Save up to 50% on fuel with these top tips from the DGT Spain
Rising oil prices in Spain mean it's time to start driving smarter and these new habits could save you a fortune
With Brent crude oil creeping towards $96 a barrel amid ongoing instability in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, fuel prices in Spain are once again heading in the wrong direction. In response, the Spanish Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has been reminding drivers that the way they use the accelerator is the single most important factor when it comes to getting the most out of a tank of fuel.
According to the DGT, adopting efficient driving habits can cut your fuel consumption by anywhere between 30% and 50% and as a bonus, it's also kinder to your engine. Less waste heat and reduced mechanical stress means less wear on fluids and materials over time.
It's also worth clearing up a common misconception: efficient driving isn't simply about going as slowly as possible. It's about finding the sweet spot where your engine is working consistently and comfortably, without being pushed too hard.
On conventional roads, that sweet spot is 90 km/h. At this speed, a standard vehicle's engine operates at its most efficient, with significantly less effort required to keep things moving. Push that up to the 120 km/h motorway limit and, according to DGT figures, your fuel consumption can jump by as much as 30%.
The reason is simple: above 100 km/h, aerodynamic resistance increases sharply and the engine has to burn considerably more fuel just to overcome the air pushing back against the car.
Keeping a steady pace is key, so the DGT recommends planning your journey to avoid unnecessary acceleration and sharp braking, letting the car coast when you're approaching a stop and changing down through the gears gradually rather than braking hard.
Gear choice matters too. Shifting up into fourth or fifth gear before you even reach 50 km/h is advisable, as long as you're keeping the engine in its optimal rev range, which for most vehicles is somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 rpm. Dropping below 90 km/h while still in a low gear actually works against you, as the higher revs push consumption back up again.
Beyond speed and gear management, there are a few other habits worth keeping an eye on. Heavy use of air conditioning, carrying unnecessary weight in the boot and poor aerodynamics can all chip away at your efficiency without you really noticing.
Tyre pressure is another factor that's easy to overlook but makes a measurable difference. The DGT points out that running tyres just 0.5 bar below the manufacturer's recommended pressure increases fuel consumption by 2% in town and up to 4% on longer journeys. Properly inflated tyres also ensure the right amount of contact with the road, which helps the car roll more freely.
For anyone really serious about squeezing every last kilometre out of a tank, switching to low rolling resistance tyres can cut consumption by a further 3%.
None of these changes on their own will transform your fuel bill overnight, but taken together they add up to a significant difference. And with prices at the pump looking uncertain for the foreseeable future, it's well worth building a few of these habits into your everyday driving.
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