Fuel consumption per 1 hour of engine operation. Fuel consumption standards for diesel engines

Diesel engines, with comparable load parameters, initially differ from gasoline engines in lower fuel consumption, as well as better dynamics of traction performance, developing maximum torque at lower speeds. This has contributed to the modern widespread use of diesel engines not only in tractors, trucks and special vehicles, but also in passenger cars. However, in cases where problems arise with increased diesel fuel consumption, the diesel engine loses all its efficiency. What could be the reasons for high fuel consumption and what to do in this case?

Some of the information presented in this article will also be valid for gasoline engines internal combustion. However, taking into account the characteristic features of the design of the diesel operating process system, first of all, it is focused on identifying the causes of overconsumption and ways to save specifically diesel fuel.

The main indicator of the efficiency of any engine is specific fuel consumption. That is, the volume of fuel that is consumed by the equipment in 1 hour with a device power of 1 kW. Diesels are traditionally more economical than gasoline engines.

For diesel engines given value is 200-230 g, and for gasoline power units the same parameter is larger - 265-305 g. These are average values. In addition to them, there are a number of external and internal factors that directly affect the actual performance for a particular technique. Among the main ones are the following:

• the weight of the tractor or car (the more significant it is, the harder it will be for the motor to spin the transmission mechanism and the more energy will be needed for acceleration);
• air pressure in tires (reduced - leads to a significant decrease in the level of engine efficiency);
• air filter contamination level;
• long-term idle operation;
• aggressive driving style with sharp acceleration and deceleration, with excessive engine revs in low gears.

The main and obvious signs increased consumption diesel fuel during engine operation is a significant difference between the fuel consumption values ​​​​indicated in the documentation for the power unit and the actual values. In addition, high fuel consumption will most often be accompanied by uncharacteristic behavior of the engine during operation.

Signs of increased diesel fuel consumption

This is due to the fact that excess diesel fuel, when it enters the combustion chamber, is not burned efficiently and completely, and this always leads to a loss of power. The engine begins to “choke”, characteristic pops begin to be heard in the exhaust system due to the fact that the fuel begins to “burn out” already there. An additional, very often visible visual sign of increased fuel consumption on a diesel engine is excessive smoke, a very dark or black color of the exhaust gases emitted from the pipe.

The main reasons for increased fuel consumption on diesel engines and the simultaneous appearance of increased smoky exhaust include:

• The appearance of insufficient tightness of the power supply system.

The tightness of the power supply system for a diesel engine is of particular importance. In particular, air leaks in the inlet part of the system (from the fuel tank to the fuel priming pump) leads to malfunction of the fuel supply equipment. And the broken seal of the part of the system that is under pressure (from the fuel priming pump to the injectors) causes leakage and significant excess fuel consumption. A leak in the power system often occurs due to a violation of the tightness of the connections, due to natural wear or mechanical damage. Violations in the tightness of fuel line connections high pressure determined by the small output of diesel fuel in the places where the tubes are attached to the pump fittings and injectors when the engine is running.

• Clogged air and/or fuel filters.

This is a very common reason for increased fuel consumption on a diesel engine, which perhaps should even be placed first on the list of the main reasons for excessive consumption. Filters get clogged faster when equipment is regularly used on ground or gravel roads and off-road; when periodically using diesel fuel of questionable quality, with foreign impurities. However, the detrimental effect on the condition air filters The polluted air of especially busy roads also has an impact on the cramped state of modern megacities.

• Clogged fuel drain line.

If the fuel drain line (from the pump to the fuel tank) is clogged or deformed, this will also negatively affect diesel fuel consumption.

• Contamination or wear of injectors.

This is a more serious problem that requires repair or replacement of the injectors with new ones. When using low-quality fuel, these rather demanding devices become clogged very quickly, which leads to their damage in the future.

• Violation of the fuel injection advance angle depending on the rotation speed.

From rotation speed crankshaft– the speed of movement of the piston in the engine cylinder – depends on the amount of working fluid in the combustion chamber of the engine and its temperature. As the crankshaft rotation speed increases, the absolute durations of ignition delays (in milliseconds) are reduced, but the relative durations in degrees of crankshaft rotation increase. We must not forget about such a moment as injection delay (the time between the start of fuel supply by the pump and the injection of fuel by the nozzle into the combustion chamber). The higher the crankshaft speed, the earlier fuel needs to be injected into the combustion chamber, and vice versa.

• Large gaps in the valve mechanism.

Correct clearances in the valve group are a necessary element that ensures correct work the entire gas distribution mechanism of the engine as a whole. The size of thermal gaps can be 0.08...0.45 mm, and is standardized for each engine by its manufacturer. After the diesel engine has warmed up, all its operating parts are, to one degree or another, subject to thermal expansion, which depends both on the degree of heating and on the size of the parts, and on the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal from which these parts are made. Most engine parts expand quite strongly, as they have a fairly serious coefficient of linear deformation of the metal from which they are made.

• Severe wear of the crank mechanism, due to which the engine power decreases.

Accordingly, in order to maintain it at the level required for work, the driver or machine operator will use the accelerator pedal more often and more energetically.

• Contamination of cylinders and piston rings.

In this case, as a rule, thick black smoke comes out of the chimney, plus excessive consumption of diesel fuel.

• Failure of fuel injection pump – fuel pump high pressure.

• Electronic malfunctions leading to sensors generating incorrect data and on-board computer, accordingly, normalizes injection with errors.
• High degree of clutch wear.

• There is a violation in the regulation of the angle at which fuel injection advances in accordance with the rotation speed.
• Insufficient engine warm-up.

During the winter season, the coolant temperature drops below the required value, and because of this, the engine itself cannot reach the temperature necessary for full operation. In such a situation, the engine will use more fuel to warm up itself, which will affect the overall diesel consumption by about a ten percent increase.

• Unbalanced wheel alignment.

When the wheels are at different angles and in different directions, this causes much greater resistance when driving and, accordingly, increases fuel consumption. Normal fuel consumption returns after the wheel alignment is adjusted.

• Aerodynamic obstacles of various kinds.

It could be anything that somehow causes increased resistance when driving. In particular, non-compliant tires, luggage racks and boxes, etc.

• Automatic gearbox.

The use of an automatic transmission is always and in any case fraught with increased fuel consumption compared to traditional “mechanics”.

In addition to the indicated high consumption and increased smoke, most of the above reasons can also lead to a deterioration in acceleration dynamics; to unstable work power unit idling; to certain problems with its launch.

• Do not forget about the particularly high demands of modern diesel engines to fuel quality.

Imported diesel engines have previously been very picky about the quality of diesel fuel. And now, with the widespread adoption of the Common Rail electronic injection system, even more so. In this regard, it is necessary to refuel only at well-known gas stations of proven and tested fuel suppliers. If there is a need to refuel at an unfamiliar gas station, then it is advisable to use special additives in this case.

• Ensure correct adjustment of fuel equipment settings.

A diesel engine is structurally more complex than a gasoline engine. Mixture formation and injection here are carried out using a fuel injection pump - a high-pressure fuel pump equipped with electronic system management. With considerable age and operational wear of equipment, especially heavy, heavy-duty equipment, tuning is especially important, since natural imbalances arise; increasing gaps that reduce the quality of the mixture; violation of the injection advance angle.

In particular, the injection advance angle has different optimal values ​​at different speeds: 3° – 800 rpm. ( idling), 4° – 1000 rpm, 5° – 1500 rpm, etc. It depends on the diesel fuel pressure inside the fuel pump housing and on the wear of the wave profile of the special washer. To achieve optimal values, a piston (or so-called “timer”) is provided in the fuel injection pump housing, which, by means of a driver, rotates the washer and thereby sets the time for the start of fuel supply to the injector. Timely replacement of a worn washer often solves the problem with fuel consumption and excessive fuel consumption. In addition, timely adjustment of the cyclic supply, which must correspond to the volume of incoming air, will significantly affect diesel savings.

• Fans of a sharp and aggressive driving style should reconsider their habits, abandoning sharp “gas” with rapid power gains and braking.

It's better to stick to what's best for you economical consumption combustible smooth and stable technique control style. The diesel engine speed should be within 1600-2000 rpm. It also makes sense to avoid upshifting when accelerating to high speeds.

• Change clogged consumables in a timely manner - fuel and air filters, without allowing a significant reduction in their throughput.
• Choose an engine oil with low viscosity that is optimal for diesel engines. You should not skimp on oil: you need to replace it within the period established by the manufacturers, and this replacement must be carried out in full accordance with technical parameters tractor or car.
• Do not forget to regularly monitor the tire pressure level, inflating them as necessary to the specified values.

So, in most cases, increased diesel engine consumption is the first serious signal that there is a malfunction in the tractor or truck. It is necessary to identify this malfunction and eliminate it, if possible, in a short time, without putting these actions on the back burner.

For each tractor model, fuel consumption is indicated in the operating instructions, but different manufacturers use different formulas to determine the average value. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the formulas used assume ideal conditions for the tractor to operate: it is fully loaded, a dry, smooth road, no precipitation, etc. Therefore, basically, fuel consumption is calculated for each machine individually, depending on the conditions under which the operator has to work. Let's consider the reasons why fuel consumption may increase or decrease, as well as the principle for calculating the level of fuel consumption.

Factors affecting tractor fuel consumption

Excessive fuel consumption (or less than expected fuel consumption) can be caused by several factors. For example, one of the main reasons is technical condition tractor power unit. Experts advise checking the internal combustion engine for problems before starting work.

Photo source: website/trade

The indicator is also affected by the operator's driving style (aggressive driving, incorrect speed or incorrect gear shift mode). Weather conditions, seasonality of work and landscape are also reasons for the increase or decrease in tractor fuel consumption.

The level of fuel consumption per hour when driving depends on the load capacity of the trailer, as well as on the type of road surface. Manufacturers distinguish three types of roads depending on their condition:

1. Paved roads; field roads; packed snow roads.
2. Roads with gravel, crushed stone (broken) or sandy (country) surfaces; unpaved roads after rain; turfed soil with hard surface; stubble of grain crops.
3. Deep rutted roads; frozen or normal moisture arable land; ridge roads; thawed after a thaw; field after collecting root crops; virgin snow; off-road spring; broken roads.

Finding the necessary equipment or spare parts has become even easier - leave it and they will call you back.

Calculating the fuel consumption of tractors yourself: nuances

Determining the fuel consumption of tractors allows you to estimate the future costs of maintaining equipment. To measure the indicator, the tractor must travel 100 km. Then the amount of fuel consumed is determined. Important: the machine itself, as well as all components and assemblies, must be in full working order.

Photo source: website/trade

To calculate the fuel consumption rate of a machine, the following characteristics are taken: specific fuel consumption (R), power unit power in hp. (N) and a conversion factor from kW of 0.7. Fuel consumption for 1 hour is taken as P. Based on this, the calculation formula is as follows:

P=0.7*R*N

We should not forget that different models different load capacity. In this regard, a correction factor is used in calculations. For full, incomplete, half or partial load, the following indicators are used, respectively: 1; 08; 0.6; no more than 0.5.

Fuel consumption of domestic and foreign tractors: it’s all in the model

Photo source: website/trade

In conclusion, we present fuel consumption standards for the most popular models of agricultural tractors MTZ BELARUS, YuMZ and John Deere.

Below are examples of fuel consumption over powerful tractors John Deere different models.

Table: basic fuel consumption rates for tractors (tracked and wheeled)

Heating country house diesel fuel - profitable Alternative option heating, which is extremely popular among Russian consumers. One of the reasons for the increased demand is the low fuel consumption in a diesel heating boiler.

Diesel fuel heat generators are a good alternative to solid fuel and gas boiler equipment, of course, provided that the boiler is properly adjusted and operates without disturbances.

Reasons for increased consumption of a diesel boiler

There are several reasons why a diesel heating boiler consumes a lot of fuel:

• Incorrectly adjusted burner– during combustion, it is not the diesel fuel itself that is burned, but the fuel-air mixture. Complete afterburning of fuel occurs only with the correct proportions of diesel fuel and air. If the settings of the burner device are not made correctly, a large percentage of underburn will remain, which leads to overconsumption.
• Thickening of diesel fuel– in diesel fuel, with decreasing temperature environment, viscosity increases. If the work on installing the fuel pump and diesel fuel storage tanks is carried out incorrectly, excess consumption is guaranteed.
• Nozzle or injectors have failed. When diesel fuel is burned, a torch of flame is created. The fire enters the combustion chamber under pressure, which leads to the fact that from time to time the nozzle burns out. The need to replace the nozzle is indicated by a sharp increase in diesel fuel consumption.
• Natural causes– during severe frosts, fuel costs increase by 15-20% and vice versa, during a relatively warm heating period, diesel fuel consumption decreases.

There are several reasons for increased consumption that are not directly related to the operation of the boiler. Heat loss occurs due to a poorly insulated pipeline through which heated coolant is supplied to the room, intensive use of the second hot water circuit, etc.

How to calculate the average daily consumption of diesel fuel in a boiler

The specific consumption rate in professional conditions is calculated depending on the power of the burner device. Calculation formula: 0.1 × burner capacity. Cost calculations are performed for the entire heating season.

They do this as follows:

1. Within an hour, a 10 kW boiler consumes 1 kg of diesel fuel.
2. 24 kg are consumed per day.
3. The average heating season lasts 100 days, and half the time the boiler will operate at 50% capacity. As a result of calculations, the actual consumption is equal to 5000 liters of fuel per year.

Causes concern when the difference in fuel consumption increases beyond 20%. If the minimum flow rate for a 10 kW unit has become 1.25-1.5 l/hour, an analysis of the heating system is carried out in order to find the reason for the increased costs.

How to reduce diesel fuel consumption in a diesel boiler

You can reduce diesel fuel consumption in the boiler in the following ways:

• Adjust the burner - most often, problems arise when installation work is carried out independently or with the involvement of unqualified specialists. To adjust most types of burners, special software is required. The work reduces fuel costs by 10%.
• Installation of room temperature sensors and weather-dependent automation. Control over the operation of the boiler through microprocessor automation connected to sensors installed in the rooms of a residential building and on the street reduces the volume of burned diesel fuel by another 10-15%.
  The controller takes into account the actual heat needs of the room and the ambient temperature, and selects the optimal power of the burner. Weather-compensating automation eliminates the effect of temperature on fuel consumption.
• Eliminate errors made during installation. Containers with diesel fuel and a pump are well insulated. Installation of the storage facility is carried out exclusively in a heated room.
  If a decision is made to construct underground storage facilities, the containers must be buried below the freezing level of the soil. The fuel line and heating system pipe (if it runs along the street or in the ground) are well insulated.
• Select a heat generator equivalent to the heated area of ​​the building. The relationship between power and energy consumption is especially obvious if you imagine the following ratio. To heat 200 m² of area, 48 kg of diesel fuel will be required, but when heating a smaller room (100 m²), there will be a significant overconsumption of at least 15%.

Winter has come and now many cars “start” according to the alarm time (banal programmable autostart). Also, many write that it is precisely because of such “warming up” that a large amount of fuel is wasted. That is, the consumption at idle is simply huge (increases by almost 50%)! BUT is this really so? How much does the car consume per hour with such idle warm-ups? Let's find out + as usual video version...

Of course, the colder it is, the more difficult it is for the car to start and operate for the first 3–5 minutes; then the system warms up and consumption drops. But it becomes clear that in any case there is a cost, but not as huge as many people write.

About the alarm

Alarm system with auto start, allows you to start the car for 5 - 10 minutes. Moreover, usually the default is 10 minutes, but you can set it to 5, on some alarms it’s 3 minutes.

You can put it like automatic start by time, for example:

• Will start before you arrive
• Or by time interval (every 2 hours),
• By temperature (warmed up - stopped - cooled down - started again).
• Well, of course, you can start it yourself from the window in the morning (this is if the car is parked in front of the windows).

The most common are points 1 and 4, and basically no one removes the factory settings; the machine “keeps on” for 10 minutes. (it is during this time that we will calculate fuel consumption below)

How much does it cost per hour?

We came to the most interesting part – measurements. It can take a long time to calculate consumption using formulas. BUT we will do it easier, we have an excellent diagnostic tool (which is installed in the OBD2 connector). Still, now modern “injection” cars are a bit like computers.

Well, of course, we have a plugin - “instant fuel consumption”, it is calculated in “liters per hour”.

I won’t tell you in detail how to connect it to the car (all this will be in the video version). I will also measure the average consumption per hour in my car – KIA OPTIMA 2.0 liters.

So, what happens - until the car is warmed up, the consumption fluctuates within 1.0 – 1.2 liters per hour (it was about -10 degrees Celsius outside). After 2 - 3 minutes, the system warmed up and the flow rate dropped up to 0.7 – 0.8 liters per hour

I also conducted experiments on cars with a smaller engine capacity, 1.4 - 1.6 liters. Their fuel consumption is warmed up engine approximately 0.6 - 0.7l , in the cold it will also be spend about 1l. at one o'clock . I think that this fuel consumption algorithm is regulated; after the system warms up to at least +20, +30 degrees, the control unit automatically reduces the fuel supply and the speed drops.

Of course, the lower the temperature outside, the longer the interval at higher speeds with a consumption of 1 liter per hour will be. For example, at -20, -30 degrees it will be approximately 5 - 7 minutes.

So how much does autostart consume?

It's not difficult to calculate here. We will take the standard case of “10” minutes before work, and “10” after the working day (why “10”, because rarely will anyone change the standard alarm settings for 5 minutes or less).

I will also take the flow rate at -10 degrees. Let me remind you that for the first 3 minutes it is 1 l/h

At -20 deg. 5 minutes. – 1l/h

At -30 deg. 7 min. – 1l/h

We have 60 minutes in an hour:

Then – 1000ml/60 = 16.6ml/min *6 = 100ml

As a result, at -10 degrees. Celsius (2.0 liter engine) - for two starts of 10 minutes each, consumes – 100 + 163 ml = 263 ml. OR ALMOST - 0.3 liters. It's up to you to decide whether it's a lot or a little.

Of course, a car with a smaller engine will spend a little less at idle. If we go the logical route, then let’s say the 1.6 liter engine is 20% smaller in volume than the 2.0 version. This means that it will consume 20% less at idle.

263ml – 20% = 210 ml.

Of course, if your engine volume is larger and the temperature is lower, then everything can be calculated for your conditions. As you can see, all this is quite simple.

Well, before concluding the article, I would like to say that not only the idle speed (of the engine), but also a bunch of other parameters affects it. For example, winter tires, oil thickness, snow on the roads, etc. Watch all about this in my video, I recommend it to everyone.

This is where I end, I think my article and video were useful to you. Sincerely yours, AUTOBLOGGER

Which automakers usually indicate in their specifications often have nothing to do with actual fuel consumption. How can you find out how much your car really consumes? You can easily do this using fuel consumption calculators, of which there are many on the Internet. But how do such calculators work, and is it possible to calculate the fuel consumption of any car yourself? Certainly. It's very simple. We'll talk about this today. Also, as a bonus, we suggest you read our tips that will help you save fuel in your car.

If you want to know exactly, you can use fuel consumption calculators on the Internet (fortunately there are a lot of them today) or simply calculate fuel consumption using a simple formula yourself. First of all, you must fill your car's fuel tank completely. Next, you should reset the daily mileage on the dashboard. If you don't know how to do this, find instructions in your car's manual or search for information on the Internet.

As a rule, in many cars, the button for resetting the daily mileage (not to be confused with the main mileage counter - the mileage of the car, which cannot be reset) is located directly under dashboard or right on it. In some cars, the daily mileage reset button is located on the steering column lever. There are also cars where, in order to reset the car’s daily mileage, you need to reset the daily odometer readings through the car settings menu.

So, after resetting the trip odometer, you should drive several hundred kilometers to find out exactly how much fuel your car actually consumes. By the way, for this you do not need to burn full tank fuel. To accurately calculate real fuel consumption, you need to drive 200-300 kilometers.

✔ Advice. Drive the car as you would in everyday life. For example, not only driving on the highway. So you won't figure it out real consumption fuel, since any car when driving on expressways outside the city consumes much less fuel than in the city. Therefore, your fuel test route should include both city and highway driving. If you most often drive your car in the city, then on a test route, use the car 60-70 percent of the time in city traffic. In 30-40 percent of cases you can use the car on the highway.

After you've driven a few hundred kilometers, return to the gas station and fill the fuel tank completely again. In order to calculate the real fuel consumption (and not the one shown by your car's on-board computer, the values ​​​​of which are far from reality), you must know how much fuel was consumed during your test drive and the number of kilometers on the daily odometer that you previously had to were reset. Here is the formula for calculation:

number of liters of fuel you filled: how far you drove x 100 = fuel consumption in l / 100 km

Here are two examples for this formula:

For example, let’s assume that, having filled a full tank of 50 liters, we drove 517 kilometers. Then, when the light on the dashboard came on, warning of low fuel level, we again arrived at the gas station to refuel. Taking into account the small amount of fuel remaining in the tank, we again refueled the car to a full tank. As a result, 48.7 liters of fuel entered the tank. Now, knowing how much fuel was consumed by the car (48.7 liters) and the mileage on the daily odometer (517 kilometers), previously reset to zero before starting measurements, we can use the above formula to calculate the real fuel consumption of our car.

Here is the final calculation using our example:

48.7 l: 517 km x 100 = 9.4 l / 100 km

In the second example, we will calculate the fuel consumption of a car for a short mileage. That is, during the run, not until the moment when the tank already runs out of fuel. Let's assume that you, having filled 50 liters of fuel (full tank) and reset the car's daily mileage, have driven 300 kilometers. Then we stopped at a gas station again and filled the car up to a full tank. As a result, 28.2 liters entered the tank. Now, knowing the mileage (300 kilometers) and the amount of fuel consumed for this mileage, using the above formula you can calculate the exact fuel consumption of your car. Here's the calculation:

28.2 l: 300 km x 100 = 9.4 l / 100 km

As you can see, with less mileage we got the same fuel consumption as with more. That's why to accurately measure your car's fuel consumption, you don't have to burn the entire tank of gas. To do this, it is enough to drive only a few hundred kilometers.

How is the cost of fuel per 1 kilometer of travel calculated?

If you know exactly how much your car consumes (by calculating the consumption using the formula above), you can easily calculate the cost of fuel per 1 kilometer of your journey. To do this, you must know the cost of 1 liter of gasoline or diesel fuel. Next, use the following formula:

Average fuel consumption x fuel price: 100 = cost per 1 kilometer

Let's stick to our example for a visual calculation using this formula: a car consumes an average of 9.4 l/100 km. With a fuel cost of 40 rubles per 1 liter, we obtain the following costs:

9.4 l / 100 km x 40 rub. / l: 100 = 3.76 rub. / km

For those who are wondering how much 100 kilometers will cost, in the above formula, remove the action of dividing by 100 (:100). As a result, multiplying the average fuel consumption by the cost of one liter of fuel, you will get the amount spent per 100 kilometers. Here is an example calculation:

9.4 l / 100 km x 40 rub. / l = 376 rub. / 100 km

How do gasoline or diesel fuel consumption calculators work?

If you don't have a calculator handy and you're not good at simple math or don't feel like doing everything in your head, you can also use a fuel calculator. On the Internet you will find many different calculators for calculating gasoline or diesel fuel consumption. To do this, enter the query “fuel consumption calculator” in the search bar of any search engine. In response to your request, you will receive a huge number of links to various online calculators that help calculate fuel consumption.

Most online online calculators will help you calculate not only the average fuel consumption, but also the cost of a trip over any distance. You can also calculate the cost of 1 kilometer of travel.

My car uses too much fuel - is it broken?

To understand how much your car actually consumes, you must compare your car's actual fuel consumption with the car manufacturer's specifications. Although usually the factory specification for fuel consumption has nothing in common with the actual car efficiency figures. However, according to the automaker, you can estimate how much fuel your car actually consumes. The fact is that on average, real fuel consumption is 20-30% more than what automakers claim in technical specifications on your cars.

So, when comparing the real average fuel consumption of your car (which you, for example, calculated using the above formula) with the official data of the automaker, take into account this 20-30% difference. If actual fuel consumption is 40-50% or more higher, then you should look for the reason for the overconsumption, which may be associated with both breakdowns and your incorrect driving style. It is also possible that the cause of the overconsumption was low-quality fuel.

However, if your car's fuel consumption suddenly increases despite the fact that you drive the car on the same roads and use the same driving style as before, then there is a high probability that there is a problem with the car. Here are the main reasons for increased fuel consumption associated with malfunctions:

• Problems with the engine control unit
• Clogged injectors, worn spark plugs and clogged
• 
  Damaged auxiliary devices such as air conditioning
• 
  Faulty bearings or brakes

But these are not all the reasons for increased fuel consumption. You can read more about this.

How to reduce fuel consumption?

If your car consumes too much fuel, it does not always mean there is a defect. Did you know that your fuel consumption can be seriously affected by your driving style? Here are the basic rules for an economical driving style:

1) Do not shift into a higher gear prematurely.

2) Try not to drive the car with the gas pedal full.

3) Try to coast more often and do not press the gas pedal constantly.

4) Brake the engine more often, including a lower gear. Before traffic lights, release the gas in advance so that the car coasts, gradually losing speed.

5) Drive on the highway as slowly as possible. At a speed of 160 km/h, a car needs two-thirds more fuel than at 100 km/h.

6) Turn off the engine more often. Even with a relatively short wait time (about 20 seconds), it makes sense to turn off the engine. Modern cars with a stop/start system (automatic engine shutdown) they independently turn off the engine when stopping and turn on the engine when starting to move.

Besides driving, there are many other factors that can affect your fuel consumption. These include:

• Roof rack:
  Even without a load of 20 percent due to increased aerodynamic air resistance.

• Tire pressure:
  Tire pressure that is too low has a negative impact on fuel consumption. The air pressure should be checked regularly at a gas station (or before driving at home) and compared with the data recommended by the car manufacturer (you can find the correct tire pressure in the vehicle owner's manual, on the central driver's door pillar or in the fuel tank cap). Special tires with optimized rolling resistance can further reduce consumption.

• Engine oil:
  There are special ones (0W-30 or 5W-20) that can reduce internal friction and therefore also reduce fuel consumption, however these oils usually cost significantly more than regular ones lubricants for the engine.

• Vehicle equipment:
  Heating, air conditioning or heated seats make driving more comfortable, but increase fuel consumption. In particular, air conditioning can increase fuel consumption by several liters per 100 kilometers.