Monday 1 September 2008

Motoring tips from Ryanair?

It's not often we agree with Ryanair's environmental strategies. And no, we don't know about the safety implications of asking pilots to carry at most 300 kg of extra fuel (nothing about it on Ryanair's news page, so here's an Irish Times report).

But carrying extra fuel adds to the weight of any vehicle, so it makes fuel-efficiency and environmental sense to carry as little as possible. Which is why motorists should take Ryanair's recommendation on board.

Driving with a tank full of petrol means you get fewer kilometres per litre when your tank is full, it costs you money, and your car produces more pollution for every mile that you drive.

If the price of petrol dropped after, say, the first 25 litres, then it might make sense to bulk buy. But it doesn't. Instead, your fuel efficiency drops. Put another way: bulk buying is costing you money. Better to half-fill the tank instead.

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