Top 5 Tips for Van Fuel Economy

Vanaways
Vanaways
1st Oct 2022
Top 5 Tips for Van Fuel Economy

As we experience a cost of living crisis, we’re seeing energy bills, fuel costs and essential items rising faster than our incomes, so it’s important to save money everywhere we can. Although this is a sad reality, there are ways to reduce costs while still being able to enjoy ourselves.

The price of petrol has risen and you may be looking for cheap-to-run vans or even considering switching to electric vans. Whether your business manages a fleet of vans or you just drive one, reducing your fuel consumption can save you a lot of money.

Here’s how:

Maintain and service your vehicle

If you’re not maintaining your van, you will be losing money on fuel because it is not driving as efficiently as it could be. You need to get your van serviced at least once a year to check everything is in good working order. Things such as tyre pressure can massively impact your fuel economy. You can check your tyre pressure yourself, especially before long journeys and times that you carry more passengers or heavy equipment.

Highest gear possible within the speed limit

The best way to achieve the highest mpg is by driving in the highest possible gear. This means when driving at slower speeds you should change up gears as soon as possible to avoid high revs. This is because the faster an engine spins the more fuel it uses. You should also aim to avoid accelerating unnecessarily as this will lead to high fuel consumption.

Make use of cruise control

Maintaining an average speed on a flat surface is a great way to save fuel. Rather than constantly braking and accelerating, try to use your cruise control on long stretches of road so that you can save some money.

Reduce drag effect

You may not realise it but there are many items on your car that can lower your mpg. Things such as roof bars can add 16% drag when driving at 75mpg and 39% drag with a roof box! Even things such as flags or putting your window down can cause a drag effect meaning your car has to work harder to maintain a higher speed. Take off any unnecessary items to have good fuel efficiency.

Reduce your AC and heating use

Your AC and heating both use fuel to function. This means you may be using way more than you need to just because you like to keep your AC on even when it’s not needed. While it can be hard in the height of summer or winter, between these times, try to limit your use to only when it’s necessary.

Looking for cheap-to-run vans? The team at Van Sales UK are here to help you find your dream van. You may want to swap to an electric van or find other great van deals, if so give us a call on 0117 205 2630.

Vanaways Reviews

   
Charlie B

Charlie B

28 May 2025

"I recently bought a new Ranger Platinum from Vanaways. I dealt with Chris Baxter who helped make the whole process really straight forward and kept me up to date. I would highly recommend and look forward to further business! Many thanks"

Ross Adams

Ross Adams

21 August 2025

"These guys are brilliant, in particular Steve-Who Is a massive top geezer, they were helpful from start to finish. Informative, clear, very friendly, and clearly really knowledgeable. They spoke through the process perfectly, I would recommend these guys to anyone!"

Kimberley Harkins

Kimberley Harkins

30 June 2025

"Very happy with our Vanaways transaction! We needed three new vans quickly for our company and Vanaways didn't disappoint. Hannah and Abbie were on hand every step of the way and provided extremely good prices which suited our business. Customer service is a priority for them and it shows with every phone call and email! When I need a few more, they will be my first port of call. Thankyou guys!"

David Kenning

David Kenning

16 June 2025

"Great service right from the first contact with Reece, who then passed me onto Ash once initial sale was completed. From making payment delivery was approximately 3 days. Received text from Nathan this morning (16th June) and he was on time with delivery. Really pleased with the service I've received. Many thanks!"

4.8 out of 5 from 467 reviews
Back to top