Owning any type of vehicle is equally expensive as the cost of living continues to rise in Singapore. Even if there was a nearest petrol station from where a driver is, the chances of a driver trying to find the cheapest petrol station is undeniably foreseeable.
The petrol prices in Singapore are notably high, the latest petrol price for a litre of petrol can easily cost you anywhere from $2.60 to $3.70, depending on the petrol grade. As a comparison, the cost of a litre of petrol is equivalent to the price of a cup of kopi at a coffee shop.
Undoubtedly, petrol in Singapore is convenient but expensive!
5 Easy Driving Tips To Maximise Your Fuel Consumption Every Drive
Here are some fuel-efficient driving tips you can adopt for a smoother and smarter driving experience:
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Prevent harsh acceleration and braking! Before moving from a stationary position, slowly ease the accelerator by counting to 5 seconds before accelerating the vehicle to 20km/hr. Sudden or harsh braking has increased fuel consumption by 30%, so always stay alert when driving to avoid hitting the brakes abruptly.
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Drive at a constant speed. Maintaining your speed as you drive can reduce fuel consumption by 20%. The recommended speed range is 75km/hr to 85km/hr. Remember to drive at a speed within the legal speed limit of the road you are on.
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Avoid speeding! Most vehicles have a minimum cruising speed of at least 60km/hr and a maximum speed of 130km/hr. Speeding is one of the main reasons why fuel consumption is the highest, especially for larger vehicles. Most small roads in Singapore have a maximum speed limit of 50km/hr and 90km/hr on the expressways. Speeding in Singapore is also a serious offence, and licenses can be suspended if caught travelling more than 60km/hr past the actual speed limit. DO NOT SPEED!
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Prepare for traffic and plan your routes! Traffic jams cause vehicles to be idle for a long period. One litre of petrol is consumed every 60 seconds even if the vehicle is not moving, so plan your drive to avoid the peak period if possible. Planning your route is also important to avoid rerouting of trips especially when heading to unfamiliar places or you can choose to drive during non-peak hours. You can also maximise your drive by combining your trips when doing errands or deliveries.
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Travel light, remove unnecessary weights! The lesser, the better. Avoid cramping your vehicle with heavily loaded items as more petrol will be required. Decluttering of your vehicle should be performed regularly to avoid accumulating unnecessary items such as roof or bicycle racks, and excessive belongings in the back seat or in the trunk.
Another way to reduce weight is to check your tyres regularly. Underinflated tyres, wrong tyre size, and treading can cause an increase in fuel consumption unnecessarily.
A myth that most drivers have probably heard of is to roll down the windows instead of switching on the air conditioning. It is true to an extent, that while air conditioning does affect fuel consumption, cruising with windows down also can have negative effects on fuel performance because it creates more drag on the car which leads to changes to the aerodynamic efficiency. The recommended speed range is up to 70km/hr if drivers wish to open the windows instead of turning on the air conditioner. Drivers can also utilise the re-circulation option when using the air conditioning.
Another useful tip is to ensure that you are keeping up to date with the basic vehicle maintenance as regular servicing your vehicle conducts engine diagnostic checks to ensure that the engine is running smoothly, refuelling fluids, cleaning the air filter, and proper tyre inspection to improve fuel efficiency ultimately.
Everything You Need To Know About Petrol
What is premium petrol?
It is a higher-octane fuel that is designed for vehicles to perform better, specifically for engines with high compression ratios or turbochargers. It prevents knocking and pre-ignition of the engine is usually not required. Premium petrol also evokes better combustion which improves fuel efficiency and power output. Essentially, it has added detergents to keep the engine from carbon buildup. In Singapore, regular petrol is 92 octane, while premium petrol is 95 and 98 octane.
Can I mix 95 and 98 petrol?
Most drivers who want to cut the cost of petrol would mix different grades of petrol. For instance, most cars use 95-octane and 98-octane in Singapore. You can only mix these two different grades of petrol if your car uses 95-octane as 98-octane petrol has a higher resistance to knocking than 95-octane. However, if your car’s manual specifically states to use 98-octane, pumping or mixing a lower-octane grade could result in knocking and loss of performance due to the engine not producing its required power output which can lead to potential damage. Even though nowadays modern cars have knock sensors which would be able to alleviate the effect of using a lower-octane petrol grade, this is only sustainable in the short run. Despite the ability to cushion the effects, constant consumption of lower-octane petrol can strain the engine and increase the wear and tear of the car in the long run.
NEVER mix diesel with petrol vehicles, it will cause the engine to not run and completely clog up the other components such as the fuel pumps, filters and fuel injectors because diesel is thicker than petrol.
How many km per 1 litre of petrol?
Calculating the estimation of how much your car’s fuel consumption is important as sudden drastic changes in your fuel consumption can indicate a faulty engine which can render bigger damages if it is not rectified swiftly.
The efficiency of a car’s consumption depends on your vehicle’s fuel competency and even if you drive the same car as someone else, you may not have the same fuel consumption rate as them due to differences in individual’s driving style, traffic conditions, the frequency of regular car maintenance, the total amount of loads in the car and also different petrol grades provide subtle but significant efficiency in the engine performance.
On a general comparison, small cars such as sedans and hatchbacks naturally are better in fuel consumption from 12 to 18 km per litre because of their lightweight and smaller engines. On the other hand, SUVs and crossovers are typically on the heavier side which is considered to be less fuel efficient, ranging from 8 to 14 km per litre due to bigger engines. Subsequently, the rise of hybrid cars is getting increasingly in demand due to the noteworthy actuality of having a fuel consumption rate of between 20 to 25 km per litre as it maximum ultimate efficiency of using both petrol and electric power. The least fuel-efficient types of cars are sports cars or high-performing vehicles, clinching at the range of between 5 to 10 km per litre due to their powerful engines.
The easiest way to measure your actual car mileage is to fill up your tank to full capacity, record the odometer reading or reset it, and drive as normal. During refuelling, note down the litres that were just added and divide the kilometres driven by the litre consumed.
How long can petrol be stored?
If you are not a frequent driver, you probably have wondered how long can petrol be stowed inside a vehicle. Most people assume petrol can last indefinitely but in reality, it is not possible due to chemical degradation. Exposure to air can result in oxidation which can clog up the engine, the light components in the petrol will also evaporate and most of the time it will be contaminated by moisture.
The duration of storage depends on the fuel type. Regular petrol has a shelf life of up to 3 or 6 months while premium or higher octane fuel can last up to 9 months. Diesel has the longest shelf life of up to 1 year.
Drive Further & Make Every Mile Counts with Lalamove Petrol Discounts
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Ready to take the wheel to enjoy up to 25% fuel discounts? Drive smart and discover all the splendour perks of being a Lalamove Driver Partner.
