21 May 2001: Going that bit heavier on the accelerator can - wait for it - save you a lot of fuel.
That's what the latest, and it must be said, compelling evidence suggests.
The advice comes from a new dashboard device that provides constant updates and advice on how to drive more efficiently.
Experts from Holland and Sweden have been testing the gadget and their verdict is ... it could reduce fuel costs by a sixth and that's without slowing down journey times.
It has always been thought that driving slowly is the best way to conserve fuel. But that now looks like being dispatched to the realms of myth.
Mark Dougherty, from the School of Transportation and Society in Borlange, Sweden told New Scientist magazine: ``They think to accelerate gently will get a better fuel consumption. That's basically wrong.''
This new gadget takes a number of factors into account, including what the car and its driver are doing. It then works out the most fuel efficient manoeuvres.
A display on the dashboard can offer advice such as ``shift earlier from second to third gear'', or in some instances ``accelerate more rapidly''.
The engine operates at peak efficiency when it's at about two-thirds its power output. The bottom line is: to get better efficiency you should change up a gear earlier, at relatively low revs per minute. But don't be afraid to give it some gas.''
In simulated driving tests the system, developed at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, produced an average fuel consumption saving of 16%. This was considerably better than the 9% drivers managed without hi-tech help.
And, out of consideration for the driver, the system waits until later before offering suggestions. CFC
