Tips on how to save petrol consumption
As fuel prices rise and petrol shortages continue due to refinery strikes and rising oil drum costs, people across France are looking for ways to save on petrol.
As summarized by BFMTV, these include:
Start your car
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Start your car smoothly without accelerating
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Drive at a moderate speed for the first 5 km of your journey (as fuel consumption can increase by 45% for the first 1 km as the engine is still cold).
while driving
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Keep your acceleration to a minimum as “aggressive driving” around town can increase fuel consumption by up to 40%
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Drive at a constant speed if possible
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Also, try to anticipate slowing down and decelerating
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Reduce your time in the fast lane on the motorway or dual carriageway as much as possible (a 10 km speed reduction on the dual carriageway, e.g. from 130 km to 120 km, can save you five liters of fuel per 500 km).
tire pressure and maintenance
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Check tire pressure every two months and make sure your tires are inflated to the correct level. A vacuum of 0.5 bar increases fuel consumption by 2.4%
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Avoid loading your car with too much luggage or heavy cargo. Carrying 100 kg more means 5% more fuel consumption
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Keep your vehicle well maintained. A poorly maintained vehicle can increase overall fuel consumption by 25%. Good maintenance can also improve motor function
Gasoline shortages have worsened in recent days and weeks, partly as a result of nationwide refinery strikes. According to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, bottlenecks were reported at every third gas station.
Read more: About a week until the end of the French fuel shortage, Macron estimates
Read more: Fuel shortages in France: when could supplies return to normal?
President Emmanuel Macron said the shortage “should be fixed in the coming week,” with government sources saying that should happen in the next seven to 10 days.
Prices also continue to rise, with the 2 euro threshold per liter having been exceeded in the past week. Part of the explanation for this price increase is that a barrel of Brent oil is currently trading at $91.46 after rising sharply over the past week.
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