Private car owners could save an estimated HK$440 million a year by practising fuel-efficiency measures that cut fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent, according to a major oil company.
The measures include cutting vehicle weight by removing unnecessary items from the boot, regularly checking the oil and tyre pressure, not idling and driving smoothly.
The findings were released yesterday by Shell Hong Kong, which commissioned a trial involving 179 drivers, including many daily commuters, implementing the measures for a five-week period between August and November last year.
About 80 per cent reported reduced fuel consumption, with an average saving of 6.7 per cent. About a quarter reported fuel efficiency improvement of up to 5 per cent, while 32 per cent achieved savings of between 10 per cent and 30 per cent.
The trial saved 2,665 litres of fuel worth HK$39,000, meaning each participant cut their fuel bill an average of HK$221 in the five-week period.
Based on the 448 million litres of petrol used in 2004 and the average savings' rate, it is projected that up to 30 million litres of fuel could potentially be saved, cutting total fuel costs by HK$440 million.