Sustainable in-car technology
Buying brand new hybrid or electric vehicles aren’t the only ways to reduce your carbon footprint. These days, many new vehicles offer innovative ways to help you save fuel while driving as well as reduce carbon emissions. We go through some of these vehicle features that can ask about to help you drive greener.
Eco mode
With many new cars now governed by built-in computers, chances are you’ve already encountered this new fuel-saving feature. Eco mode — often offered in vehicles with automatic transmissions — is a built-in driving mode that automatically adjusts the engine and transmission’s response to consume less fuel and produce fewer emissions. Some cars even come with an ‘Eco light’ which illuminates in the dashboard to show when you’re driving economically. It’s often included in tandem with a Standard or Normal driving mode as well as Sport. These are the easiest fuel saving features to use as you only need to activate eco mode and the car will adjust the settings automatically.
Small turbocharged engines
Another popular trend among new cars is the use of smaller turbocharged engines. It may seem counterintuitive at first, especially when comparing it with other variants of the same model. These smaller turbocharged engines are usually featured in top-of-the-line variants or sometimes across the range. Don’t think you’re getting less power. In fact, they produce more power thanks to the turbo and sometimes even better engine response. Vehicles with this kind of engine return better fuel economy while still providing the power and response many drivers crave. And thankfully, because they’re smaller, that means less emissions too.
Stop-start systems
Another unique system fitted on modern cars is the stop-start system. Cars with this feature have the ability to turn off the engine when left idle for a while. It comes in particularly handy when at a stoplight waiting for it to turn green. You’d be surprised how much fuel is wasted at these instances. Not to worry as cars with this system still keep the air conditioning running. There’s no trick to using it either. Stop-start systems work automatically, turning off the engine when idle for a while, and turning it back on when you step on the throttle. Simple have the feature on and the car will do the rest.
CVT transmissions
It isn’t all about the engine. The transmission also plays a vital role in helping save fuel. Next time you’re car shopping, be on the lookout for vehicles with CVT transmissions. Cars with an 8- to 10-speed transmission work similarly too. Because there are more gears, or in the case of a CVT, an infinite number, the engine can work at lower revolutions and consumer less fuel while still moving the car at high speeds. They can also be quite fun to drive, particularly when they have manual shifting modes, because there are more gears to play around with, whether you’re accelerating or just driving around town.
Fuel saving tires
You may not think tires are important but these actually affect factors like fuel consumption, braking, handling, and acceleration the most. When browsing for a car, check if the vehicle you’re buying comes with fuel-saving tires. These tires can reduce fuel consumption by as much as 1 km/L per trip. It may seem small but it certainly adds up over time. Examples of fuel-saving tires are Bridgestone Ecopia and Goodyear Assurance. They’re designed to provide low rolling resistance and make it easier for your car to keep on rolling with little effort from the engine.
These are just a few features you should look out for when buying a vehicle. Not all cars may have these, but the more there are, the more likely you are too see a reduction in your fuel consumption and emissions.