Travel more efficiently!

Habits of Smarter Drivers:

A) Avoid unnecessary driving

• One third of car trips in New Zealand are 2km or less and two-thirds are under 6km, many of these trips could be made another way or combined with longer trips
• Use the bus, walk or cycle, rideshare and plan ahead where possible

B) Go easy on the pedal

• Less aggressive driving practices can improve fuel economy by up to 30%
• Accelerate smoothly, avoid heavy braking, keep within the speed limit and avoid congested times (driving at 90km per hour instead of 110kph saves 25% on fuel)

C) Maintain your vehicle

• Better car maintenance can result in a combined 10-20% improvement in fuel consumption
• Keep tyres correctly inflated, check wheel alignment and regularly maintain your engine

D) Reduce resistance

• Remove roof racks, close windows and sunroofs when travelling at open-road speeds and remove unnecessary luggage (remember, it's good for overall fuel economy to fill up the car with people going to a common destination, see go together)

E) Turn off the extras

• Use air vents rather than air conditioning - the air conditioner could add 10% to your fuel bill

F) Longer term - choose the right vehicle

• Choose a vehicle that suits your needs (for example, large 4WD's make expensive commuter vehicles)
• Generally the smaller the engine capacity, the better the fuel consumption

Want to know more?

For more information check out the EECA website