8 ideas to Convert your Car into an Eco-friendly Drive

A serious issue which our world has been fighting ever since the industrial revolution is the global warming. Apart from large factories automobiles are also a prominent contributor to the increase in global temperature. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This number can vary based on a vehicle’s fuel, fuel economy, and the number of miles driven per year. A study conducted by IIM, Lucknow found out that the CO2 emission from transposed in India during 2000-2001 was around 19.80 million metric tons of carbon equivalent and estimated that it could if could touch 77 million metric tons of carbon equivalent within the next 3 years. So, it is of utmost importance that we control the vehicle emission through various methods, that are going to be discussed in this article, to protect the environment and to convert your car into an eco-friendly drive.

USE HIGH-GRADE FUELS

All fuel types available in petrol pumps contain certain amounts of Deposit Control Additives (cleaning agents). But this amount increases from unleaded to high-grade fuels. Premium versions of petrol cost a lot more than the ordinary fuel but this comes with some perks- high octane number which leads to better performance and fewer emissions. A test conducted by the Automobile Association of Australia (AAA) found out that carbon-monoxide emissions were reduced when running a Top Tier fuel, that is the most harmful component from the tailpipe emission is reduced.

REGULAR SERVICING

Do not miss any service schedule. Always get your car serviced because it can bring down the fuel consumptions and emissions and increase the vehicle’s life. During service period a check on the engine oil and air filter must be done so as to ensure that your vehicle’s engine parts don’t wear and adequate airflow is available to the engine. Although engine oils consist of base oils and additives to improve the oil’s performance, supplementary additives may provide an immediate, and often cost-effective solution to engine wear and reduce vehicle emission.

MINIMIZE IDLE TIME

Cutting out engine idling will help for a start – it will improve the air quality in congested areas. A study conducted in Canada found out that Canadian motorists avoided idling for just three minutes every day of the year, CO2 emissions could be reduced by 1.4 million tonnes annually. This would be equivalent to taking 320,000 cars off of the road for the entire year. In fact, a 2003 study supports (NRCan) Natural Resources Canada’s position that “idling for over 10 seconds uses more fuel and produces more CO2 emissions than restarting your engine.” This clearly confirms that there are direct benefits – in the form of fuel savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions – that are obtained by turning the engine off instead of idling. As such, when considering all of the factors, the study showed it is better to turn the engine off rather than to let it idle unnecessarily.

DRIVE SMARTER

It is not that easy to drive a car smartly. Smart driving refers to less braking and ease upon the gas pedal. Rapidly accelerating from an idle position is going to consume a lot of fuel and consequently lots of emissions. Gradual acceleration and driving at a moderate speed will give you better fuel economy. If you’re accelerating rapidly and then coming to a screeching halt the amount of fuel consumed is not completely put into use, thus, causing excessive emission and loss of fuel.

CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE

Low tire pressure leads to high rolling resistance which means the engine has to undergo a lot more strain than usual to move the vehicle. According to the US Department of Energy, every one psi (Pounds per Square Inch) drop in the pressure of the tires is going to lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent. It is better to buy a tire pressure monitoring system that can provide you with a real-time tire pressure of your vehicle. It is pretty obvious that under-inflated tires will have a serious impact on a person’s wallet. So, make sure that the tire pressures are correct before taking your car out for a ride.

USE OF AIR CONDITIONERS

It’s fair enough to use the A/Cs during hot mornings and afternoons. But during evening time switch off the A/C, roll down your windows and let the fresh cool air in. The compressors of your car’s A/C is run by the same engine that powers your car. So, when more load is applied to the engine, more fuel will it consume. Another small hack that could reduce your fuel cost, in the long run, is by turning off the air conditioning a few miles before reaching your destination, as the system will allow cool air to continue circulating via the fans. It wouldn’t do miracles but will reduce the consumption of fuel and consequently reduce emission.

CARPOOL AND AVOID SHORT DRIVES

Try to share a ride at least once a week. If public transport is available in your area, please do use it. If you’re going somewhere near use your cycle or walk. In that manner you’ll be contributing for a greener environment by cutting out the CO2 emission. Not using your vehicle for even one day can make a lot of difference. For your information, one gallon of gas creates 20 pounds of carbon dioxide, and the average car emits about six tons of carbon dioxide every year. So, try to minimize the use of a car as much as possible.

CHOOSING ELECTRIC

This is a revolutionary step towards protecting the environment. If you’re planning to buy a new car try opting for a hybrid or an EV. A hybrid has emissions but an EV does not emit any harmful gases. Almost all the automobile manufacturers are undergoing the EV makeover. Some of the countries have made their public transport completely electric. Although the prices of EVs are high at the moment, it will come down as time goes by and it is by far the best option to cut down emissions and to reduce fuel cost.

There are so many other options available to make your car eco-friendly apart from the points mentioned above. Reducing the vehicle weight and removing any modifications that affect the aerodynamics of the car etc., are some of them. By adopting these steps you’re showing your commitment to protect the environment and make the Earth a better place to live in for the future generation. Drive safe, Drive smart and enjoy!