Last Wednesday’s petrol price increase has already left motorists bearing the brunt of paying sky high prices for fuel, and rumours of a further fuel hike in July has drivers on edge.
The price of 95 petrol shot up to R15.82, with an increase of over 82 cents, and the price of 93 petrol increased to R15.55. Motorists now pay R14.20 for a litre of diesel.
The South African Government has published fuel-saving tips on its Facebook page after the June petrol price hike, which has been efficient. A new movement called hypermiling, is far more effective in saving fuel.
What is hypermiling exactly?
Its a little-known method using different techniques which can save motorists up to 40% on fuel. These methods are simple and easy to adopt.
– Keep your car properly serviced, a well-maintained car is up to 10% more efficient than one that is not.
– Reduce the weight of your car by removing unnecessary clutter from inside your car – the lighter your vehicle, the lighter the fuel costs are.
– Avoid sharp braking, or allow your car to slow down naturally. This reduces pressure on your car’s accelerator.
– Keep your tyres optimally inflated. Under-inflated tyres are much less efficient, which uses more fuel.
– Remove all unnecessary accessories from your car’s body, such as roof racks.
– Drive slower. Driving at between 80-90 kilometres per hour is generally the most fuel-efficient speed to drive at.
– Do not use your air conditioner when driving slower than 60 kilometres per hour. Aircon burns fuel, so only use it when absolutely necessary.
– Avoid tail-gating. Leave a gap of approximately seven to ten seconds between your car and the one in front, as this maintains momentum. This same technique can also help your car slow down naturally.
– Use the lowest viscosity oil for your vehicle – the thicker the oil, the harder your engine has to work to remove its parts.
– Make use of an app to keep abreast of any fuel price changes, such as FillApp.
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