Fuel prices may have dropped since the peak of 2022 but they’re still at historic highs, so here’s how to reduce your fuel consumption and costs
Many factors contribute to fuel consumption, including aerodynamics, weight, rolling resistance and design of the engine. Here we look at each of these factors to see how relevant they are to motorhomers and where there’s usually some scope for improving things without buying a new ’van. We’ll also cover how driving style and vehicle maintenance affect fuel consumption.
COST OF FUEL
Simon Williams, the RAC’s fuel spokesperson, says, “While driving style and other factors are important for fuel economy, the biggest factor is the cost of fuel.” The RAC also notes that, while supermarkets have around 16% of UK forecourts, they sell 44% of total fuel. This is largely due to supermarkets being cheaper than the large branded outlets.
Even so, there can be a lag in supermarkets lowering their pump prices when wholesale fuel costs are reduced. To keep ahead of these fluctuations, there are several free apps showing the current pump prices in your location like myRAC and PetrolPrices.
Problems with fuel blockages have been blamed on supermarket fuels. However, all the evidence indicates that supermarket fuel is the same as the oil company brands.
All petrol and diesel sold in the UK must conform to EN 228 for unleaded petrol and EN 590 for diesel. In most cases, oil company brand and supermarket fuel comes from the same refinery.
However, there is a difference between supermarket fuel and the premium fuels like Shell’s V-Power, BP’s Ultimate and Esso’s Synergy fuel. These contain additives to help clean and prevent build-up of dirt in critical engine parts with claims this can improve fuel economy.
Build-up of dirt can be more prevalent with low-mileage vehicles like motorhomes and premium fuel may be an advantage, but any fuel saving is likely to be swallowed up by the premium price over regular diesel. BP states its Ultimate fuel can clean away the majority of dirt in two tank fills. So maybe occasional use of premium fuel could be justified.
AERODYNAMICS AND LOADING
A motorhome is hardly likely to perform well in aerodynamic testing compared to a car. Wind resistance can be a big factor in fuel consumption and I’d expect a low-profile coachbuilt or panel van conversion to perform better than a motorhome with an
