1 Benefits of Eco-Driving Jesse Baltutis Consultant, Transport Unit
Eco Driving The eco in eco driving refers to a driving style, which takes into consideration ecological and economical benefits, that significantly reduces fuel consumption and green house gas emissions at the same time. A driving style which can be used by everyone individuals, fleet operators, driving schools, and can be promoted by governments
Eco Driving Eco driving involves constant speeds, less fast slowfast slow driving and anticipation of traffic flow Lower emissions Ecological Less maintenance & fuel Economical
Health and Environmental reasons to eco drive Vehicles produce emissions which adversely affect human health and the environment Eco driving can help reduce emissions of: Particulate Matter (PM) causes heart and lung diseases Black Carbon (BC) effects linked to early death, cancer, heart and respiratory problems, and contributes to climate change Carbon Dioxide (CO2) contributes to climate change
Eco driving Benefits Reduce fuel consumption by 15% or more Lower GHG emissions, reduction of urban smog = cleaner cities Reduced dependence on foreign energy imports Helps to reduce medical costs related to air pollution (PM, BC, CO2) Lower instances of traffic accidents Promotes safer driving habits 30 40km/h considered threshold above which studies show most pedestrians in an accident are killed Eg. UK research shows at 30km/h 7% of pedestrians would die when hit, compared to 31% fatality at 40km/h a jump of 24% over 10km/h!
Tools for Eco Driving 1. Avoid Idling 0.1 litres of fuel used for every 8 minutes of idling
Tools for Eco Driving 2. Warm up driving Driving your vehicle is the fastest way to warm it up
Tools for Eco Driving 3. Reduce loads and remove excess weight Carrying unnecessary weight increases fuel consumption An extra 100lbs typically reduces mileage by 2%
Tools for Eco Driving 4. Accelerate gently and keep your speed constant Aggressive driving saves very little time, yet increases fuel consumption and emissions Aggressive driving can increase fuel consumption by 37%
Tools for Eco Driving 5. Check and adjust tire pressure often A well inflated tire decreases rolling resistance and increases efficiency and lifetime of tire Properly inflated tires saves on fuel!
Tools for Eco Driving 6. Gear Up Revving engine unnecessarily wastes fuel Change gears between 2000 2500 revolutions per minute (RPM) of the engine Try to use the highest possible gear NOTE: Different types of vehicles require the driver to shift at different RPM speeds
Tools for Eco Driving 7. Ensure regular vehicle maintenance Have the vehicle serviced regularly, change oil and filters as recommended can improve fuel consumption by 10% Poorly tuned engines can emit pollutants equal to 20 vehicles
Tools for Eco Driving 8. Do not use air conditioning unnecessarily Rule of thumb: under 65 km/h open windows, over 65 km/h use A/C
Tools for Eco Driving 9. Plan your journey Anticipate traffic flow to avoid unnecessary stopping and starting, maintaining a steady speed = fuel and cost savings
Tools for Eco Driving 10. Tighten your gas cap As much as 30 gallons of gas could be lost annually due to evaporation when the fuel cap in not fully tightened
Case Study: EasyCoach Ltd, Nairobi EasyCoach Ltd. operates large bus fleet, with routes across Kenya and within Nairobi Provides eco drive training for operators Monthly financial benefits for drivers who use the least amount of fuel and drive buses in safe, smart way Buses are monitored with a GPS system, which gauges km driven, RPM levels, vehicle speed, acceleration/deceleration Main benefit: financial savings on diesel and maintenance of buses, and prolonged life of vehicle
Take away points Minor behavioural changes = big savings! Fuel savings of 15% or more Reduction of urban smog = cleaner cities Safer roads It s easy and makes economic and environmental sense!
Thank you! Transport Unit Division of Technology, Industry and Economics United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) P.O. Box 30552 00100 Nairobi Kenya E-mail : clean.transport@unep.org Web: www.unep.org/transport/