How To Reduce Fuel Consumption

Back

Fuel usually accounts for the majority of any fleet’s budget, and if it’s not properly managed, the costs can balloon, potentially ruining your budgeting abilities or even, in a worst-case scenario, running your business down. The question is, how do you keep it on track in a way that doesn’t take too much of your time so you don't exceed the budget?

Let's look at what affects fuel consumption, what changes you can implement, and how Cartrack can help you.

‍

In this article, you will:

Learn what fuel consumption is
Understand what affects fuel consumption
See which driving habits decrease fuel efficiency
Find out how Cartrack simplifies fuel monitoring
Get more answers from our FAQ section

‍

A quick background on fuel consumption

Fuel consumption refers to a measurement of how much fuel a vehicle uses over time. It calculates how many kilometres the car can travel for every litre of fuel used. A study done by Energy Education revealed that not all the fuel consumed is being used to power the vehicle directly; about 3-11% of the fuel being consumed is used to overcome rolling resistance. This is why it is important to implement driving techniques to reduce fuel consumption.

‍

What affects fuel consumption?

Looking at vehicle parts first, here are some of the things that will cause more money to be spent on fuel:

Engine size
We all know that the larger the engine, the more fuel it requires; why so? Well, that’s because larger engines burn more fuel and air than smaller ones under the same driving conditions, and for an engine to run smoothly, there needs to be a balance of fuel and air mixing. Carburettors were traditionally responsible for mixing and sending it to the engine cylinders for ignition and powering the vehicle, but nowadays, vehicles have fuel injectors, which serve the same purpose but are more precise and have fewer emissions.

Tyre pressure and wheel alignment
There is always friction between the tyres and the road surface. The bumpier the road, the more friction, and this is called rolling resistance. An underinflated tyre creates more resistance and therefore requires more energy, and means what? More fuel! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the USA revealed that a 1 per cent decrease in tyre pressure equates to a 0.3 per cent reduction in fuel economy. A tyre that is underinflated by 10 per cent increases fuel consumption by 2 per cent. So make sure you know the rolling resistance grade for your tyres when making a purchase, it’s usually on the label. Additionally, wheel alignment is also important, as the correct alignment reduces tyre drag and rolling resistance, further enhancing fuel efficiency.
Vehicle maintenance
Are you skipping your service dates? Well, you should know that a vehicle that is serviced regularly helps maintain the engine's fuel efficiency. When a vehicle gets serviced, the technician checks vital components such as air filters, fuel injectors and spark plugs. Here’s how they work:
- Air filters: Air filters prevent small particles like dust or dirt from entering and damaging the engine. If an air filter is clogged, it restricts airflow, which causes the engine to work harder and consume more fuel. During service, the air filter can be checked and replaced if necessary.

- Faulty spark plugs: Spark plugs provide the spark that ignites the air and fuel mixture, which powers the engine. So when they aren’t “sparking” correctly due to wear and tear, they affect the combustion, which results in increased fuel consumption.

- Fuel injectors: The fuel system also needs to be regularly maintained so it can efficiently deliver fuel to the engine as fuel injectors often get clogged. Through regular inspection, this can be detected, and the injectors will be cleaned or replaced.

When properly maintained, these components ensure combustion and smooth engine performance, which in turn results in less fuel consumption.

Vehicle body weight
A light vehicle requires less energy from the engine, and a heavier one requires more. So if the vehicle is heavy, it will need to overcome more resistance which means it must burn more fuel to match the resistance.
Engine oil quality
The engine oil helps minimise friction, remove contaminants, protect engine components, and regulate the temperature. There are different types of engine oils, such as:
-Conventional oil: This one works with most vehicles and is less expensive than the other oil options. You can find it in most grocery stores or other convenient shops, such as ones at the filling station. It works best with vehicles that don’t have high mileage, but it has to be changed more frequently. In addition, the oil is very thick, which means it moves slower in colder conditions.
‍
-Synthetic oil: These oils are man-made from chemically modified components, such as petroleum, but the base is always distilled crude oil. They are designed to flow quickly in both warm and cold temperatures, and they provide higher levels of protection and engine performance than conventional oils. However, they are also more expensive.

-Semi-synthetic oil: Sometimes called synthetic blend motor oil, this is a mixture of fully synthetic oil and conventional oil. It is a pocket-friendly option that still offers some of the benefits of fully synthetic oil.

-High-mileage oil: Vehicles with a high mileage or older engine have specific requirements due to the potential for failing seals or oil leaks. A high-mileage oil helps look after the seals and reduce the leaks.

Choosing the wrong oil for your vehicle can result in the engine consuming more fuel than necessary.

Poor fuel quality
Using fuel with a sulphur content higher than ten ppm can also damage the engine and exhaust after-treatment system. Bad quality fuel takes longer and requires larger quantities to power up the engine, so always make sure to use the correct fuel as specified by the manufacturer.

‍

Is your driving behaviour increasing your fuel consumption? Your go-to checklist

Let's look at a few driving habits that you should be keeping your eye on:

Speeding: The faster you go the more fuel is used per kilometre. Speeding increases the aerodynamic drag which causes the engine to burn fuel quicker than it should leading to more fuel being used.
‍
‍Idling: Keeping the engine running while the vehicle is in motion is certainly a waste of fuel. This mostly happens in traffic or when picking up or dropping off deliveries. If most vehicles in your fleet are doing this, then it means there will be a lot of frequent tank refills. Idling also causes vehicle wear and tear and shortens lifespan.
‍
‍Revving: The higher the revolutions per minute (RPM), the faster the fuel injectors have to work to inject fuel into the engine, meaning more fuel will be needed. Revving the engine also increases the number of times the gears have to be changed, meaning the engine has to adjust, increasing the amount of fuel needed.
‍
‍Rapid Acceleration: The harder you accelerate, the more fuel you will use compared to gradually accelerating to the desired speed. Harsh acceleration burns more fuel because it tells the engine that more speed is required. Remember that more speed means more power and more power means more fuel.
‍
‍Driving in the wrong gear: Every gear has a speed limit, and driving at a higher speed in lower gears will increase the RMPs, meaning the engine will consume more fuel. Using high gears while driving uphill or when cornering also wastes fuel. Drivers need to know not to drive at higher gears at low speeds and lower gears at high speeds.
‍
‍Deviations and poor route planning: Drivers often take their own routes to get to destinations instead of the one that was set out initially; some even make stops along the way for personal reasons and that just adds on to the pile of things that waste fuel. Additionally, poor route planning such as having a lot of short trips scheduled instead of one big trip can have a major impact on fuel consumption.

‍