Recently a rapid escalation in fuel prices in UAE has left the residents speechless. The fuel cost froze during the year 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic. Once March 2021 hit the prices of fuel unstoppably went hiking.
After looking at the graph, from August 2015 to the present, the fuel price has hiked by 50%. In August 2015, the cost of 1-litre fuel was Dh2.14 which is sold now for Dh4.14 per litre. The price announced by the UAE Fuel Price Committee is considered the highest in the history of the UAE.
Residents have started looking for some alternatives and tricks for saving fuel with the ongoing hike in fuel prices. Here are some tips and tricks to look at saving money by using gas wisely.
Best Time To Refuel
A common belief that not everyone follows is the right time to fuel your car. Either in the early morning or late in the afternoon is the perfect time to fill your car tank with petrol as oil tends to expand in the warmer climate.
If the fuel is added during the hot time of the day, it burns faster than one can imagine. Always make sure to fuel the car when the tank is half full. The scientific reason behind this instruction is that space means it is occupied by the air. Fuels evaporate faster when it gets in touch with air. Fill the gas tank at the right time to save yourself from overspending on fuel.
Renting a car from Selfdrive.ae will free you from all these tensions. Selfdrive's fleet includes cars in which the fuel tank has an internal floating roof that prevents fuel from evaporating.
Good Driving Habits
A good driving habit will save up to 25% of your fuel. As the speed of driving increases parallelly, the consumption of petrol also increases. Not just speed, but a few other actions can also consume more fuel than usual.
Quick acceleration, take a minimum time of 5 seconds to accelerate at the speed of 20 Km/hr. It is noted that fluctuating the speed absorbs more than usual petrol. Fluctuating the speed every 18 seconds requires 20% of extra fuel. Always drive at a constant speed.
Look ahead for traffic or pedestrians and slow down the car instead of using brakes quite often. This not only saves fuel but is also a tip for safe driving habits.
Avoid Excessive Idling
Turn the engine off if the car is stopped for more than a minute. If the engine is on when the car is idle for 10 mins it drains nearly 300 millilitres of fuel which is equal to 1 cup. On average, a red light takes 45 to 120 seconds to turn green. Whereas, switching the engine off and turning it on again requires only 10 seconds of petrol.
New model cars have the inbuilt feature to turn the engine off when it's idle. Rent a new model car from Selfdrive.ae and drive without any worries about spending too much fuel.
Remove Excess Weight From Your Car
Never load your car with unnecessary items. Remove that unwanted cargo box, cycle track and unnecessary items from the car to reduce the weight. An increase in weight means you are increasing the vehicle's wind resistance.
An engine has to work harder than usual to increase the wind resistance. To resist the wind it needs more energy from fuel to work harder. A large cargo box can save up to 2% - 8% of the fuel.
Keep Your Engine Well-Tuned Up
Check the car manual and get aware of how often you should tune the engine as it depends on the age and model of the vehicle. Tuning up the engine regularly will increase 4% of mileage of the car.
Repairing serious maintenance issues like the faulty oxygen sensor can save up to 40% of the fuel. Tuning up the engine doesn't cost more than the petrol you spend by driving without tuning the engine regularly.
Bottom Line
Check for inflated tires and track your fuel consumption on a weekly or monthly interval. Make sure to service and maintain your car regularly. If you want to be free of all these extra duties, download the Selfdrive app or visit www.selfdrive.ae website to rent a car.
Rent a car and let maintenance, service and regular and other major check-ups of the car be taken care of by Selfdrive as it provides you with an all-inclusive rate package. Rent for different durations from 1 day to 36 months on a daily/weekly, monthly rental and yearly lease basis. Rent a car from Selfdrive and let the worries fly. Download the Selfdrive app now and enjoy a seamless drive.
