How to Increase Car Mileage When Driving in the City

Key Highlights:

1.       How to improve your fuel economy?

2.       Effects of tyre and maintenance on economy.

3.       Driving tips to improve economy

4.       Effects of E20 fuel on the economy

Indian cities have changed drastically over the past few decades. While the infrastructure has improved marginally, it hasn’t kept pace with the growth in vehicular traffic. The metros are becoming choked with traffic snarls, and the situation is only slightly better in Tier two cities.  

With endless potholes, traffic jams, and that stop-and-go driving condition, your car’s fuel tank seems to empty faster each time. But some changes to your driving technique can help you improve your fuel efficiency and help you get more out of your car’s fuel tank.

Improve Your Driving Style

Slow and steady wins the race. Flooring the accelerator and then braking hard each time the traffic moves a few inches can cause you to lose precious fuel for nothing. By doing so, you are neither saving time nor money. Sudden starts burn fuel like crazy because the engine has to work overtime. In city traffic, aim to keep your speed steady around 40-50 km/h where possible. By keeping your speed and driving style smooth, you will improve not only the mileage, but also the ride comfort for your co-passengers.

Tackle the AC dilemma

In India's hot and humid conditions, turning off the AC feels impossible, right? But the AC guzzles up to 20% more fuel, especially in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Whenever the weather allows, and you are below 50 km/h, crack open the windows, and your fuel bill will come down. Also, maintain the AC at a comfortable temperature to avoid higher fuel consumption. Always use the recirculate air option on the AC.

If possible, look for a place in the shade to park your car and use sun blockers on the windscreen to keep the car cool in hot weather. Open all doors for 30 seconds to flush hot air out before you get in and start the AC.

Keep Tyres in Good Shape

Tyre pressure has a direct effect on the fuel efficiency of your car. Under-inflated tyres are a mileage killer. They make the car drag, forcing the engine to burn extra fuel. Check the pressure every week or ten days at a local pump. Most cars need 30-35 PSI. You can check the ideal tyre pressure for your car from the sticker placed near the locking mechanism on the driver’s side. Get tyre alignment done every six months at a trusted garage. Uneven wear increases rolling resistance. Rotate tyres too if you drive a lot.

Smart Route Choices

You cannot beat the traffic, but you can choose your route wisely. Use Google Maps to select the most fuel-efficient way to drive around in Indian cities. If you can, try to beat the peak-hour office traffic by leaving a little early or late. It is not always a possibility, but whenever possible, try to take this option. Another pro tip is that short trips under 5 km are fuel hogs because the engine doesn’t warm up; you can combine tasks and make longer trips for fuel efficiency.

Maintain Your Car

Make sure you don’t have dirty air filters that choke the engine. Change it as advised by your carmaker. Use good oil as per the manual and make sure you buy parts from genuine suppliers. Always get your car serviced at an authorised service centre to avoid damaging your vehicle.

Before the monsoon, definitely go for a check; most car brands organise monsoon camps for this purpose. Clean fuel injectors if mileage dips suddenly, and be aware of adulterated fuel from some pumps.

Idling Kills Efficiency

If you have to wait somewhere longer than 45 seconds, it is advised to kill the engine. Modern cars restart fine, no extra wear. As per some stats, 0.15L of fuel gets wasted every minute due to idling. If you can avoid it, the resulting fuel economy will be a game-changer. Also, don’t rev in neutral, it consumes fuel.

Gear Shifting Done Right

Manual drivers, shift up early—around 2,000 RPM. In tight traffic, stay in 2nd gear for crawls; don’t push your car in 1st gear for too long. For the automatics, make sure to drive with a light foot. The more gentle your drive, the better the fuel economy; that is the basic rule to live by. A sedate driver gets more out of his fuel tank than an aggressive one.

Track and Tweak

After every trip to the pump, reset your trip metre. You can also do it weekly. Note fuel fills and use fuel tracking apps to gauge the accurate fuel economy of your vehicle.

E20 Fuel and Economy

The government has recently introduced the E20 fuel blend, which adds 20% ethanol to 80% petrol, promoting cleaner emissions and energy independence. It reduces carbon monoxide by up to 50% in two-wheelers and hydrocarbons by 20%, aiding India's net-zero goals. But ethanol has lower energy density, which causes a mileage drop of 1-8% in compatible engines, but in non-compatible engines, this figure can go up to 20%. Modern E20-tuned cars minimise this to 2-4%. If you are in the market for a new car, make sure you look for E20 compatibility from the carmaker. Additionally, you can go for higher octane petrol options at pumps if you do not mind the extra cost.

FAQs

1. What affects fuel economy the most?
The main culprit is aggressive driving, such as speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking, which lowers fuel economy by 15-30% on highways and 10-40% in city traffic. Higher speeds increase aerodynamic drag, while cold weather and short trips reduce efficiency until the engine warms up.

2. How to improve fuel efficiency?
Be a sedate drive, maintain proper tyre pressure and alignment, go for regular and authorised servicing and get the right fuel.

3. Do fuel types impact?
The type of fuel has a big impact - Petrol with ethanol (up to 10%) reduces economy by 3-4% due to lower energy content, and seasonal variations affect performance slightly. Choose which fuel suits you from CNG, petrol or diesel based on your driving needs.