1. Drive with anticipation – the biggest single lever
Nothing costs as much fuel as unnecessary accelerating and braking. Reading the traffic far ahead, lifting off the throttle early and using engine braking cuts consumption by 10–20 %, depending on your previous driving style – the difference between hectic and relaxed driving can be read directly off the consumption display. Cost: zero.
2. Keep revs low and shift up early
Modern engines work most efficiently at low revs. As a rule of thumb: shift up by 2,000 rpm at the latest and do not run gears out. In automatics, eco mode takes care of this. Combined with cruise control on the motorway and a moderate cruising speed – between 130 and 160 km/h, consumption rises disproportionately – there is 5–10 % to be had here.
3. Tire pressure: once a month, two minutes
Just 0.5 bar of under-inflation noticeably increases rolling resistance – typical extra consumption: 2–5 %, plus faster tire wear. Recommendation: use the manufacturer's specified value for full load and check monthly. When buying your next tires, look at the EU label: class A low-rolling-resistance tires save measurably more fuel than class E.
4. Ballast out, roof box off
100 kg of load costs roughly 0.3–0.5 l/100 km – so the full trunk that has been riding along for weeks is real money. Roof attachments are even more expensive: a mounted roof box increases consumption at motorway speed by 10–20 %, and even an empty roof rack still costs noticeably. After the holiday: take it off.
5. Air conditioning & electrical accessories
The air conditioning is the biggest auxiliary consumer: in city traffic it can raise consumption by up to 10 %, less at motorway speeds. Use it sensibly rather than switching it off: air the car briefly before setting off, set the temperature moderately. Use heated seats and windows only as long as necessary.
6. Avoid or bundle short trips
On the first kilometers with a cold engine, consumption runs at two to three times the normal value – plus increased wear. Bundling several short errands into one round trip, or taking the bike to the bakery, saves disproportionately.
7. Maintenance: invisible but measurable
A clogged air filter, old engine oil, worn spark plugs or misaligned tracking add up to up to 5 % extra consumption. Servicing to the manufacturer's schedule is therefore also a fuel-saving measure – especially for high-mileage vehicles.
8. Retrofit fuel optimization – for high-mileage drivers
All the points so far depend on behavior. If you also want a technical, driver-independent lever, you can retrofit a fuel optimization system such as the Fuel Eco Tech (FET) system: it is integrated into the fuel line – without intervening in the engine management – and improves combustion on every trip.
Published measurements exist for the savings: on average up to 6 % in the standardized WLTC laboratory test and up to 15 % in constant-speed runs – exactly the profile of commuters and high-mileage drivers on motorways and country roads. Details in the laboratory test report. Whether it pays off at your annual mileage is shown by the payback calculator in one minute.
Context: the figures for driving style, tire pressure, ballast and maintenance are typical industry values (from eco-training and manufacturer data, among others); the actual saving depends on vehicle, route and starting point. The FET figures come from a published, standardized laboratory test (diesel).
Conclusion
Driving style and tire pressure cost nothing and deliver immediately. For high-mileage drivers who want to reduce consumption permanently and independently of daily form, the technical retrofit is the logical next step – the higher the annual mileage, the faster the payback.