Institute of Energy Security, has stated that fuel prices may pass the GH¢8 mark by mid-February this year.
Factors such as the depreciation of the cedi, levies, and taxes on petroleum products and international crude prices have resulted in the upward adjustment of fuel prices in Ghana.
However, with the rate of the increase, petroleum consumers need to devise means to save fuel to avoid being adversely affected by the persistent increases.
Here’s how to make the most out of the fuel you buy
Purchase a fuel-efficient vehicle
If you are looking to purchase a car, prioritise one that does not consume a lot of fuel if you do not want to spend too much on fuel. Cars with mpg ratings of 30 and above fall in this category. They are mostly considered inexpensive and are readily available on the market.
Buy fuel during mild weathers
Filling up your tank during the coolest time of the day helps save fuel because during these times gasoline is densest. Fuel stations measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. This is according to businessfleet.com.
Avoid traffic as much as possible
If you are in Accra, then you do not need to be told that the traffic situation can be quite worrying, especially in the mornings and early parts of the evenings.
For this reason, leaving home before 6 am and setting off before 5 pm will save you a lot of time and all the hustle and bustle that comes with spending long hours in traffic.
In a bid, however, to save fuel, you may also get the opportunity to arrive at work or your destination on time. The longer you stay in traffic, the more fuel your car consumes.
Avoid too much acceleration and aggressive driving
Driving aggressively can not only deplete fuel faster but also cause brakes and other parts of the car to wear off easily. Driving at a moderate speed rate helps your car to steadily consume fuel instead of galloping and depleting faster.
Also, the Environmental Protection Agency advises that not driving aggressively can save up to 20percent of fuel and also help in reducing the rate of road accidents.
Avoid driving with speed in hilly areas
When driving in hilly areas, your car’s engine is already working hard to overcome gravity. Therefore, pushing it harder by stepping on the gas is simply a waste of fuel.
Avoid unnecessary use of AC
This is common knowledge to almost all vehicle owners and drivers. Keeping the air-condition in your car on for a long time sucks the life out of your fuel and does so very fast. It may be too hot to drive without the air condition, so it will be prudent to set the temperature minimally to reduce the fuel consumption.
Park in the shade
Parking your car in a cool area under shade will help your car retain more fuel, as evaporation does not occur without the sun or heat. Also, when your car sits in the sun for long, you may not need a lot of air-condition to cool down the temperature in the car.
File photo a fuel pump