How to Save Fuel While Driving in Mauritius

How you drive affects your fuel bill far more than most people realise. None of these tips need a workshop or a big spend, just small habits that add up on every trip, from Curepipe to Grand Baie.

Ease off the accelerator

Build up speed smoothly instead of flooring it; hard acceleration makes the engine gulp fuel.
Change up to a higher gear early and keep the revs low.
Pulling away gently from lights is where you save the most.

Read the road ahead

Lift off the accelerator early when traffic slows, rather than braking late.
Hold a steady speed on the motorway; constant speeding up and slowing down wastes fuel.
Let the car coast down towards junctions and roundabouts.

Travel light

Empty the boot of anything you are not using; every extra kilo costs fuel.
Take roof racks and boxes off when you do not need them; they add drag.
Extra weight hurts most in stop-start town traffic.

Use the air-con wisely

Air-conditioning loads the engine, most of all at low speed.
In town, open the windows; on the motorway, use the A/C (open windows add drag at speed).
Park in the shade so the cabin is not an oven you have to cool down.

Don't idle

Switch the engine off during long waits and traffic jams.
Restarting uses far less fuel than a minute of idling.
Warm the engine by driving gently, not by sitting still.

The bottom line

Drive smoothly, travel light and use the A/C sensibly, and your tank simply lasts longer.