ECCJ / Text / India

ECCJ / Text

India

10 TIPS for ECO-DRIVE

October 2006
Eco-Drive Promotion Liaison Committee

"E-Start", press the gas pedal gently
"Start the car gently."
Gas mileage improves by around 11% simply by starting a little more gently than usual (approximately 20 km/h for the first five seconds).
Pushing down on the gas pedal gently leads to safe driving.
Give yourself time and drive carefully.
Drive with less frequent acceleration and slowdown
"Keep a safe distance from other vehicles and maintain a constant speed appropriate to traffic conditions."
It is important to keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
Closely following the car in front or driving at an uneven speeds increases accelerations and slowdowns, which lowers gas mileage by around 2% in urban areas and around 6% in the suburbs. If speed is consistent, driving in higher gear increases gas mileage.
Drive safely, and as far as possible, at a consistent speed, in accordance with traffic conditions.

Early release of the gas pedal
"Use low gears actively."
By using engine brakes, fuel supply stops (fuel cutoff), and gas mileage improves by around 2%. Lift your foot off the gas pedal early and slow down, using engine brakes, when you see where you will stop. Use engine brakes actively when you slow down or go downhill.
Reduce air conditioner use
"Don't overcool the air in the car."
Adjust temperature and air volume frequently according to the current weather conditions. It is important not to turn the thermostat too low, especially in summer. If you use the air conditioner when the external temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, gas mileage decreases by around 12%.
Idling stop "Avoid unnecessary idling" 10 minutes of idling (when the car is in neutral and the air conditioner is turned off) wastes about 130cc of fuel. Avoid idling when you are waiting for someone or parking for loading/unloading.

Appropriate warm-up
"Start soon after you start the engine"
Warm-up is unnecessary for gasoline-powered cars sold currently. Except for special situations such as use in cold regions, warm-up drive, where your car is warmed while 　driving, is sufficient. Warm-up improves gas mileage during running, but 5 minutes of warm-up wastes around 160cc of fuel, increasing overall fuel consumption.
Utilize road traffic information "
Plan and prepare before going out. Check traffic information such as congestion and road blocks."
If you are lost and drive an additional 10 minutes for a one-hour drive, gas mileage decreases by around 14%.
Plan your destination and route and prepare for your drive in advance, using maps and a car navigation system. You can save fuel and time if you check road traffic information and avoid congestion. Check and utilize such information, using a car navigation system or by listening to the radio.

Check tire pressure frequently
"Carry out good inspection and maintenance, such as maintaining the appropriate tire pressure."
Gas mileage decreases by around 2% in urban areas and by 4% in the suburbs if the tire pressure is lower than the proper value by 50kPa (0.5 kg/cm2).
Periodic inspections are also necessary for safe driving.
Unload unnecessary articles
"Don't carry unnecessary loads."
Gas mileage decreases by around 3% when you drive a car carrying 100kg of unnecessary load. Gas mileage is sensitive to load weights.
Unload unnecessary articles.
Careful parking
"Don't park illegally. It causes traffic congestion."
Parking a car where it would obstruct traffic causes traffic congestions and additional gas emissions.
Gas mileage reportedly decreases by around 31% when the average car speed drops from 40km/h to 20km/h.

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