Reduce Your Fuel Consumption by Taking The Smart Drive Challenge!

When it comes to reducing the amount of fuel you use while driving, it isn’t always a case of what you drive, but rather how you drive.

There is no shortage of highly fuel-efficient new vehicles available today, ranging from full battery-electrc, hybrid electric, hydrogen fuel-cell or even lower displacement, higher efficiency internal combustion engines.  Auto manufacturers are working hard to utilize new technologies to reduce the impacts that driving has on climate change and our environment, but with every new vehicle comes new vehicle price tags – and not everyone can simply decide to buy a new vehicle.

Green-CarThe good news of course is that for most drivers, there is plenty of room for fuel-efficiency improvement using whatever vehicle they currently drive today.  Many common driving habits tend to increase the amount of fuel we use, and these habits can often add hundreds or even thousands of dollars extra per year to pay for it.

A couple summers ago, I proved this point by using a Jaguar F-type convertible sports car and driving a pre-planned route twice – once aggressively and once utilizing a series of very simple driving tips designed to reduce fuel consumption.  The net result was a remarkable 25% fuel savings which would easily save me thousands if implemented for a full year.

The video of the test and the results that came from it can be seen by CLICKING HERE.

If I’m right, my guess is that many of you don’t think that you’re driving is that bad and that it would seem hard to believe that you could reduce your fuel consumption 10 – 15 or  even 20 per cent.  You’re probably thinking that you’re a good enough driver who already drives efficiently and that there isn’t much you could do differently.

If that’s indeed the case…how about we put your belief to the test?

You see, it’s one thing to think that you’re an efficient driver and another thing to prove it.  How does one prove it?  You can accept a challenge to have your driving style tracked for a period of time and see if you’re really as good as you think you are – that’s how!

Thanks to some pretty innovative technology combined with a group of businesses and organizations dedicated to promoting smarter driving to help our environment, a new opportunity called The Smart Drive Challenge is launching in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario areas.

ad-300x250-altWhat’s The Smart Drive Challenge?  I’m glad you asked.

Participating drivers in The Smart Drive Challenge will be given a sophisticated in-vehicle telematics device, something akin to a Fitbit for cars, to measure their regular driving habits, getting a snapshot of how they normally drive. Next, drivers will take a free 30-minute online training course and learn how to drive better (more efficiently) and drive less (reduce the amount they drive). Finally, drivers will put their training to the test by taking the Challenge. With the goal of reducing their fuel consumption by 15 per cent, drivers will be given online tools and communications that track individual progress and show how participating drivers compare to one another.

As an extra incentive, all participants who take part in the challenge will receive a $50 Visa gift card.

The Smart Drive Challenge is a program of Scout Environmental and is brought to you by the Canadian Fuels Association with funding support provided by the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Natural Resources Canada.

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Telematics device used to take The Smart Drive Challenge

The challenge is being run for a limited time and registrations must be completed by July 17th.  Registering is simple and can be done by visiting www.smartdrivechallenge.ca  

We can all improve our driving habits to make them more fuel efficient.  With The Smart Drive Challenge you have a chance to get real and immediate feedback, access to an online course to learn simple driving techniques that will improve your fuel consumption, and even a nice $50 Visa Gift Card as a reward.

Who wouldn’t want to accept a challenge like that?!

 

(Disclaimer:  This post is sponsored by The Smart Drive Challenge.  All editorial opinions expressed are expressively those of the author and are not subject to prior approval)

Eric Novak

About Eric Novak

Eric Novak is a father of 4 who also thinks that environmental stewardship is a requisite of parenting. He's not a professional Dad nor is he an environmental scientist, but he's someone who gives a damn and is trying to make the right decisions as he lives his life as a father, environmentalist, part time professor and business owner. Eric has 4 children and resides in Ajax, Ontario.