• Drive off immediately after starting:
  In cold weather, every engine needs more fuel. Don’t warm up the engine but carefully drive up to the operating temperature.

• Drive in the highest possible geat:
  Always shift up early and down late. Driving at high engine speed increases fuel consumption; therefore keep the engine speed under 2000 rpm when possible. Automobile clubs on the European Union level advocate that the automobile industry install a system in the car that signals the optimal time to shift. Technically that is easily feasible and should be available as soon as possible in times of high fuel prices, according to experts.

• Drive with foresight and fluidly:
  If you maintain sufficient distance from the car ahead, you drive more safely and can adjust to speed differences more elegantly. Frequent braking and acceleration guzzle fuel.

• Select the best suitable speed:
  ”Most cars operate most economically between 60 and 80 km/h in the highest gear,“ say experts knowWith increasing speed, consumption increases due to rising air resistance

• Use the engine drag effect:
  Engine drag has the advantage that in downhill driving and during the rolling phases you can save brakes and fuel. ”Use the engine drag at each opportunity, e.g., when approaching a red traffic light,“ advise professionals.

• Switch the engine off when the car is stopped:
  When you must wait longer in the car, e.g., at a railroad crossing, turn the engine off. Idling the engine wastes fuel and pollutes the environment.

• Dismount the luggage racks after your vacation:The advantages of modern, aerodynamic bodies are lost through luggage racks and consumption rises significantly at higher speeds.

• Check the tire pressure:The air pressure in the tires should be repeatedly controlled. Too low pressure lets the tires wear faster and drives the fuel consumption up. Before the large holiday trip and with heavy loading with most cars the tire pressure must be slightly raised.

• Don’t take unnecessary loads for a ride:
  You can save fuel by clearing out the car from time to time and removing tires and snow chains from the trunk in the summer time ”An additional 100 kg can mean up to 0.6 liters/100 kilometers more consumption", calculate experts.

• Save on air conditioning system: Switch on air conditioning systems, stationary heating and other fuel consumers only when necessarily.

• Regularly examine the car for its technically perfect condition:
  Dirty air cleaner, old spark plugs or an incorrect electrical connection reduce engine performance and drive consumption enormously up. With diesel engines adjusted injection pumps or worn injection nozzles lead to more fuel consumption. Therefore at least once a year a service should be done to check the optimal engine settings; advise the automobile clubs.

Also price-conscious refuelling relieves the wallet

Info system SPRIT: In times of rising fuel prices, the correct selection of the fuel station bears a high savings potential. Automobile clubs offer Internet information systems where you can quickly find the nearest most reasonable gas station. Price queries are sorted according to fuel type, region and location. If you have no internet access, the all data is also via the automobile club hotlines.

By the way, our CO2 calculator can tell you how much CO2 your vehicle produces annually.

source: ÖAMTC