Fuel shortage in France: Tips on how to save petrol consumption

Driving less aggressively and keeping your vehicle well-maintained are just some ways that you can save up to 40% fuel

A few tweaks to your vehicle and driving technique can save litres in fuel
Hannah Thompson
Published Last updated

As fuel prices rise and petrol shortages continue due to refinery strikes and rising oil barrel costs, people across France are seeking ways to save on petrol consumption.

As summarised by BFMTV, these include:

Starting your car

  • Start your car gently, without revving on the accelerator

  • Go at moderate speed for the first 5km of your drive (as fuel consumption can rise by 45% for the first 1km as the engine is still cold)

When driving

  • Keep your accelerations to a minimum, as ‘aggressive driving’ in town can increase consumption by up to 40%

  • Drive at a constant speed as much as possible

  • Aim to anticipate slowing down and deceleration too

  • Reduce your time in the fast lane on the motorway or dual carriageway as much as possible (reducing your speed by 10km on the carriageway, such as from 130km to 120km, can save you five litres of fuel per 500km)

Tyre pressure and maintenance

  • Check tyre pressure once every two months and ensure your tyres are inflated to the right levels. Underinflating by 0.5 bar will cause fuel consumption to rise by 2.4%

  • Avoid filling your car with too much baggage or heavy cargo. Carrying 100kg more causes 5% more fuel consumption

  • Keep your vehicle well-maintained. A poorly-maintained vehicle can cause fuel consumption to rise by 25% overall. Good maintenance can improve motor function too

Petrol shortages have intensified in recent days and weeks, partly as a result of strike action at refineries nationwide. Shortages have been reported at one in three petrol stations, according to the ecological transition ministry.

Read more: Around a week for French fuel shortages to end, Macron estimates

Read more: French fuel shortages: When might supplies return to normal?

President Emmanuel Macron has said that the shortage should be “resolved over the coming week”, with government sources saying that this should happen over the next seven to 10 days.

Prices are also continuing to rise, with the €2 per litre threshold breached over the past week. This price increase can also be explained in part by the fact that a barrel of Brent oil is currently at $91.46, having risen sharply over the past week.

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