ALTHOUGH THE UK NOW looks set for a future of electric and hydrogen vehicles, the reality is that many tow cars run on fossil fuel (at least in part), and are likely to continue to do so for some years – diesel and petrol are going to be with us until well into the 2030s.
With wars, Brexit, chip shortages and pandemics impacting on energy costs, and fuel prices recently hitting record highs, we’re in uncharted territory.
Given that diesel is currently not much less than £2 a litre (more than £9 a gallon), with unleaded quite close behind, it makes sense to ensure your vehicle is as fuel-efficient as possible. It’s good for your wallet and for the environment.
1 Easy wins
Ensuring that your tow car and caravan are clean and excess dirt is washed off the underside will make a fractional difference to its weight, as will reducing the weight of your kit. But these are the small gains.
Bigger advantages can be had by removing any top boxes from the car when not in use (or ditching them) and making the roof of the caravan as smooth and clutter-free as possible – for example, by adding aerofoils to the front of any rigid solar panels.
Tyre pressures – of both car and caravan – are also crucial to your economy, and the higher the pressure – within the tolerances advised by your tyre manufacturer after weighing the caravan – the lower the rolling resistance. Checking tyre pressures monthly or weekly can make a
