How to drive to save gas

“This is a very unpredictable situation,” he says. Augustine GaldonHe is responsible for the mobility of the Royal Spanish Automobile Club (RACE). Families are seeing this increase right in their pockets, and they need to manage it with the rise in consumer prices (CPI), daily records in energy prices, and the gradual rise in rent prices.

“Spending at gas stations dropped between 10% and 15% last week and is now between 20% and 25% pre-pandemic,” he says. Nacho Rabadan, president of the Spanish Confederation of Service Station Employers (Ceees). Therefore, aside from the impact on consumers, gas stations are in a difficult situation, aggravated by not passing the oil company’s prices to the end customer to save them some of the cost increase. “Gas stations cut their profit margins in half or even less,” he says. Marcos Moure, CEO of Moure Group, owner of ‘low cost’ Autonetoil. And all this can pose a problem in the financial capacity for supply.

And last week, gas stations saw how fuel tank prices fluctuated between 6,000 and 9,000 euros from one day to the next. mour. This adds to the extraordinary increase in other costs such as electricity or water.

Meanwhile, the consumer is looking for the lowest prices at gas stations, which has resulted in decreased activity at more traditional ones, while ‘low cost’ ones have increased the number of refuels by 8% since the start of the last price increase. .

But what other ways can consumers use to save fuel in this crisis situation? “Drivers can reduce fuel consumption by 30 to 35% through efficient driving,” he says. carles linasInstructor at RACC’s ‘Advanced Driving Center’. It is a familiar driving style, but for those who cannot leave their car parked every day, it is a driving style to be remembered today. Use constant speed and avoid sudden movements at all costs.

According to the instructor, gear shifting is recommended “between 1,200 and 2,000 rpm at most,” although it should be avoided as much as possible at traffic lights and intersections. Whenever the route can be planned, it should be done to shorten it and avoid unforeseen events that cause sudden acceleration and braking. “The ‘start-stop’ system is also recommended,” he explains. galdon. In any jam, this allows the car to shut down and stop wasting; however, those who do not have it should preferably leave the engine running, as it requires, among other things, more battery consumption.

The econometer is another aid for the driver, as it always reports how much has been consumed: “This way, when you accelerate, you can see consumption skyrocket”, emphasizes the member of the Royal Spanish Automobile Club. It also helps prevent rush hour commuting or reduce weight in the vehicle. On the other hand, for the coefficient of friction to be minimal, the tire pressure must be as specified by the manufacturer: “A very low pressure means different rolling, more resistance and higher fuel consumption.” The windows must always be closed so as not to affect the aerodynamics.

These habits, which should be part of drivers’ DNA on a daily basis, add to the few unproven ‘clues’ spread through social networks that experts have trouble denying. The head of the Spanish Confederation of Service Station Entrepreneurs warns that “putting gas in the morning, refueling slowly and halfway, or squeezing the gun in a certain way” is just a hoax to reduce consumption.

Those who can change their means of transport can always use public transport or share a vehicle, which also encourages sustainable mobility. from the mercy. In order to evaluate the prices of gas stations, you can check which is the cheapest with tools such as the Ministry of Ecological Transformation’s Geoportal of fuel stations with up-to-date data.