How to save gasoline - 8 simple tips to help you reduce gas consumption in Spain

[Spanier]

Transportation is one of those expenses that are difficult to eliminate, even with the advance of remote working. At some point you need to travel by car and that is where it is good to know how to save gasoline while the prices are skyrocketing.

 

There are many ways to reduce fuel consumption and not all of them are equally useful or effective. These are the 8 that you can easily apply and have the greatest impact on what you spend on gasoline. According to different sources, they can help you reduce consumption by 25%.

 

Plan your trip and the route you will follow.

Nowadays it is easy to know how long it will take from one point to another depending on the route you choose. Being clear about your path is a source of savings. RACE explains that extending the journey by 10 minutes translates into a 14% increase in gasoline consumption.

 

Check the tire pressure

Related to the preparation for the trip and the maintenance of the vehicle, make sure that the tire pressure is right. Specifically, a pressure 0.5 bars lower than the recommended one increases fuel expenditure by 2% on intercity routes and 4% in the city.

In addition, tire pressure is not only important to save fuel, it is also a key element for road safety.

 

Respect the speed limits

Driving at a faster than allowed is not only dangerous, it is a reason to get a fine and pay more for gasoline. The OCU requires that driving at 140 km/h, compared to the 120 km/h set by law, means boosting fuel consumption by 20%.

 

Take advantage of the long marches

Efficient driving will also help you save gasoline. What can you do to practice it? Basically, 4 very simple things:

Switch to the second gear in 2 or 3 seconds after you start driving. The first is the gear is the one which consumes the most.

Prioritise higher gears whenever you can. This way you can save 11% of average fuel.

Maintain a stable speed and avoid unnecessary accelerations. On the road you can use the automatic speed regulator.

Take advantage of the engine as a brake.

 

Turn off the engine at long stops

The most modern cars already include the function of turning off the engine every time you stop at a traffic light. Do you know why? Basically, because it saves fuel and makes less damage to the nature. Keeping the engine on idle for 10 minutes consumes approx 0.13 litres of gasoline.

 

Get it right with the air conditioning

As a general rule, use air conditioning on road trips and open the windows in the city when driving at low speeds.

 

Refuel at the right time: half-deposit in the morning

Choosing the best time to refuel will also allow you to save on fuel. The best time to refuel is when the tank is half full. The reason is that this approach allows to evaporate less gasoline than when the tank is almost empty.

Similarly, if you can, refuel first thing in the morning, because the fuel density is higher and you will get more gasoline for less money. In addition, when you choose the day of the week, Monday tends to be the cheapest.

 

Take advantage of the cheapest gas stations - Keep in mind that on the high ways in Spain, the price is usually higher than in the city.

Not all gas stations have the same prices. There are more expensive and cheaper ones. You can use Waze to check the pricing on the gas stations around you to find the cheapest one.