RV FEATURE
WHAT ’ S MY POINT ?
So what ’ s the take-away of this ramble ? First , your fuel consumption will be affected by a wide range of factors , some of them outside of your control - the weather , in particular . A strong headwind will easily add as much as 1L / 100km to your fuel average . Extrapolated over 1000km , assuming a cost of $ 2.20 per litre , that ’ s $ 22 , and $ 220 over 10,000km .
TIPS
Your money is better in your bank account rather than in the already-deep pockets of BP or Shell . No doubt you have already worked out some ways to optimise your fuel consumption but some of them bear repeating :
1 . If possible , try to avoid travelling in horrible weather . If the engine has to work harder against the wind , you ’ ll know about it when you fill up again . Don ’ t believe me ? Read this article again .
2 . Your general attitude at the wheel WILL affect fuel consumption . An aggressive driving posture will lighten your wallet much faster than a defensive posture .
3 . Check your tyre pressures . Under-inflated tyres have a greater contact patch with the road and therefore increased ‘ rolling resistance ’ for the engine to overcome . In my experience , the affect on fuel consumption isn ’ t as pronounced as wind resistance , but insuring correct tyre pressures is good practice anyway .
4 . Weight is the sworn enemy of fuel efficiency . Lighten your load to lighten the load on your wallet . As seen on page 46 , when towing a 2700kg caravan with this same vehicle , my fuel consumption doubled . This is by no means an argument against caravanning , but it is an argument for leaving the kitchen sink at home and investing in technology such as lithium batteries , which provide the same ( or greater ) output for a considerable reduction in the physical weight of the battery .
56 \