Take environmentally sustainable steps while maintaining old cars or purchasing new cars
While the automobile industry is progressing with great speed to make cars more eco-friendly, we all have a role to play in taking environment-friendly initiatives at a personal level as well. Let’s have a look at how automobile giants are preparing for a greener future and how you can contribute to the reduce carbon footprint. Globally, the automobile industry is going green while manufacturing cars. However, many countries are yet to implement sustainable technology initiatives such as BS VI and above fuel emission norms and are laying down the roadmap to a greener future with the development of electric vehicles and more hybrid vehicles on road as energy efficient alternatives.
Why do we need eco-friendly cars?
The automobile and transportation industries are major contributors to greenhouse emissions and subsequently, global warming. Day to day, we come across numerous researches and studies informing us of the melting Arctic ice and wildlife losing their natural habitat to growing industrialization, seldom do we look at our actions and their impact. Many of us have at least one vehicle at home, nowadays; each family member has their own car, however awareness on how this affects our environment is very low despite man governments pursuing its citizens to use public transport or buy greener vehicles. Vehicles emit carbon monoxide and Nox which are harmful to humans, wildlife and cause hazardous air pollutions. At the current pace for mankind, purchasing oxygen in the future is not a far cry!
Steps to Make Your Car More Eco-Friendly
At the onset, let’s bust the myth that eco-friendly cars such as hybrid cars and electric cars are expensive to purchase. While many countries are still formulating their pricing strategy to launch energy efficient vehicles, in the longer run, the maintenance of these vehicles – especially fuel related expenses -is negligible for electric cars. Many private automobile companies and governments are setting up electric charging stations and readying infrastructure for a greener future. Here are some steps you can take to make your car more eco-friendly:
Regular car maintenance and checks
While regular vehicle maintenance benefits you by ensuring smooth functioning and vehicle longevity, it also reduces greenhouse emissions. While regular servicing is a paid form of the vehicle health check, many automobile manufacturers provide free service camps through the year and especially on Word Environment Day to check for trouble-free vehicle performance and an array of benefits such as reduced labor and spare parts cost. Keep an eye out for such customer-connect initiatives!
Tire Material and Tire Pressure
Try using sustainable and environmentally safe tire materials such as synthetic rubber blends. Maintain tire pressure at the optimal as suited to your region depending on the temperature. Optimal tire pressure aids in improved mileage and reduced emissions. Tire pressure checks are easy as they are situated at every gas station around the world. A fortnightly or monthly tire pressure check is a must.
The service manual given to you while purchasing your car will mention the ideal tire pressure for your car. Investing is a good quality tire material and regular tire pressure checks are also for your own safety, so that the car does not skid at high speeds nor a flat tire takes you off your course – especially on highways where drifting can be fatal. Be safe!
Don’t Fill the Fuel Tank to the Brim
Majority of us always go for a full fuel tank option to avoid multiple visits to the gas station. However, a more fuel-efficient option is to fill the fuel tank to a little more than half. This reduces the weight of the vehicle, gives breathing space to the fuel in the tank due to excessive heating in summers and reduces condensation resulting in a frozen tank during severe winters. This is also the reason why fuel tanks are never airtight. Apart from safety reasons, a half-full fuel tank ensures optimum vehicle mileage and helps make your car more eco-friendly.
Radiator Maintenance
Regular maintenance and check of the radiator helps in controlling the temperature of your vehicle due to controlled internal combustion. Vehicle temperatures are maintained by the coolant of your vehicle. Be choosy while picking the coolant for your vehicle and study its composition for high thermal capacity, low viscosity, and non-toxic components.
The role of the coolant is so important that every car has a thermometer – likesymbol for coolant check. If the radiator sign turns red, immediately halt your car and re-fill the coolant or look for the nearest gas station. Overheated vehicles emit toxic fumes from the engine and are also life-threatening as many cars blow up in flames. It is best to keep a box of coolant handy in your vehicle.
Avoid switching on the AC
While many expensive automobile boasts of best-in-class air conditioners, dual AC vents and ventilated seat options, this isn’t the pathto walk on or rather drive on, if you are going green. Using air conditioners also leads to greater vehicular emissions due to increased burning of fuel in order to maintain optimum cabin temperature. In many vehicles, you will experience the pressure the AC puts on your vehicle especially when you are going uphill. Switch off the AC to make your car more eco-friendly.
Optimal Curb Weight
Curb weight refers to the total weight of the vehicle, including its equipment and fuel tank, albeit without passengers. More the passengers and cargo, more is the curb weight, leading to reduced fuel efficiency. Lower fuel efficiency results in increased emissions, which are the least efficient or pocket-friendlyoptions for a sustainable future.
Windows are important
Roll down the car windows if the temperature is bearable in summers. Keep windows closed during winters and rolled up even on highways to ensure a smooth aerodynamic flow of wind over your vehicle. Use window shades to avoid the sun hitting your face during summers and be well clad in winters so that you don’t need the heater for better vehicle health.
Emission checks
Commonly referred to as a pollution check, this service check varies from being valid for a month to a 6 month period, depending on your pollution check service provider. This technology checks the exhaust fumes quality and emission level from the tailpipe of your vehicle. Consider this the healthcare of your vehicle, whichmakes your car more eco-friendly and is also a government mandated check.
Benefits of eco-friendly cars
Apart from being fuel efficient, eco-friendly cars are sustainable technology options on account of fuel emissions and engine technology. Eco-friendly cars are an investment to ensure cleaner skies for your children. Reduced emissions, lower carbon footprint and lower maintenance costs are the bonuses of opting for greener technologies in 2019.
