A car expert has revealed how motorists can reduce their fuel consumption by up to 25 per cent as fuel prices skyrocket to record levels.
It comes as the cost of living crisis rages on, doubled by the conflict in Ukraine, which has left many behind the wheel struggling to affordably fill up their tank.
Former Top Gear presenter and award-winning motoring journalist Quentin Wilson appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB) today to provide some tips on how to save money on fuel consumption.
Read more:
He describes how drivers could save up to 25 per cent on fuel after it was revealed the average family diesel car will now cost around £90 to top up. Meanwhile, a tank in a similar-sized car with petrol will set the driver back by £87, Wales Online reports.
Speaking to hosts Ben Shephard and Ranvir Singh, Mr Wilson said: "The way to reduce your fuel bills if you have to drive your car is to drive more sensitively and we have to change our mindsets.
“There are lots of things you can do that could reduce your fuel consumption by as much as 25%. And it is simple things like making sure your car is serviced, that the oil filters are changed and the air filters aren’t blocked.
“Check your tire pressure, make sure your brakes aren’t dragging and set a trip computer in your car which will tell you your MPG (miles per gallon) and how much fuel you're using and how much you can save.”
Besides those vehicle checks, Quentin explained how simply driving more cautiously and being more aware on the roads can reduce your fuel consumption.
He added: “Just drive gently, progressively, look at the road ahead. Don’t barrel in towards a junction or roundabout and then brake because when you push the accelerator you create energy and then when you break you destroy it again.
“So, drive slowly, anticipate, and get into a higher gear as quickly as you can. Stick to speed limits, 50 to 60 miles per hour is the optimum speed and motorways are great for saving fuel.”
Mr Wilson also shared how much fuel you could save by switching off the air conditioning or heating in your car. "The air conditioning will add 10 per cent to your fuel consumption and even heating in the car will load the alternator which loads the engine and therefore uses more fuel," he said.
“The RAC did a test with an Audi A6, which does 35 to the gallon, and got 74 miles per gallon because they drove carefully.”
Presenter Ben went on to ask Quentin where he thinks the government should be more involved in helping motorists with the surge in fuel prices with the rising cost of living.
Quentin explained how he has campaigned for the last 12 years to get fuel duty held and now thinks we need to see that reduced. “56p of every litre goes to the government, they can do this by taxing the oil majors and making money out of the VAT,” Quentin said.
“They need to just reduce it, by maybe 10p or 15p or something like that, otherwise we will sometimes be spending half of our disposable income a week filling our cars. That is apocalyptic. This has to be managed.
“We need to also consider energy security to avoid making these mistakes again. We need to think about nuclear, onshore wind, fracking. We can’t tie ourselves to foreign cartels that control our energy.”
He also urged people to consider making the jump to electric vehicles sooner rather than later, especially if you own a diesel car because they rely more on the import of Russian oil and gas, something the UK will stop using by the end of 2022.
"If you are thinking about changing to an electric car, now is the time. They are expensive and there aren't enough of them, but they are out there and I would do it now before prices for electric cars go through the roof because they will.”
Read more on the rising cost of living:
Read more motoring news:
Click here for the latest headlines from the Manchester Evening News
