16 Jul 2019
Fuel prices are continually rising. Fortunately, there are at least 10 easy hacks that help you save up on the costs.
Many gas stations have either membership or discount cards. Usually, they give you some cents off the set fuel litre price. For frequent station visitors, like you as a Bolt driver, these cards help to save up big time on a yearly basis.
All Bolt drivers have discounts in Total Kenya petrol stations at KES 3.5/litre. In partnership with Bolt, Total gives fuel discounts and subsidised prices on products to drivers operating under its application.
Drivers using the Bolt application will be required to apply for the Total Card to enable them to spend less money on fuel and thus increase their earnings.
To apply, please visit the Bolt office, where you will fill the Total card application card. Bring along a copy of your ID card and KRA pin. The card costs KES 200 which you can pay via MPESA to Total’s pay bill number issued to you on the point of application.
Adding up, all Bolt drivers who visit Extreme Clean will wash at special prices developed just for them. Bolt drive will now be able to get unlimited car washes at any of the branches of Extreme Clean for a 200. Moreover, after every 10 washes, Extreme Clean will top up their Total fuel card with KES. 300/- via MPESA as an appreciation.
Traffic jams and slow fellow drivers may get on your nerves. Keeping calm is worth it, as compulsive accelerating and “angry driving” only results in you burning up more fuel.
To be as fuel-efficient as possible, take about 5 seconds to accelerate your vehicle up to 20 km/h from a stop. Imagine having a cup of hot coffee on your dashboard while you put your foot on the pedal – the aim would be not to spill it.
Likewise to slower acceleration, learn to take advantage of the forward momentum and slow down in a steady manner. Keep your eyes on the road to observe the traffic around you. This way you see the flow and don’t have to push the brakes on the last second to avoid an accident.
Coasting towards a red-light is not only a way to burn less fuel, but also a way to keep your tyres and brakes running smoothly for a longer time. That means less money on repair and maintenance.
AC has an effect on your car’s fuel consumption. But how big is it?
There’s no single answer to this question. It depends a lot on the age of your car, the size of your engine, the temperature outside, the condition of your AC and even the time you last changed your air filter. Plus many more factors. So, as the fuel prices are going up – should you keep your windows open or the AC working when it’s hot outside to spend less?
❗Please, don’t cool down your car to freezing temperatures, when it’s hot outside. It’s a one-way ticket to catching a cold.
Never drive until your fuel tank is absolutely empty.
Doing so, you cut yourself short on choices of where to fill it up, as you may end up near a station with the highest fuel prices in town. Plan ahead.
Physics lesson. On warmer months, it’s reasonable to buy fuel on the cooler hours of the day – either early mornings or late nights. Fuel density falls when the temperature rises, so you’ll be getting less of it when it’s hot outside.
This is not only about the consumption of fuel. It’s also about our environment.
When you’ve stayed put for over a minute, turn off the engine. Contrary to popular belief, restarting your car does not burn more fuel than leaving it idling. In fact, idling for just 10 seconds wastes more fuel than restarting the engine.
Talking about wasting, fuel consumption has a big effect on our air quality. The CO2 emission of an average car using petrol or diesel is more than 200 g/km. With fuel prices and world pollution level rising constantly, it creates another reason to stop the engine, when you’re actually not going anywhere.
When was the last time you checked the pressure level in your tyres? When your car tyres don’t have enough air in them, their rolling resistance is dramatically increased and it simply takes more fuel to drive. You can use the air pressure pumps for free in any petrol stations, go check. PS! The information about the correct pressure level is usually located on the door of the driver.
Also, make sure your car engine is in order and air filters are clean. Use proper engine oil and take your car to regular mechanical checkups.
Both Waze and Google Maps show you multiple routes to reach your destination. Choose the recommended one (unless, of course, you know from experience that it will lead you directly to roadblocks, medieval-like streets full of holes or traffic jams).
You can also plan your routes by mapping the stations with the best fuel prices in town. When finishing your ride near them, go and fill the tank up.
The demand for more economical cars is on the rise. That means there are more options to choose from and the prices are lower than a decade ago.
Cars like Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius are known for their reasonable price and fuel consumption. Hybrids are also becoming a more common choice, with Toyota Corolla Hybrid and Hyundai Ionic taking the best choice award amongst them in 2019.
