While I often find myself writing about alternate fuel vehicles, gas mileage and reducing emissions there’s also another simple way that you can improve the fuel efficiency and therefore lower the environmental impact for the driving that you do. A combination of purchasing the right tires and maintaining them correctly can sometimes make as much difference as changing the type of vehicle you drive.

Tire manufacturers are now working with environmental groups to certify the ‘eco-friendly credentials’ of certain brands of tires. That capability is based upon both the manufacturing process that goes into making the tire but also the roll resistance factor of the tire itself which will improve vehicle range and fuel efficiency. They are especially looking to target truckers who transport such a high ratio of all goods in North America, many truckers drive in excess of 100,000 miles a year so reducing fuel use by up to five percent can certainly make a measurable difference. Some tire makers are also now adding natural oils in place of petroleum oils where possible in the manufacturing process, but the largest change is the improved technology behind low resistance roll tires which testing has shown to make a significant improvement in fuel efficiency. Perhaps not surprisingly the science being used by tire makers was originally modified from racing cars and is now being applied to tires on commercial vehicles. Estimates place reductions in fuel due to using these types of tires at between three and six percent.

New eco-friendly tires are using natural oils from oranges in the production process

In the US the EPA endorsed the eco-friendly tire standards via its SmartWay program which qualifies certain tires against criteria aimed at efficiency. With the price of gasoline continuing to skyrocket I would hope that we’ll see many transportation companies compelled to make this investment now and benefit from the financial and environmental savings. Passenger cars also can see their fuel efficiency increase by at least five percent by following a fairly simple set of guidelines.

Keeping your tires inflated correctly will always improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. Air pressure should be checked monthly and only when your tires are cold. Visually checking your tires for uneven wear every few months and replacing as necessary, in addition rotating your tires every six months will improve fuel efficiency. Last but perhaps most obviously slow down on long highway trips, most vehicles perform most efficiently at 60 miles per hour and all speeds above that will lower your mileage.