That much money costs faster driving

With a little imagination, the chosen route fits into daily AutoWeek practice. We start at home, in De Meern, located west of Utrecht. With a tank filled there, it goes over the ‘route-controlled’ A2 towards the editorial office in Amsterdam, where we immediately turn around without getting out to continue driving towards Almere. The IJmeerdijk there is a frequently used photo and film location, hence. We drive all the way out, for an imaginary family visit somewhere in the north of Almere-Stad. From there – again without stopping – we roll onto the A27, back towards De Meern. The route is a mix of highways, provincial roads and built-up areas. Because we drive in a circle, we can refuel before and afterwards at the same pump and the influence of height and wind is kept to a minimum.

The Opel Astra has a 130 hp three-cylinder petrol engine and an automatic transmission.

“Go green!” I yell unintentionally and pointlessly towards the windshield. Traffic lights in Amsterdam sometimes seem to be a vital part of the apparent plan to keep as many motorists as possible out of the area within the Ring, so long they remain red. Right now we can’t have it because we’re on a rushed ride. Yes, deliberately rushed. After all, for those who are supposedly late for an appointment, things can’t go fast enough. When the light turns green, the gas can go to the bottom, because we are finally turning onto the highway. The three-cylinder rumbles nicely when the machine chases it to the second half of the tachometer. In the middle of the afternoon we are not going to tap 130, but with the tell-tale on the telephone 107 should still be possible. Or 110. Oh, wouldn’t we get away with 115 km/h? Out of the way!

‘Driving fast is no longer possible’

‘Driving at speed is no longer possible in the Netherlands’. Remarks of a similar nature are quite common among news items about fast cars. Not incomprehensible. After all, with traffic jams, a maximum speed of 100 km/h during the day and a sea of ​​trajectory and other checks, the Netherlands is certainly not a Valhalla for sporty drivers.

However, even with all the restrictions that apply, Dutch traffic is a dynamic and variable whole. For example, there is still a clear difference in driving style, with it usually going much faster on the left lane of the highway than is formally allowed. More to the right on the same road we find a completely different type of motorist. We can refer to this driver with terms such as ‘resigned’ and ‘resigned’ and he or she allows all automotive government interference to pass over him calmly. ‘Nitrogen rate’ 100 accepted this group easily. The fact that many people continue to drive 100 o’clock even after 7 p.m. proves that the maximum that was introduced in the spring of 2020 is well within the minds of at least some motorists.

Why not, say the quiet riders. After all, the distances in our country are small and the congestion is great, so driving through is almost useless. Could be, but is it really? We find out by driving the same route twice, on the same day and with the same driver and car. The difference: the first ride goes smoothly, during the second we are in a hurry.

Jan is a calm driver

Contrary to what evil tongues sometimes say about car journalists, the undersigned is by nature not a tear nose at all. He considers himself part of the ‘resigned’ group and tries to approach driving in an American way. So: cruise control on, add music and enjoy. With 100 on the highway, there is usually no problem at all, just a matter of leaving on time. The quiet ride certainly doesn’t feel unnatural. However, we are taking it a bit slower than usual. Instead of the usual 103 or 105, we now drive a tight 100 on the counter. In real kilometers that is a bit slower, around 97.

Please note: we do not drive slow. We don’t get in anyone’s way, just choose the left lane at the traffic lights when it’s quieter there and move smoothly with the traffic. We do drive very consciously and therefore proceed with policy. Looking far ahead and anticipating well is not only beneficial for consumption, but also for safety and peace on board. The first ride is therefore wonderfully relaxed. Although we are a little more aware of our driving style than usual, there is no stress without being in a hurry. Traffic light on red? Go green again! Road narrowing? We’ll wait!

With exactly 100 on the counter, the eight-speed automatic transmission in the Astra does not even find it necessary to switch to the top gear, so perhaps 102 is even more economical here. With some entertainment in the background – hello AutoWeek Podcast – the 140 test kilometers glide quietly below us. The result: 1 in 18.9. Neat.

And now the gas on it

After filling the tank – click twice, as always – the gas goes proverbial on the shelf. Mind you, that doesn’t mean that we go through traffic like a wild beast. Again we take others into account, although we now often find them in front of the car instead of behind it. We slow down gently for pedestrians, take cyclists into account and don’t cut anyone off, but we step on the gas where possible. An orange light now means to accelerate and if a driveway or cloverleaf is empty, we sit down for it. We don’t do 130 on the highway either. Because we don’t want fines, but also because the difference in consumption would then mainly be determined by the difference in highway speed. Instead, we more or less keep to the speed, the way a late-departing motorist might. Slanted eye on the flash detector, don’t pay too much attention to the speedometer and join ‘team left lane’.

So just drive through. The effect is immediately noticeable on board. Especially in built-up areas, it is almost just an energy-consuming experience, for car and driver. Yet it is not all doom and gloom. As the day progresses, the will to be at home also increases with us. A little speed on the highway is then quite pleasant, even if the actual effect is mainly between the ears. We often overtake and do not pay attention to consumption, which also provides relaxation. The people shaking their heads at us would undoubtedly laugh at us when they saw the two minutes of time saved by this driving style. With such a snapshot, the difference is negligible, although it must be said that it was clearly busier during the second ride than in the middle of the day.

2 minutes of time saved more than 4 euros extra

Saving 2 minutes of time cost us almost 2.3 liters extra with the Astra, or €4.13. In other words: the rushed ride was 30.6 percent more expensive. Those are expensive minutes, although we have to take into account the greater traffic during the second journey. This comparison is therefore not a scientific study, but it does show one thing very clearly: driving more slowly results in significant savings.

Consumption: 1 to 14.4. Even for five minutes of time saved, more than four euros (see box) difference is quite a lot of money, especially if you do this daily and therefore use 30 percent more structurally. So driving slowly pays off, although it is sometimes quite fun to keep pushing.

Rides in numbers