17 FAMILIARISATION
-
ECO-DRIVING
Eco-driving is a range of everyday practices that allow the motorist to optimise their fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Optimise the use of your
gearbox
With a manual gearbox, move off
gently, change up without waiting
and drive by changing up quite soon.
If your vehicle has the system, the
gear effi ciency indicator invites you
to change up; it is displayed in the
instrument panel, follow its instruc-
tions.
With an automatic or electronic gear-
box, stay in Drive "D"
or Auto "A"
,
according to the type of gearbox,
without pressing the accelerator ped-
al heavily or suddenly.
Drive smoothly
Maintain a safe distance between vehi-
cles, use engine braking rather than the
brake pedal, and press the accelerator
progressively. These practices contrib-
ute towards a reduction in fuel consump-
tion and CO
2 emissions and also helps
reduce the background traffi c noise.
If your vehicle has cruise control,
make use of the system at speeds
above 25 mph (40 km/h) when the
traffi c is fl owing well.
Control the use of your
electrical equipment
Before moving off, if the passenger
compartment is too warm, ventilate it
by opening the windows and air vents
before using the air conditioning.
Above 30 mph (50 km/h), close the
windows and leave the air vents
open.
Remember to make use of equipment
that can help keep the temperature
in the passenger compartment down
(sunroof and window blinds...).
Switch off the air conditioning, unless
it has automatic digital regulation, as
soon as the desired temperature is at-
tained.
Switch off the demisting and defrosting
controls, if not automatic.
Switch off the heated seat as soon as
possible.
Switch off the headlamps and front
foglamps when the level of light does
not require their use.
Avoid running the engine before moving
off, particularly in winter; your vehicle will
warm up much faster while driving.
As a passenger, if you avoid con-
necting your multimedia devices
(fi lm, music, video game...), you will
contribute towards limiting the con-
sumption of electrical energy, and so
of fuel.
Disconnect your portable devices be-
fore leaving the vehicle.
FAMILIARISATION18 -
Limit the causes of excess
consumption
Spread loads throughout the vehicle;
place the heaviest items in the bot-
tom of the boot, as close as possible
to the rear seats.
Limit the loads carried in the vehicle
and reduce wind resistance (roof bars,
roof rack, bicycle carrier, trailer...).
Use a roof box in preference.
Remove roof bars and roof racks after
use.
At the end of winter, remove snow
tyres and refi t your summer tyres.
Observe the recommendations
on maintenance
Check the tyre pressures regularly,
when cold, referring to the label in the
door aperture, driver's side.
Carry out this check in particular:
- before a long journey,
- at each change of season,
- after a long period out of use.
Don't forget the spare wheel and the
tyres on any trailer or caravan.
Have your vehicle serviced regularly
(engine oil, oil fi lter, air fi lter...) and
observe the schedule of operations
recommended by the manufacturer.
When refuelling, do not continue after
the 3 rd cut-off of the nozzle to avoid
any overfl ow.
At the wheel of your new vehicle,
it is only after the fi rst 1 800 miles
(3 000 kilometres) that you will see
the fuel consumption settle down to
a consistent average.
