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Caravan drive: how to reduce fuel consumption?

 

If you are about to go on a camping holiday and are planning to drive several hundred kilometres with your caravan in tow, here are a few tips on how to avoid using too much fuel.

Good tyre pressure

For safety as well as to reduce fuel consumption, you should inflate your tyres! This applies to the towing car and the caravan. An under-inflated tyre increases the surface area on the road (it can then overheat and burst). Do not hesitate to over-inflate slightly (cold), you will win on all fronts. 2.6 bar for example is a good pressure for caravan tyres.

Spreading the load well

The stability of the caravan also has an influence on fuel consumption: well supported on the towing vehicle, it "follows the movement" and does not generate any swerving that would oblige to brake or downshift, then restart the engine to get back on line.

Better torque value

Don't expect to save fuel when you are under-revving. Some engines are particularly flexible and allow a good range of use, but if your speed drops significantly, it is better to downshift to a speed close to the best torque value. The same applies to acceleration. Make sure that you shift up so that you are within the maximum torque values of the vehicle when you change gear.

Adapting your driving

Adapting your driving style to the traffic situation applies to everyone, in all circumstances. In front-wheel drive, stopping distances are longer and the restarting phrases of the coupled unit are very fuel-intensive. If you can see from a distance that a slowdown is occurring, you should immediately take your foot off the accelerator to let the engine brake work (zero consumption during this phase) and possibly start again directly from the driving phase to reduce the strain on the engine during acceleration. Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you and drive "cool", you will spend less time at the pump.

In case of wind, leave the motorway

With a caravan, windy areas are always a danger. Even if you have to slow down to preserve your safety, if the wind is strong, leave the motorway and take the main road (often less exposed to gusts). You will consume less fuel and avoid the exorbitant rates of class 2. You should know that with a three-quarter face, you can overconsume by 20 to 25%.

 

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