Car travel and car hire

Pack up, pile in and set off. The freedom of the open road has a lot of appeal. Here you can find the greenest place to hire a car, and how to save money by driving green.

Green car hire

Of the main car hire companies we found Europcar, Avis and Enterprise had clear environmental policies.

Europcar clearly display the carbon efficiency of every car available for hire and have a green (fuel efficient) car selection.

Enterprise have a clear aim to continually lead the way in terms of fuel efficiency across their fleet, are very transparent in sharing this information and run a variety of environmental initiatives.

Avis have an eco car collection, information about green driving and clear environmental policies.

There are a number of small, local green hire car companies around the world. We are now conducting an industry wide review and are in touch with all major car hire companies to find out definitively what the greenest car hire choices are. We will report the results in our blog and in the adventure mag.

9 tips for green, money saving driving

Cars are rapidly improving their efficiency, and it is generally agreed that 3 or 4 people in a small car is one of the greener forms of motorised travel. Here are some tips to make sure you are driving green and saving on fuel.

• Choose a fuel efficient car. Anything under 120g of co2/km is pretty good. It will save you money on fuel, and possibly on car hire too. What green car will tell you the carbon rating of most cars on the planet.
  
• Squeeze in. Four people travelling in a car is far better than two in two cars! Check out liftshare.com and many others to see if you can double up.
  
• Take your time.  The faster you drive, the more fuel you use.You are on holiday, so no rush hour here, enjoy pottering through the country, taking the time to observe the faces and smells and scenery.
• Go smoothly. Avoid harsh braking and accelerating, anticipate road conditions and other drivers, don't rev. You could use up to 60% more fuel according to Avis.
• Plan well. Avoiding traffic jams and road works will make life better for you, and cut emissions. Turn engine off in long delays.
  
• Gear up. Avis reckon if you change gear efficiently (at 1,500-2,500 rpm) you can save 15% on fuel.
• Stay pumped. Keep you tyre pressure at recommended levels. Makes a huge difference to fuel usage. Ever tried riding a bike with a flat tyre? then you know what we mean.
• Be naturally cool. Air conditioning uses fuel.  Open the window instead, and breathe in the new world you are discovering! Air vents instead of open windows increase driving efficiency.
  
• Use public transport too. If you have a car, it does not mean that you should feel obliged to use it each day. Public transport can help you explore the place you are in and enjoy new experiences. Ed travelled much of Costa Rica on local buses, and found the most memorable moments were the school runs it integrates into the schedules.
  

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