“Burn a liter less every hundred kilometers without lengthening my travel time? So I ask to see ”, launches Arnaud who travels almost 25,000 kilometers a year at the expense of his employer. If he also has doubts, it is because this seasoned driver is convinced – like many professionals who spend their days behind the wheel – that he has nothing more to learn. He admits, however, that the key to reducing his fuel budget is inevitably reforming his driving behaviour.
If Arnaud is willing to take this eco-driving course, it is his employer who foots the bill. Because in these times of sky-high prices at pumps, companies are rethinking training in eco-driving standards. Insurers are also happy to offer this type of awareness training to their clients.
Training employees in eco-driving: an investment that quickly pays for itself on the fuel bill
“Many professionals have chosen to invest in our formula,” reports the Fay-de-Bretagne-based Extreme Security training center (44). “The investment is potentially very profitable, because a decrease from 15 to 20% (on average) of the fuel budget is totally possible”, affirms this company that has been preaching since 1995 the advantages of so-called peaceful driving. It not only reduces fuel consumption, but also increases the life of brakes and tires.
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People are also looking for a way to lower their bill at the pump. According to the results of an opinion poll conducted on behalf of Odopass (the app that protects against scams when buying a second-hand car), rising fuel prices led 68% of French people to change their behavior behind the wheel in the last weeks. Almost 42% of them would have decided, therefore, moderate your speedhoping to lessen your engine’s appetite.
In the city, you can reduce your fuel consumption without lengthening your travel time
Except that there is “much better to do” than simply slow down, insist the professionals who teach the precepts of eco-driving. Against all odds, they are unanimous in stating that it is possible to significantly reduce fuel consumption in the city without lengthening travel time. It may sound contradictory, but eco driving implies a certain dynamism”, explains Christophe Mulochau, Operations Director of ACO Formations.
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The thing is easily understood. “One of the ten rules of eco-driving is to avoid stopping the vehicle completely, which implies a particularly energy-intensive restart”, continues Alex, ACO trainer, to the eleven students who accompany Arnaud during this training session. “We teach the art ofanticipate the slightest slowdownto avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, in order to take advantage of the inertia of the vehicle and maintain its speed for as long as possible.”
Fuel economy requires a discipline and concentration on the part of the driver that is not used to
Easier said than done. “One day of training is not enough to become an expert in eco-driving,” warns Michael, also a trainer. “Our goal is to give you the keys to gradually reduce your consumption over the weeks.” The secret? create automatisms“Michael replies. “You have to go in stages; focus on shifting quickly first, then eradicating unnecessary acceleration, then work on braking and anticipation.”
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Without a doubt, Arnaud was into the game: at the beginning of the day, when he was still driving in a style that he himself describes as “sporty”, his diesel consumption was 5.7 liters per hundred kilometers on a route that mixed city and highways. At the end of the course and by dint of applying the advice of the monitors, this figure had dropped to a spectacular average of 3.7 l/100 km. Any of the best earnings of the day and from this diverse group of drivers, women and men between the ages of 25 and 55.
On the highway, eco-driving boils down to slowing down. In the city it is much more complex
Even more remarkable, this saving was achieved at the same average speed of 43 km/h. This does not cease to surprise Arnaud, who complained like others about having the impression of “seriously crawling” when it comes to boosting the economy. The stopwatch, however, shows the opposite. Some trainees have even managed to reduce their travel time at the same time as their fuel consumption.
Alex sees this as proof that “it doesn’t make sense to go from one red light to another,” and that it’s much more “time- and fuel-efficient” to strive to anticipate slowdowns, “although that It means having the impression of crawling letting the speed die when approaching a red light. Finish line? That the car is still moving when the light turns green.
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This requires discipline and a concentrated effort whose intensity surprises more than one. Arnaud, however, seems convinced: “I had a tendency to stick too close to the car in front,” he admits. “By trying to let it go, I can see further and anticipate slowdowns better. It saves me stress, braking and fuel.” CQFD.
Two liters less every hundred kilometers: the savings are quickly noticeable at the pump
As a result of this day of training at the wheel of a 130-horsepower Peugeot 308 Diesel, the gains for the group range between 0.2 liters and 2 liters per hundred kilometres. With a liter of diesel sold at a price of 1.90 euros, this last figure translates into a potential savings of 712 euros for a motorist who travels 25,000 kilometers a year. This is enough to quickly amortize the cost of the training, which costs ACO Formations 325 euros excluding taxes per person, for a group of twelve students (ie 380 including taxes).
Again, these are gains made after a simple introduction to eco-driving rules. “The room for improvement is enormous, for those who force themselves to correct their driving habits”, insists Christophe Mulochau, while stressing the importance of employer role : “Without sinking into vigilance, the company must find ways to improve performance and reward fuel economy, in order to encourage its employees to continue their efforts.” Without it, motivation fades and bad habits gallop back. Result, on average “after 6 months, 5 points of the twenty earned are already lost”, says ACO Formations. Except to organize a backup shot.