How to use your car to save gas in hot weather

In the summer in Vietnam, the weather is often very hot and harsh, the high outdoor temperature greatly affects cars, especially the cooling system and electronic components. Along with that, the concern about fuel prices is getting higher and higher, making the most effective way to care for and use cars very important.

Too high temperature causes the car's license plate to warp and distort.

According to Mr. Manh Thang, who has experience using many gasoline and electric cars: "With gasoline and diesel cars, drivers should not set the air conditioner at a low level but should adjust it according to the outside temperature. For example, if the outside temperature is close to 40 degrees Celsius like the past few days, the temperature in the car should be around 26-27 degrees."

"If the car's air conditioner has Auto mode, it should be turned on, then the car will automatically adjust to the most stable and economical level. In addition, drivers also have ways to reduce the temperature in the cabin such as applying heat-insulating film. We can still apply these measures on electric vehicles."

Along with that, Mr. Pham Thanh Le, admin of Otofun forum shared: “With the current situation of high gasoline prices, drivers should arrange a reasonable route to save fuel. Another way to reduce consumption is to cover the car with a tarpaulin if it has to be parked in the sun. This helps protect the surfaces of the car and reduces the absorbed temperature, helping the air conditioner not to work too much.”

Another thing to keep in mind to reduce fuel consumption is the way you drive. Drivers can refer to some tips below.

Keep the throttle steady, avoid over-throwing

The most effective fuel-saving driving technique is to drive steadily and maintain a steady throttle. When the car is stable, maintaining a steady throttle for as long as possible will optimize fuel consumption. On the contrary, if you often increase and decrease the throttle suddenly or step on the gas pedal suddenly, it will waste more energy.

In addition to speed, the driver needs to ensure the intensity of the engine's rpm. When this factor operates at a stable level, without increasing or decreasing continuously, the vehicle will save fuel. On the contrary, if you step on the gas pedal frequently, causing the engine's rpm to increase, the vehicle will consume more fuel. Therefore, to save fuel, try to maintain a steady throttle, avoid accelerating after starting the vehicle, after braking or after stopping at a red light.

Keep the speed moderate

In fact, driving at too low or too high a speed is not a way to save gas. The most accurate way to save gas is to keep the car at an average speed. Because at this time the car can shift to a higher gear but also does not have to endure much air resistance. According to experts, maintaining a speed between 48 - 80 km/h is considered the best way to save gas.

Avoid sudden braking

Limiting braking here does not mean advising drivers not to use brakes. Brakes are a system that helps reduce speed to ensure safety, so of course they must be used in necessary cases.

If you detect an obstacle or a red light from a distance, you should reduce the accelerator pedal to decelerate the car gradually instead of waiting until it is close to braking suddenly. Sudden braking will cause the car to lose momentum. This creates more pressure, causing the engine to work harder. Therefore, the more you brake suddenly, the more fuel your car will consume.

Keep a safe distance

Keeping a safe distance not only ensures safety but is also a way to save gas when driving. Because when keeping a safe distance, not following too closely behind the car in front… the driver will have enough time to handle unexpected situations, without having to brake suddenly causing the car to lose momentum.

Use Cruise Control

Cruise Control system will help the car automatically maintain a preset speed by controlling the throttle opening. When the Cruise Control system is in control, the car will maintain speed with a more stable engine rpm than when the driver controls the accelerator pedal. Therefore, using Cruise Control when driving on the highway or on roads with little traffic is an effective fuel-saving driving tip.

When stopping at a red light, shift to N and pull the handbrake.

When stopping at a red light, the engine will run at idle, so it will still consume fuel, but it will be lower than when the car is running on the road. However, if the engine is turned off, the engine will have to restart, which affects the starter and the car battery. Therefore, because it saves a little fuel but "shortens the life" of the starter and the battery, overall, turning off the engine when stopping at a red light is not necessarily economically beneficial. According to experts, the car engine should only be turned off when stopping at a red light for a long time.

For automatic transmission vehicles, when stopping temporarily somewhere, the driver should shift the gear lever to N. This action will reduce the vehicle's fuel consumption compared to shifting to D and keeping the foot on the brake. Note that after shifting to N and stopping, we need to pull the handbrake to ensure the vehicle does not roll.

Do not lower the window when driving at high speed

Many people mistakenly think that when driving at high speeds, such as on the highway, turning off the car's air conditioner and rolling down the windows is a way to save gas. However, the reality may be the opposite. Because rolling down the windows will increase wind resistance, making the engine work harder to "overcome" this resistance, causing more gas consumption. Therefore, you should not roll down the windows when driving at high speeds.

Do not overload

When overloaded, the engine will have to work harder, so it will consume more fuel. Overloading not only wastes fuel but also affects safety.