In the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement yesterday, Mr Sunak announced that from that evening there will be a fuel duty cut.
This comes as petrol and diesel prices have been rising for weeks, and while some stations drop their prices slightly, they are higher than average.
According to Government figures, the average price of petrol has risen by 55 per cent in the last two years, coming in at to an all-time high of 165.37p a litre. Diesel has also risen by 177.47p per litre.
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While the 5p cut will be helpful, the cost of living is still putting pressure on households and experts from CarShop shares its 12 top tips for economical driving and fuel saving.
They've shared the 12 easiest changes we can all make to ensure that the fuel we buy goes further, as well as doing our bit for the environment.
Don’t start the engine until you’re ready to go
It’s a real waste of fuel and your engine warms up more quickly when you’re moving anyway. So, set your sat nav, check the traffic, make that call and read those messages before starting your engine.
And, if the vehicle is equipped with a stop start system, make sure it’s turned on to conserve fuel whilst stationary.
According to the Department for Transport, idling can use up to two litres of fuel per hour, emitting over 5.26kg of CO2. That amounts to around £3.18 an hour, on average, for unleaded cars and a little bit more – at around £3.38 – for diesel cars.
Plan your journey
Getting lost unnecessarily wastes fuel – not to mention cause some in-car tension – so enter address details in your sat nav or check out the route before setting off. It’s also worth checking traffic news too.
A five-mile detour driving at 40mph whilst trying to find your bearings, in an average petrol car, will cost just around 87p with the current price of petrol. If your car’s diesel powered, it will cost you around 92p.
Sitting in traffic jams is costly too, so try to avoid them when planning your journey – and keep checking whilst en route. The average car burns two litres of fuel per hour in traffic jams. That equates to around £3.38 an hour, on average, for unleaded cars and a little bit more – at around £3.50 – for diesel cars.
Make sure you have the correct tyre pressure
Under-inflated and overinflated tyres are not only dangerous, but both decrease fuel economy. Tyres generally lose up to two pounds of air per month, so check their pressure every couple of weeks.
You can find out what it’s meant to be in your vehicle handbook, on the driver’s door sill or the inside of the fuel tank flap and here’s a guide on how to check your tyre pressure if you’re unsure.
Research shows that if tyres are under-inflated by 20 per cent - or around 6psi – between 3 per cent and 10 per cent more fuel is used. That would cost up around 90p for every 50 miles driven in an average diesel car and 87p in a petrol fuelled car. By making this one very simple check and adjustment, drivers could save them hundreds of pounds over the year.
Keep your car aerodynamic by reducing the drag
Roof racks and boxes all add to fuel consumption - as do open windows and sunroofs - so pack carefully and take them off if you’re not using them.
On average, driving with a roof box takes 10 – 25 per cent more than without - increasing the 'frontal area' of the vehicle ruins its aerodynamics. Even an empty roof rack can add up to 15 per cent to your fuel bill. In money terms, a 100-mile journey, in an average diesel car, would cost just under £4.50 more with a full roof box and around £4.36 if it's petrol powered.
Declutter your car
Less weight means less fuel, so if you don’t need what’s in your boot, take it out. Just remember to leave in any safety equipment.
Brake and accelerate less
Both burn fuel, so try to drive smoothly. Accelerate gently and read the traffic situation ahead to avoid unnecessary braking. Roll up slowly for traffic lights or queues to avoid having to stop completely.
We recommend taking around five seconds to accelerate up to 15mph from a stop. Also, in normal conditions, coasting to a stop rather than slamming on the brakes helps conserve fuel.
Research shows that aggressive accelerating or braking can use up to 60 per cent more fuel, which quickly makes every journey much more costly when fuel prices are so high.
Maintain your vehicle
Regular maintenance and servicing improve a vehicle’s efficiency, which can considerably improve its fuel consumption.
Statistics show that fuel savings of up to 10 per cent can be made by replacing a blocked air filter, worn spark plugs or old engine oil. It will also help to retain the value of your vehicle when you come to sell.
By doing so, you could save yourself over 50p on every 30 miles you travel. This number quickly adds up over the course of the year.
Use the right specification of engine oil
Again, check your vehicle handbook to see what’s right for it. Modern engines are built with finer tolerances and therefore require thinner oils - those with lower viscosity – that can also improve fuel economy by around 3 per cent. That’s over 26p per 50-mile journey in an average diesel car.
If you use the correct oil, you can improve efficiency
The rule of thumb is to change oil between 3,000–5,000 miles, but some vehicles and oil types will perform much better, giving up to 10,000 miles between changes.
Turn on Eco mode
It reduces throttle responsiveness and engine power output so uses less fuel. On automatic cars, it will also shift up earlier to keep the vehicle in the most economical gear which is calculated from the engine load.
The average fuel savings by doing so are only around 5 per cent. That’s 45p for an average diesel car on a 50-mile journey, and slightly less for a petrol-powered motor.
Combine short trips
Cold starts use more fuel, so combine trips and errands if you can.
Where possible, make one round trip rather than several short ones to avoid starting the engine from cold too many times. One study shows that a cold engine will generally use twice as much fuel as a warm engine.
Walk or cycle
If you’re only travelling a mile or so, do you really need to use the car? The fresh air and exercise will do you good. With fuel prices hitting all-time records recently, it makes sense to drive less to save money.
Cut down on the electrics
If you don’t need your air conditioning, rear window heater, demister fan and headlights, turn them off.
For example, air conditioning in a car consumes between 0.2 and 1 litre of fuel every 60 miles travelled – that’s now up to £1.69 in an average diesel car and £1.59 if your car is petrol powered.
Ben Scholes from Car Shop said: “After weeks of record highs at the pumps, we welcome the cut on petrol and diesel duty, but it doesn’t go far enough.
“There are many cost-saving benefits that come from buying a nearly new or used car but, to get the most value, it’s important to consider how you drive and maintain your motor too. Just a few changes to how you drive – and look after your car – can save you a pretty penny in time on fuel costs which, let’s face it, has never been more important.”
