천정부지 휘발유 값 시대 - 유류비 절약 방법은?

뉴질랜드 모든 주유소의 휘발류 값이 지난 23일부터 리터당 $2.1899 로 올라 2008년 7월 이후 최고치를 기록했다.

 

이런 고유가 시대에  정기 점검을 받지 않는 차량을 몰고 다니는 것이말로 도로 위에 기름을 뿌리는 꼴이라고 차량 전문가들은 말한다. 

 

베이 시티 미쯔비시 정비사 빌 스펜서씨는 "유류 절약 방법 중 제일 중요한 것은 엑셀레이터 위에 놓인 발이고, 그 다음은 에어콘"이라고  조언했다.  또한 기름값이 오를 때 일수록 주머니 사정이 얄팍해 중요한 정기 점검을 거르는 경우도 있다고 우려했다.

 

연료 효율과 관계된 연료 필터 교체, 엔진 점화 플러그, 엔진오일 교체 등 아주 기본적인 서비스만으로도 기름값이 많이 절약될 것이다.  특히 타이어 공기압도 높여주면 연료는 그만큼 더 절약된다.

 

운전 습관도 중요하다. 급가속 등을 피하고 부드럽게 운전하면 된다.

 

이렇게 운전 습관을 고치고, 에어콘 사용을 자제하고 정기적으로 차량 점검을 받는 것만으로도 유류비를 20% 줄일 수 있다고 한다.  뉴질랜드 전체로 본다면 매해 620 million 리터의 기름을 절약할 수 있게 된다. 

또, 뉴질랜드 전국의 차량 운전 중 1/3은 보통 2Km내 단거리 운전이다. 이런 단거리 이동엔 대중교통, 또는 자전거를 타는 것과 비슷한 시간이 소요된다.  따라서 환경 보호뿐만 아니라 경제적인 비용 등을 따져  자전거 타기를 적극 권한다.

 

타우랑가의 직장인들 출퇴근을 위한 카풀 등록은  www.carsharebop.co.nz 

 

Driving smoothly saves petrol

 

As petrol prices soar Tauranga mechanics say putting the pedal to the metal and not getting your vehicle regularly serviced can be a fast track to burning through the litres.

Bay City Mitsubishi foreman Bill Spencer said "the biggest thing that conserves petrol is the foot on the accelerator". Another "big sucker of fuel" was air conditioning.

"I'll turn the air conditioning off if I'm going down a hill or on a straight."

Mr Spencer said tighter financial times meant more motorists were waiting until something went wrong with their vehicle to take it to a mechanic, rather than having it regularly serviced.

During a service filters are changed or cleaned, spark plugs changed and oil refreshed - all of which improved efficiency, in turn conserving fuel.

"Just basically keeping your car well maintained," said DM Auto Services automotive technician Scott Willoughby.

"Tyre pressures are a good one. Keep your tyres at a higher pressure - if you run them lower it takes more power to run the car."

Adjusting your driving style, keeping your vehicle serviced and air conditioning off were also top of Mr Willoughby's tips for fuel conservation.

"Drive nicely, keep your car serviced and maintained," he said.

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) chief executive Mike Underhill said motorists could save up to 20 per cent more fuel by adjusting their driving style and keeping their vehicles well tuned.

"At today's prices, it is costing around $100 to fill up an average-sized car," he said. 

 

"Everyone should be able to easily save 10 per cent, and for some people as much as 20 per cent, just by changing the way they drive.

"That equals savings of between $10 and $20 per fill, and that makes a real difference over time."

By cutting back on fuel Mr Underwood said motorists were also doing their bit for the environment.

"If we all cut our fuel use by 20 per cent, New Zealand would save over 620 million litres of fuel each year - that's like taking 500,000 cars off our roads."

A spokesperson for Bay of Plenty Sustainable Business Network suggested trying an alternative to using fuel at all.

one third of all car trips in New Zealand are less than 2km. For many short journeys an alternative form of transport, such as cycling, will probably take a similar length of time."

Tauranga City Council spokeswoman Michelle Elborn said in the past five years the council had kept efficiency in mind when buying fleet cars.

As a result most of the cars were small and well suited to short journeys.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council also co-ordinates the Car Share BOP website where people can register to car-pool to and from work. Register at www.carsharebop.co.nz