Tips for getting better mileage from your car hire

I think we can agree that all of us want to save money and do our bit to help the environment. Whether you're on a family holiday, a business trip or need a rental car to run some errands, there are some ways you can make your journey more economical.

At Green Motion, our fleet’s average miles per gallon is an impressive 72.4, but there are still some ways that you can make your fuel go further, whatever car you choose to hire. 

Here are some of the best tips for saving the pounds and using less fuel:

Watch your speed

This is probably the most obvious of our tips. It’s commonly known that not exceeding the speed limit keeps your vehicle as economical as it can be. So reckless drivers beware, speeds of 75mph or above will see you achieve a poorer MPG.

According to FuelEconomy.gov, a vehicle's MPG typically decreases after 50mph. The Department for Transport also found that those driving at 70mph use up to 9% more fuel than those driving at 60mph.

Not only is it more economical, but driving at the speed limit also is safer and helps you to avoid speeding tickets.

Trim your baggage

As a general rule, every 50kg increases a vehicle’s fuel consumption by 2%. This is relative to the vehicle's weight so additional weight affects smaller vehicles more than it would larger ones. If you’re using the car hire for a holiday, try and keep down the amount of baggage you bring and you’ll see a slight improvement on fuel economy.

Avoid travelling at congested times

Unless you absolutely must, try to avoid rush hour traffic (8am-9am and 5-6pm).

If you are using the car hire for vacation purposes, you will naturally have a more flexible schedule that you can work around busy time periods on the road. Finding yourself in the midst of a traffic jam is cruel on your MPG as the repetitive slowing down and acceleration naturally uses more fuel.

Ensure you plan your route before you leave and check with current traffic monitoring to see if there are any problems on your route that can be avoided. Less time spent in traffic and fewer emissions emitted!

Drive simpler

Simplified driving is a guaranteed way of improving your vehicle’s fuel economy. Take up a ‘back to basics’ driving approach and you’ll begin to notice an improvement. Harsh braking, fast acceleration and driving in a low gear all add up to more money of fuel.

Hire a low-emission vehicle

An easy way of making your travels more fuel efficient is to hire a low-emission car, whether it be electric, hybrid or simply low emission. Hiring a greener car means you get more miles from each tank of fuel. This equals fewer visits to the pumps and is better for the environment. It also means more money in your pocket for holiday cocktails!