Motorists have been looking to save on petrol and diesel costs since prices spiked at the beginning of the year. Many have been examining their driving style to see how they could drive more efficiently, cut their consumption and save money.
Because of this, drivers are being urged to take a look at their speed and how they accelerate to get the most out of their fuel.
The optimum fuel economy speed will be different for every car, with cars typically being the most efficient between 45 and 50mph.
Over the years the speed of 56mph has often been talked about as being the optimum speed.
This was due to the old fuel consumption test being run at three speeds: urban, 56mph and 75mph – and 56mph was always, unsurprisingly, the most efficient of these.
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He added: “As a rough rule of thumb, taking longer to get up to speed does not use less fuel, because your engine is having to use fuel for a longer period than if you get up to speed with traffic in a brisker manner.
“For instance, if your car has a stated figure of 50 mpg and you’re only averaging 45 mpg, you could be paying £137 more in petrol over the course of 8,000 miles.
“However, putting your foot down and going hell for leather off the lights won’t help the fuel economy either.”
Drivers are advised to aim for two-thirds of maximum throttle while getting up through the gears as quickly and as safely as they can.
For petrol drivers, around 2,500 revs is recommended, while diesel vehicles should be around 2,000.
He highlighted cruise control as being a way to help, provided it is used under the right circumstances.
On long, straight stretches and relatively flat roads like motorways, the cruise control feature keeps a steady pressure on the accelerator, ensuring a steady and efficient use of fuel.
However, in hilly terrain, cruise control tries to maintain the same speed, so it’s working harder and using more fuel.