Why Go Green?
With the added pressures now-a-days on the average driver to sell their cars and go green I discuss why you should go green rather than use an SUV or gas-guzzling monster and a few tips to help make your driving greener.
Firstly, I aren’t talking about going zero emissions with an electric car although many more people are now doing this, especially in busy cities like London where electric cars do not pay the emissions tax in the centre.
Choosing Hybrid Cars?
If you were to think of a hybrid car what would you be thinking? I immediately think of the Toyota Prius I don’t know why but I do. The Toyota Prius is not the best looking car in the world and is definitely not a head turner but it can do some impressive things.
They will guarantee you over 60 miles to the gallon which on an 8.80 gallon (40 litre) tank which would give you over 500 miles to a tank is impressive, especially with the way petrol prices are rising. Some people are even using biodiesel to power their cars. This is still good for the environment.
Service Your Car
Keeping any car serviced and properly maintained is a good way to keep your emissions down if you are looking at keeping your run around rather than buying a new car. If you keep the engine tuned correctly you will also keep the optimum power for your vehicle. Basic services involve air filters, oil filters, spark plugs and changing the oil. Some people do this themselves and some opt to use a garage.
Making sure you have the right tyre pressure is a good idea too as this will help you maintain the life of your tyres. Over or under inflated tyres will have a wearing effect on different parts of your tyres so if you notice this then you should do something about it. The right tyre pressure also uses less fuel so you will be saving in the long run.
Alter Your Driving Style
Altering your driving style may also be a factor when it comes to greener driving. Accelerating and braking harshly accounts for a high amount of fuel consumption. This can be combatted with nice clean smooth acceleration and braking. This will allow you to maintain control of the vehicle better too and, with both harsh acceleration and braking, tyre wear will decrease too.
Green Cars - the Differences
So we have biodiesel, Hybrid and electric cars now-a-days. There are many differences between them all.
- Biodiesel is the name used for fatty acid alkyl esters. They use such things as: virgin vegetable oil; animal fats; algae; recycled oils. These vehicles do release more nitrous oxides than normal diesel cars.
- Plug in hybrids (PHEV) are vehicles that have additional battery power that can be used to get better fuel economy and will work on electric power alone. They do still use petrol too.
- Electric cars are generally used for local travelling as the ranges on the latest are around 100 miles. These are plugged in to charge the internal batteries. Although there are not many filling stations for electric cars there are more becoming available.
So Which is Best for You?
If you are thinking of getting rid of your car and buying a new car then ultimately it is up to you which option is best. Governments are offering incentives for people to go green such as grants and cheaper road taxes which are encouraging people to turn green. But, at the end of the day you may have had your pride and joy for a lifetime and cannot see yourself ever selling your vehicle.