Efficient driving

Anticipate the road as far ahead as possible to avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, as this increases fuel use.

Maintain a greater distance from the vehicle in front so that you can adapt your speed without necessarily using the brakes.

When slowing down, lift off the accelerator as early as possible but remain in gear.

Driving at high revs increases fuel consumption so when accelerating change up early, usually by around 2,000RPM.

At high speeds fuel consumption increases dramatically. For example, at 75mph a car uses around 18% more fuel than at 60mph and for a van the penalty is around 37%. For EVs, the increase in energy consumption at high speeds is even greater.

Many newer cars automatically turn off when stationary in neutral. If yours doesn’t, turn off your engine if you’re going to be stationary for more than a minute or so.

Under-inflated tyres increase your fuel consumption and can be dangerous, so check them at least once a month and before long journeys.

Having these attached to your car will increase drag and fuel costs, especially at higher speeds, so try to take them off when they’re not being used

It’s more fuel efficient to open a window than use air conditioning when driving, even at higher speeds. Air conditioning increases fuel consumption by as much as five per cent. However, we appreciate that open windows are not always pleasant on very hot days or at higher speeds, so if you need to use air conditioning, try to use it sparingly.

Driving an EV efficiently also requires making the most of regenerative braking, which recharges the batteries when you slow down or drive downhill. To do this, use the higher levels of regen once you’re comfortable to do so. This, combined with good anticipation of the road ahead, will mean you do most of your slowing down through regen.

Remember also that heating an EV takes energy and depletes the battery, so use heating wisely. Most EVs have heated seats and often heated steering wheels. By using these features you’ll probably find you can turn the cabin temperature down, which brings a net saving in energy.