10 Ways to Save Money on Fuel

Fuel is a major expense for most Australian drivers. Here are 10 practical ways to reduce your fuel costs and improve your vehicle's fuel economy.

1. Maintain your vehicle regularly. Keep tyres properly inflated, replace air filters on schedule, and ensure the engine is tuned. Poor maintenance can increase fuel consumption by 20% or more.

2. Drive smoothly and avoid rapid acceleration. Smooth, steady driving uses far less fuel than aggressive acceleration and frequent braking.

3. Fill up at the bottom of price cycles. In major cities, you can save 30 to 40 cents per litre by timing your fill-ups strategically.

4. Use the recommended fuel grade. Using premium fuel when standard unleaded is specified is wasteful. Conversely, using lower-octane fuel than recommended can damage your engine.

5. Reduce idle time and avoid unnecessary trips. Combine errands into one trip and avoid sitting in traffic with the engine running.

6. Remove excess weight from your vehicle. Every extra 100 kilograms increases fuel consumption. Clear out the boot of unnecessary items.

7. Use air conditioning wisely. Air conditioning increases fuel consumption by 10 to 20%. Use it selectively on hot days.

8. Consider switching to a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Modern cars use significantly less fuel than older models.

9. Plan your route to minimise distance and avoid peak traffic times.

10. Consider an electric vehicle. For high-mileage drivers, an EV offers enormous fuel cost savings despite higher upfront costs.