‘Eco-mode switch’: Does pressing that green button genuinely save fuel?
Eco-mode alters throttle response, AC power, and gear shifts to save roughly 5 per cent on fuel. It works best in city traffic but offers minimal benefits during steady motorway driving.
5 Per Cent Savings
Engaging the eco-mode switch alters your vehicle's computer settings to maximise efficiency, typically yielding a fuel saving of around 5 per cent. It achieves this primarily by reducing the engine's throttle response, making acceleration much smoother and less aggressive.
Zero Power Spikes
Eco-mode actively restricts how quickly your car accelerates, meaning sudden presses on the accelerator will not result in immediate power spikes. This gentle acceleration prevents the transmission from dropping gears prematurely, which conserves significant amounts of petrol.
2 Degrees AC Shift
Pressing the green button also reduces the power output of your car's air conditioning system and other ancillary electronics. The climate control system may operate at a lower capacity, drawing less mechanical load from the engine to save fuel.
2000 RPM Gear Shifts
In automatic vehicles, eco-mode changes the transmission programming to shift into higher gears much earlier, often around 2000 RPM. Keeping the engine revolutions low directly reduces the volume of fuel injected into the engine cylinders during normal city driving.
0 Motorway Benefits
While highly effective in stop-and-go city traffic, eco-mode offers almost 0 fuel efficiency benefits when cruising at a steady speed on motorways. Steady driving does not involve heavy acceleration or frequent gear changes, rendering the electronic restrictions unnecessary.
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