The Money Saving Expert shared advice on a recent episode of his TV show
Martin Lewis has shared simple ways to use up to 30% less petrol or diesel by making your car more efficient. The Money Saving Expert (MSE) founder spoke about the tips on a recent episode of his Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV.
He said his tips, which include a 45kg ‘rule’, may “seem small”, but they can have a “bigger impact than you think”. His advice comes as the Middle East conflict has triggered a significant surge in petrol and diesel prices, driven by severe disruptions to global oil production and shipping.
Driving efficiently helps save fuel by making your engine use less energy to overcome resistance. When you drive smoothly, you cut down on the ‘wasted’ energy that often becomes heat or extra exhaust.
Explaining how to reduce fuel consumption on his show, Martin said: “Now, these seem small but have a bigger impact than you think. You should try and look to make your car as efficient as possible. First of all, it’s got a roof rack on. If that’s empty, get rid of it. Really inefficient. You’re having to push that through the wind on a motorway as you drive. And you’ll see problem in all walks of lightness.”
Going into detail about the ’45kg rule’, Martin stressed the importance of removing anything you don’t need from your boot. He said: “Junk in your trunk. You want to get rid of junk in your trunk. Extra weight, for every about 45kg, it makes your car 1% less fuel-efficient, so we get anything out of the boot that we’re not using in heavyweight.”
Clearing out junk from your car’s trunk can help save on fuel by making the car lighter. When the car is lighter, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard. This means it uses less energy to accelerate, decelerate, and keep going, which makes it use fuel more efficiently.
The finance expert also said to check your tyres are at the right pressure, as poorly inflated tyres can “add 3% or 4% to your fuel bills when it’s not more efficient”. He emphasised: “So get your tyres checked and pumped up properly.”
Martin’s last tip involves air conditioning. He said: “When you’re going at low speeds, your aircon can be really quite expensive proportionally and make the car much less fuel-efficient. At high speeds, if it’s warm, keep it on because opening your windows is again on a motorway will really add drag and make the car have to work much harder to go further so that’s the next step make your car more efficient.”
How you drive matters too, Martin said. Explaining why, he told viewers: “Your accelerator is a money pump. When you are pressing it, you are spending the fuel that you have put into the car. Your brake isn’t much better. It’s a money burner, because when you’re braking, you are converting the energy stored into the car into heat and throwing it away.
“Now, I’m not saying don’t accelerate or brake, because that’s what driving’s all about, but, yeah, obviously. Your road positioning. Safe distance from the car in front. Thinking ahead all enables you to speed up more slowly and slow down more gradually, which is massively more fuel-efficient.”
According to studies, making your car more efficient and driving in a better way can cut 10% to 30% off your petrol and diesel costs, depending on where you start. “So it really is worth having a look at, especially at the moment when prices are high. Not rocket science, but worth knowing,” Martin added.
