Most people will admit that they’ve exceeded the speed limit at one point in time, and some even make it a common practice. Obviously that’s something that we don’t endorse here at Holiday Ford, but we’re also aware that it’s just something that happens regularly out on the highway. Not only is speeding less safe, it can also affect other things, such as your fuel efficiency.
What does Speeding do to your Fuel Efficiency?
Most vehicles run at their most efficient right around 50-60 miles per hour, but the speed limit can be greater than that — and speeding can decrease your fuel efficiency further. But how much does fuel efficiency decrease from speeding? It’s estimated that at 75 mph you will have 23 percent less efficiency than what you’re rated to get. This increases to 28 percent once you hit 80 mph too. To put this another way: let’s say the current price of gas is $2.30. If you were to drive at 80 mph in the 2016 Ford Focus (a very efficient car) the efficiency lost would be the equivalent of paying $3.80 a gallon!
See how far the 2017 Ford Fusion can go on one tank of gas!
Does speeding save you time?
The reason why most people speed is to save time, but how much time do you even save by speeding? We’re going to assume that in this hypothetical situation you aren’t pulled over and ticketed, or have anything even worse occur. If the speed limit is 70 miles per hour and you’re trying to save time by going 5 mph over the limit, you will only save about three minutes on a 50 mile drive. So you’re looking at three minutes saved, but a lot higher price paid for your gas.
Learn more about how Driving Habits affect MPG from the EPA
Shop for Fuel Efficient Ford vehicles in Fond du Lac
The first step to saving at the pump and reducing how much you pay for gas is by driving a fuel efficient car — which we have many of at Holiday Ford. However, you also need to use the car correctly in order to actually see the benefits.
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