Slow down, it's good for your footprint!

Agency to Energy Efficiency is proud to associate with the National Transportation Week currently underway and take the opportunity to educate drivers in eco-driving Quebec recalling that raising the foot is reduced footprint and reduced its fuel bill!

As a Gold Partner of the Week, the Agency wishes to reiterate that the choice of the type of vehicle, driving, maintenance and monitoring of fuel consumption are important elements that influence the associated fuel bill. Alone, eco-driving can lead to average fuel savings of 10%. Agency to Energy Efficiency has developed a series of simple tips to implement in order to reduce the costs associated with fuel consumption of light vehicles.

In sum, it is important to

- anticipate traffic by adjusting his personal conduct to the real and potential obstacles;

- distances increase monitoring to give time to react when a change and thus eliminate unnecessary braking;

- maintain a constant speed to minimize velocity variations;

- respect the speed limits;

- maintain the regime engine has a low level, and for manual gear boxes, go to report higher speed quickly;

- avoid transporting unnecessary objects with a high weight;

- remove luggage racks, bike racks, ski racks or anything else increasing the resistance of the vehicle has air immediately after use;

- not to run the engine idling unnecessarily;

- plan your displacements in avoiding congestion when possible and enjoying a same displacement to perform several races.

- A regular mechanical maintenance of the vehicle can also avoid excessive fuel consumption in addition to prolong its life span. When improperly maintained, the following components cause an increase in fuel consumption:

- a pressure lower than recommended tires;

- engine oil in poor condition or not appropriate to the climatic conditions;

- a defect in the braking system, exhaust system, the cooling system, wheel alignment, the air filter, spark plugs and other mechanical parts.

The choice of a vehicle, whether new or used, significantly influence the costs of fuel. The size and weight of the vehicle, engine size (cylinder) and the number of cylinders, engine power, type of gearbox, the energy wasters options, the type of fuel to be used by the vehicle to consider before to proceed with the purchase.

The best advice to reduce its footprint will always be the reduction at source in privileging active transportation (walking, cycling), public transport, carpooling and buying a vehicle with low consumption and issuance.

The Government of Quebec has target energy efficiency precise: a 2015, will include the Quebec have reduced its consumption of petroleum products by 10%, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of 1.64 million light vehicles .

"We want everyone to enjoy the National Transportation Week to realize that it is now time to review our ways to get around and make informed choices based on our real needs. Contributing also reduce emissions of greenhouse gas emissions, it is the environment and future generations will benefit! "Luce Asselin has mentioned, presidente General Director of the Agency to Energy Efficiency.

To achieve this target, the Agency has developed a program including training in eco-driving test it in a pilot project to be launched in the autumn. A hundred light vehicles used daily by the same drivers as part of their employment will be equipped with a module that calculates fuel consumption. The Agency will be able to test the eco-driving principles that have been presented to drivers during a special on-road training or simulator.

The Agency also works on the feasibility of a fee-rebate program for buyers of light vehicles and finally working on the possibility that the quebecois car owners are encouraged to a regular maintenance of their vehicle program.

"We are also proud to mention Technoclimat with our program, we encourage innovation on the transport and we fund research into the use of emergent forms of energy that will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and contribute to decrease our dependence on oil "has added presidente General Director of the Agency.

Agency to Energy Efficiency mission, in a perspective of sustainable development, promote efficiency energetics and the development of new energy technologies for all forms of energy in all sectors of activity, for the benefit of all citizens of the regions of Quebec.

A complete list of tips to motorists is available online at: www.aee.gouv.qc.ca/mes-deplacements/