doing 13miles on the motorway or 10 miles street way?
2006-09-26 08:37:53 · 9 answers · asked by suziecheesecake123 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Commuting
this will be done twice a day 5 days a week
2006-09-26 08:39:33 · update #1
it all depends on how fast you are traveling
2006-09-26 08:40:52 · answer #1 · answered by Mr M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the traffic conditions, the speed you drive, and the car.
Most cars are at their most efficient at a steady speed of about 50mph in top gear. If your "street way" allows steady 40-50 mph, then this will be more economical.
However, if your "street way" requires lots of stopping and starting, then the car is working less efficiently. If you have to brake, you're wasting the kinetic energy you've just used fuel to gain. If you're idling in traffic you're getting 0mpg. If you're spending a lot of time in the lower gears, then you're not make the most efficient use of the car. Therefore if traffic conditions on your "street way" cause any of these situations then you might be better off using the motorway - if you can keep your speed down.
Beyond 60mph fuel consumption will start to rise quite quickly due to aerodynamic drag (aerodynamic drag is proportional to the square of the speed, so if you add 10% to your speed, drag increases by 21%). Therefore if you tend to drive particularly fast on the motorway (say 85mph) the street way will probably be more economical.
The only real way to find out is to experiment:
Fill your fuel tank to the brim, use one route for a week, then brim the tank again and note how much fuel you had to put in. Then use the other route for the next week, brim the tank again at the end of the week, and again note how much fuel you had to put in. All you have to do is compare the two amounts of fuel you've used. By trying each route for a week you avoid the result being overly influenced by an unusual occurrence (heavier traffic due to an incident or event) on any one day.
One thing to bear in mind - which ever route uses the least fuel probably also causes the least wear to your clutch, gearbox, and driveshafts, and possibly the engine too - and will probably leave you more relaxed at the end of the journey.
2006-09-26 12:03:12 · answer #2 · answered by Neil 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The street way will use more petrol. why do u wanna kno? u got 2 routes 1 the street way another motorway way? stick at 55mph in 5th gear for optimum petrol consumption
2006-09-26 15:12:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
10 miles in street uses more petrol as in motorway u are in high gear so u are going very efficiently. also in street u have to brake with traffic, junctions, etc... whereby this action of stopping and starting wastes petrol
2006-09-26 12:16:08 · answer #4 · answered by dennis s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you'll save more fuel driving on the motorway because its nonstop and a steady speed, going the street way you have traffic lights, stop signs, and different speeds which will cause you to use more fuel.
2006-09-29 20:16:46 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably the motorway, as you're cruising in top gear where the car is at it's most economical, while in town, you accelerate and decelerate all the time, which uses more fuel.
2006-09-26 09:44:06 · answer #6 · answered by mr_carburettor 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i believe that driving motorway uses less petrol, cos the car is always kept usually in a high gear.
I think thats right but i'm not 100% sure.
2006-09-26 08:41:41 · answer #7 · answered by 2plus3 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
10 miles on a street-way as your not changing gear as often
2006-09-26 08:41:25 · answer #8 · answered by clair6546 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The street almost certainly, but it depends if you are stuck in traffic and what gear you are in. If you can keep moving you will use less fuel.
2006-09-26 08:44:52 · answer #9 · answered by jayktee96 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋