American automajor, Ford Motor Company believes that the fuel economy is a crucial factor among buyers investing into a car. With an aim to analyze Indian drivers’ driving habits and fuel efficiency knowledge, Ford has conducted a survey that reveals that 95% people claimed they knew how to drive the car for attaining maximum fuel efficiency and 96% said they make a concerted effort to drive efficiently on daily basis. A total of 9,500 drivers participated in the study across 11 markets in Asia Pacific, including 1,023 Indian respondents.
Ford’s fleet of study has revealed some interesting facts about driving habits of people that are listed below –
– Nearly 40% of Indian drivers were unaware of negative impact of harsh acceleration and braking on the car’s fuel consumption. Fact is, aggressive driving – like braking harshly or taking off too quickly – causes fuel wastage.
– Keeping the engine running during idling will save more fuel; this is what 26% of respondents believe. Though, one must know that switching off the engine and restarting it is actually an easy way to enhance fuel efficiency of a car.
– The survey shows that 78% of drivers were unaware about the fuel efficiency benefits of cruise control system. The cruise control technology stops you from driving faster than allowed. So, it helps maintain a constant speed and avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking that translates into less fuel consumption or wastage.
– Using GPS to map the shortest route before heading out can save your time and money. This fact was known to only 27% of the survey participants. Ford’s SYNC 2 system in-car infotainment system provides driver vocal control over built-in apps for navigation, temperature and more. You can pre-set your most frequent destinations in the system to save our time.
– Around 52% of drivers were unaware of the fact that driving in hilly areas can affect fuel consumption. The vehicle consumes more fuel during long drives in the mountains compared to driving on straight road and flat surfaces.
– Most participants were unaware that cold weather (73 percent) and hot weather (64 percent) affect a vehicle’s fuel efficiency. In cold climate, the engine takes longer to reach its most efficient temperature. On the other hand, in warmer climate you need to keep a check on usage of the air-conditioner. It is better to use air-conditioner at highway speeds, and put windows down at lower speeds.
– The survey finds that 35% of drivers knew that by removing or cluttering heavy items from the car can help save fuel. An extra 20kg of weight can reduce the vehicle’s mileage by roughly 1%.
– One third of the drivers were unaware of the fact that regular servicing can also improve the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. And over 58% of respondents were unaware that regular tire pressure checking can also save fuel.
Ford’s EcoBoost technology for petrol-powered engines with turbochargers, variable valve timing and direct fuel injection system make their cars more fuel efficient than most of their rivals. Furthermore, it reduces CO2 emission of the powertrain without impacting its performance. In India, the EcoBoost technology is available on the EcoSport compact SUV.
