That light and that beep are undoubtedly familiar to you; the fuel tank is almost empty. This does not mean that you will be stranded with an empty tank after a few kilometers. However, it is time to refuel. How much further can you drive? This varies by car type and fuel type. If you know how this works for your vehicle, you can always drive around with peace of mind. Some cars (such as the Volvo V40) can still drive more than a hundred kilometers from that moment. Others (like the Mini) can still drive about sixty. Note: these are averages, so assuming you can drive from Utrecht to Zwolle with a blinking light is unwise. You certainly will not enjoy the ride very much then.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Empty Tank
Despite all good advice, drivers are just people. It can happen that the warning signal was heard many kilometers ago, but the driver still really wants to reach the delivery destination or appointment first. Panic is a bad advisor anyway, even if the thought is unpleasant: coming to a standstill in a tunnel. Especially not when there is no emergency lane. A tip for an almost empty tank: turn off all energy consumers like the radio and air conditioning and close the windows so that the car has less air resistance. Every little bit helps after all.
Well-known Quick Fixes
Slipstreaming is another well-known quick fix. Stay behind a truck and benefit from the minimum air resistance. However, keep the necessary minimum two seconds distance! It is also sometimes said that a bit of ‘shaking’ is a last resort. Slalom like a skier to tilt the tank a bit back and forth and suck up the last remnants of fuel. But steering a lot also costs the car a lot of energy. So, we leave it open whether that is really such a smart idea.
Tools to Save Fuel
Braking and weight consume fuel. Especially in the transport industry, this is an important fact. After braking, you need to accelerate again, and that requires power. When a van is fully loaded with packages, more fuel is also consumed. This can be seen in the various digital tools for trip registration provided by FleetGO. As well as telematics to save fuel – in this day and age, an absolute necessity. Do you have a company with several drivers? Then ask them to drive courteously. If passengers are involved, accelerating slowly and braking gradually is more pleasant for them. A neat driving style generally also costs less fuel and is better advertising for your company. Remember that the vehicles you send out are moving billboards. To summarize:
- Check the fuel level before long trips or busy routes
- Use the various tools to prevent such situations
- Inform about the fuel consumption of your fleet: how far can a driver go when the light is on?
- Always drive economically and courteously
- Keep the mentioned last resorts in mind