RAC issues warning over car feature that destroys fuel economy
Hypermiling: Experts offer advice on saving petrol
Drivers across the UK have been warned by the RAC about a specific car feature that could destroy fuel economy. As motorists look towards winter with the cost of living raging, the last thing they need is to waste money on petrol and diesel.
The RAC urged drivers to use cruise control to save fuel. Cruise control is a common feature of most modern cars and can help massively with boosting the fuel economy of the vehicle.
However, drivers are being warned that cruise control will only aid fuel efficiency when driving on a constant, flat surface.
This is why it is usually best reserved for motorway driving. One of the best ways to save fuel is to drive at a constant speed, which is made easier with cruise control.
Drivers who use cruise control on non-flat roads may experience problems as it would be slower to react to gradient changes.
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When reaching the brow of a hill, drivers would normally take their foot off the accelerator to maintain more of a constant speed when descending.
The technology will keep the power on for longer as it is unable to see the gradient change in front, which can lead to “worse fuel consumption”, the RAC states.
The most fuel-efficient roads in the country are not quiet extra-urban dual carriageways or 20mph city streets, they are motorways.
The RAC warned: “Cruise control only aids fuel economy when driving on a constant flat surface, hence why it is usually best reserved for motorway driving. One of the keys to saving fuel is driving at a constant speed, cruise control can do this effectively on flat surfaces, making your driving as fuel efficient as possible by negating unnecessary acceleration.
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“However, if you were to use your cruise control regularly, not on flat roads, you would encounter problems that would increase your fuel consumption.
“This is because your cruise control would be slower to react to gradient changes, meaning when reaching the brow of a hill – at which point you would normally take your foot off the accelerator to maintain more of a constant speed when descending – your cruise control will keep the power on for a little longer as it’s unable to see the gradient change in front of you. Driving in this way regularly would lead to worse fuel consumption.”
It added: “Interestingly, the most fuel-efficient roads in the country are not quiet extra-urban dual carriageways or 20mph city streets, they are motorways. This is where you can leave the car in top gear and gently cruise along, using minimal fuel.”
Nicholas Zapolski, Founder of ChooseMyCar, echoed the RAC’s comments adding: “At ChooseMyCar we believe that money should never get in the way of driving, whether that’s being able to purchase a car, or simply affording the petrol to run it.
“With the cost of living continuously on the rise, our research confirms that the expense of running a car is going to be another financial strain for many of us across the country. For families who are looking to switch to a more fuel-efficient car, we advise prioritising certain car specs such as the tank capacity, average MPG, and the cost of fuel per mile.
“Brands such as Renault, Toyota, and Hyundai are great producers of budget-friendly cars that are not only family favourites, but are also great for their mileage and are low cost to run.”
Car experts also recommend using the recirculation button which increases the car’s air con efficiency which could cut fuel usage by 10 percent.
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