10 ways to shave your fuel bill

With a litre of petrol now averaging $3 after climbing steadily for nine months - and no signs of abating - it is time to revisit efficient driving tips. The following pointers, if applied cumulatively, can potentially halve your fuel bill.

1. Light is might

A light foot on the pedal is all it takes for your car to maintain speed. Avoid aggressive jabs to the throttle. Many modern cars also sense that as urgency and will switch to a sportier - and hence thirstier - drive mode.

2. Manual labour

If you drive a manual, shift up early but avoid straining the engine. Choose the appropriate gear for slopes and bends. Some cars will cue you to shift.

Even in an automatic, you may manually shift down for manoeuvres such as overtaking. This is much better than depressing the accelerator with gusto.

3. Articulated intelligence

Driving intelligently, with your eyes scanning the road ahead, can improve efficiency. For instance, if you see brake lights far ahead coming on, it means you likely have to slow down soon. So, lift your foot off the pedal and let the car slow down naturally.

There is no point stepping on the accelerator and finding you have to brake soon afterwards. Give way to filtering traffic instead of accelerating to prevent others from filtering.

4. Coast when clear and watch the speed

Try to minimise using the brakes (when it is safe to do so, that is). If conditions permit, try to avoid coming to full stop. Coasting is a virtue. Many modern cars - even electric models - come with a coasting function. Make full use of it.

Keep to speed limits and do not tailgate. This way, you will be able to avoid braking and re-accelerating, which are efficiency's worst enemies. On open highways, cruising at 90kmh in the middle lane is best for economy.

5. Under pressure

Make sure tyres are properly inflated. Under-inflation causes higher resistance and thus burns more fuel. In fact, it is quite safe to inflate 10 to 15 per cent more than what the car manufacturer recommends. The ride comfort may suffer a little, but fuel economy will improve noticeably.

6. Good service

Make sure your car is serviced regularly by a proper workshop. A well-maintained vehicle will definitely perform more efficiently than one which is not. Also, ensure wheels are well-aligned. Do not stint on lubricants - you get what you pay for.

7. Cool running

Adjust the climate control to a comfortable level. There is no need to bring the temperature down to 18 deg C. And idling with the air-conditioning switched on is not only dumb, it is also illegal.

8. Weight watch

Every 25kg of weight raises consumption by 1 per cent. So, try not to lug too many things around in the car. And be mindful that a litre of petrol weighs roughly a kilogram, so you might want to avoid filling up a full tank each time.

9. Final destination

Plan your journey so you can get to where you want faster and avoid rush-hour jams. And when you have arrived, do not cruise around for the most convenient parking space. A longer stroll will not kill you.

10. Choice picking

Pick the right car. If you have ready access to charging, an electric car is an option. It is far more efficient than one with a combustion engine. Right now, the total ownership cost of an electric car is still higher, but things may change in the next few years.

Meanwhile, a petrol-electric hybrid is a good compromise. You immediately save 25 to 35 per cent on fuel. Modern hybrids are highly refined, especially those from Toyota.

However, avoid plug-in hybrids, unless you have your own personal charger. Mild hybrids, incidentally, do not offer any significant improvement in efficiency.

Also, avoid cars which are unnecessarily big, have all-wheel-drive or can run only on 98-octane fuel - all of which are costlier to operate.