Cars and Fuel Consumption – Does Speed Always makes You Burn more Fuel?
| by Napoleon Miles | November 05, 2008
No. Using your discretion is the key to driving. Sometimes going slow is a good speed for your wallet and at other times it will cost you the extra buck. This depends on the circumstances.
If you are going for a long journey you have to keep a certain speed in order to gain momentum. This can more easily be done if you are on a fast moving highway.
On the other hand in the city it will make you burn a lot of fuel if you keep accelerating and braking abruptly. Here the momentum is lost.
Another important factor is air resistance. The relationship between horsepower and air resistance is very interesting and can be very useful if constantly applied.
Mathematically the horsepower that is required in order to overcome air resistance is equal to (speed) ³
This implies that the faster you go, the more the air resistance and the more fuel you will be burning. In other words the faster you go the more air resistance will work against you.
However previously we talked about using discretion with the use of knowledge, so now I will shoot down the perception I built. Speed is not always bad. It is only bad to gain speed when you are going to waste the momentum.
If you can gain speed and then free roll your car a fair distance so you do not have to consistently ride the gas pedal, you are still doing a good job in saving fuel. Use your discretion; it is just a case of not letting the grey matter get rusty.
If you are going for a long journey you have to keep a certain speed in order to gain momentum. This can more easily be done if you are on a fast moving highway.
On the other hand in the city it will make you burn a lot of fuel if you keep accelerating and braking abruptly. Here the momentum is lost.
Another important factor is air resistance. The relationship between horsepower and air resistance is very interesting and can be very useful if constantly applied.
Mathematically the horsepower that is required in order to overcome air resistance is equal to (speed) ³
This implies that the faster you go, the more the air resistance and the more fuel you will be burning. In other words the faster you go the more air resistance will work against you.
However previously we talked about using discretion with the use of knowledge, so now I will shoot down the perception I built. Speed is not always bad. It is only bad to gain speed when you are going to waste the momentum.
If you can gain speed and then free roll your car a fair distance so you do not have to consistently ride the gas pedal, you are still doing a good job in saving fuel. Use your discretion; it is just a case of not letting the grey matter get rusty.
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