A petrol attendant fills up a car at a BP service station before South Africans face another national fuel hike. Picture: Karen Sandison African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town - With South Africans facing the agony of another record high in fuel prices from Wednesday, increasing your car’s fuel consumption will be top of mind for most motorists.
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe announced the adjustment to fuel prices this week. The fuel price hikes, which he said would have been R2 to R3 worse had government not imposed a temporary R1.50 reduction in the general fuel levy, have been attributed to a host of local and global issues, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
The record-high prices will see 93 octane petrol increase by 28c a litre and 95 octane by 36c/l, while diesel is set for sobering increases of between R1.52/l and R1.69/l/.
As the minister noted, these fuel hikes will add further financial pressure on South African households.
A few weeks ago, Parliament’s mineral resources committee heard that the department was looking at encouraging remote working, lower speed limits, price caps and limiting petrol purchases to 50 litres at a time to mitigate the effects of rising fuel prices.
But, here are four ways you can limit your fuel consumption:
Work from home
As the department suggested, by far the best way to save fuel consumption is to drive your car less, or not at all. Transportation to and from work is undoubtedly one of the bigger chunks of household expenditure. According to the Household Affordability Index by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity (PMBEJD), with the rising prices, transport to work and back will cost a worker an average of R1 408.00.
Join lift clubs
Joining lift clubs is probably one of the most traditional fuel and travel cost-saving methods. According to Forbes, a carpool group of four people could cut your commuting expenses by 75%. This is mainly because the total fuel cost will be split equally in the group.
Avoid speeding
One of the most efficient and easiest ways for saving fuel is reducing speed. Your car burns more fuel when you drive fast. For example, driving at 80km/h can double fuel consumption compared with driving at 40km/h. According to Ford, by driving at 90km/h instead of 100km/h, you can improve your fuel efficiency by 10-15%. However, too low or too high speed can both cause increased fuel consumption.
Minimise use of air conditioning
Studies have shown that avoiding air conditioning can save you at least 4% of fuel. Prime Meridian Direct, air conditioners in older cars can use about an extra 10% of fuel. Avoid the air conditioner when the temperature outside allows you to do so. Instead, have your windows open when you are driving at a slower speed.
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