ECO DRIVING with Jim Harrison ADI
Eco Friendly Driving Could Pay For Your Holiday!
1 Gal = 4.546 Litre
1 Litre = £1.05 (Petrol)
1 Gal = £1.05 x 4.546 = £4.77
M.P.G. (miles per gallon) in a Toyota Yaris with a normal driver is 45 mpg approx 1 mile costs 10.6 p. (£4.77 divided by 45). Using Eco friendly techniques, which I teach, 65 mpg can be attained. Which equals 7p per mile (£4.77 divided by 65).
The average annual mileage for most drivers is 12,000 miles. For a normal driver this would cost £1272.00 (10.6p x 12,000). Eco friendly costs, as taught by myself, would be £840.00 (7p x 12,000) - a saving of £432.00
First Choice Top 10 Holidays as advertised on 26/1/08
• Ibiza £115
• Costa del Sol £120
• Majorca £126
• Algarve £138
• Corfu £148
• Crete £158
• Egypt £283
• Florida £305
• Goa £417
• Mexico £519
• Cuba £639
So the moral of this is: Drive using all the Eco
Friendly techniques can save you enough in a year to afford any of the top 8
holidays.
Tips for Environmental Driving
1. Smooth driving at a sensible speed is the best way to keep emissions and expenditure to a minimum. Generally speaking, petrol is consumed quicker at low and high speeds, with 50 to 60mph usually being the most fuel-efficient speeds. So, try to plan your route and timing to avoid traffic jams, and remember also that driving over 70mph, as well as being against the law, dramatically increases emissions and consumption. Even driving at 70mph can cost up to 25% more than driving at 50mph. Remember too that both fast acceleration and heavy braking use more fuel.
2. Air conditioning increases fuel consumption by around 10%, so it is usually more efficient to open a window. However, at higher speeds of 50mph and above, the additional drag caused by having the window open begins to approach the cost of using the aircon.
3. Under-inflated tyres waste fuel, adding maybe 2% to your fuel bill.
4. Dirty air filters can dramatically reduce fuel economy, and they can also make you fail a roadside emissions test. They are usually very easy to change, either by yourself or your garage.
5. Every extra 50kg of weight can increase your fuel costs by around 2%, so avoid driving around with unnecessary items (or people!) in your car.
6. Roof racks, spoilers and anything else that increases drag on the outside of your car can dramatically increase the amount of fuel you use. Take the roof rack off when you are not using it.
7. If you are going to be stationary for more than two minutes, switch off the engine rather than waste fuel.
8. Recycle: Batteries and oil can be recycled at your local household waste disposal centre.
9. Plan your trip before you leave home, paying attention to both the route and timing of your trip. It’s estimates that around 350,000 tonnes of fuel is wasted every year by drivers who get lost.
10. Don't use the car for short journeys
- take a walk and keep fit! Similarly, public transport can often be an easier
and more cost-effective way of travelling, and you don't have to worry about
parking. When you do use the car, try to combine trips into one journey and,
where possible, share trips with friends.
Contact Jim Harrison at "Drivings Cool" for further information.