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
$0.18 - $1.20/gallon |
Observe the Speed Limit Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each five mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
7 - 23% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
$0.26 - $0.84/gallon |
Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. If your car has a faulty oxygen sensor, your gas mileage may improve as much as 40 percent.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
4% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
$0.15/gallon |
Remove Excess Weight Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
1-2%/100 lbs. |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
$0.04-$0.07/gallon |
Avoid Excessive Idling Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner (AC) use. Turn off your engine when your vehicle is parked. It only takes a few seconds worth of fuel to restart your vehicle. Turning your engine on and off excessively, however, may increase starter wear.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
$0.01–$0.03/min. (AC off |
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$0.02–$0.04/min. (AC on) |
Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.
Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
up to 10% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
up to $0.15/gallon |
Keep Tires Properly Inflated You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
up to 3% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
Up to $0.11/gallon |
Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil You can improve your gas mileage by 1 percent to 2 percent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says “Energy Conserving” on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
1 - 2% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
$0.04 - $0.07/gallon |
Check and Replace Air Filters Regularly Replacing a Clogged Air Filter on Modern Cars Improves Performance but Not MPG. A new study shows that replacing a clogged air filter on cars with fuel-injected, computer-controlled gasoline engines does not improve fuel economy but it can improve acceleration time by around 6 to 11 percent. This kind of engine is prevalent on most gasoline cars manufactured from the early 1980s onward.
Tests suggest that replacing a clogged air filter on an older car with a carbureted engine may improve fuel economy 2 to 6 percent under normal replacement conditions or up to 14 percent if the filter is so clogged that it significantly affects drivability.
Planning and Combining Trips Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. Trip planning ensures that traveling is done when the engine is warmed-up and efficient. With a little planning, you can avoid retracing your route and reduce the distance you travel as well. You’ll not only save fuel, but also reduce wear and tear on your car.
Use Cruise Control Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
Use Overdrive Gears When you use overdrive gearing, your car’s engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.
Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $3.65/gallon.
Data Sources
Estimates for fuel savings from sensible driving are based on Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc., Owner Related Fuel Economy Improvements , Arlington, Virginia, 2001.