It’s a common misconception that running your car’s engine at idle will help to increase your vehicle’s warmth and as a result, make it more comfortable for drivers and passengers in the freezing winter months. But this heating error is costing petrol and diesel drivers around £188 million, which also generates a combined 107,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum in the UK, according to new research.
It’s calculated that the fuel costs equate to the same amount of carbon emissions that would be produced if more than the whole population of Cardiff were to take a flight to Egypt, which funnily enough, was the host nation of last year’s COP27.
The money wasted from idling, an estimated £188 million is enough to pay for more than 75,000 homes to be heated for the whole year.
People wrongly believe that is required to warm up their car on a cold day. Studies show that around 65 percent of drivers questioned share in this misconception, and around four in 10 believe it helps extend the lifespan of the car engine itself.
New Study
A new study by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), has found that 64 percent of drivers keep their engines idle during the colder, winter months. The study also showed that more than four in ten drivers admitted to doing this bad habit at least three times a week.
It’s also found that more than one million motorists idle their vehicle’s engine every single day during winter, producing a carbon footprint of 825 kg over a lifetime. To go into more detail about this current issue, the average idle time during the winter months is 4.79 minutes but one in six motorists leave their car running for at least 10 minutes to get everything warm.
IET Council and EV expert, Farooq Yaqub said: “It only typically takes less than 30 seconds to lubricate your engine once running and when driving, your engine should quickly reach full operating temperature. “Excessive idling can also actually damage your engine’s components, including spark plugs, cylinders, and exhaust systems – and an idling engine can produce up to twice the emissions of a car in motion.”
Farooq Yaqub continued to say: “The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) will be so critical in the long-term in helping reduce emissions from petrol and diesel engines. Yet the research has demonstrated a clear financial b
Rule 123 of the Highway Code
This rule deals with the driver and the environment and outlines how motorists should follow the rules. It states that drivers must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily when that vehicle is stationary on a public road.
Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, drivers should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution.
However, it is permissible to leave the engine running if the vehicle is stationary in traffic or for diagnosing faults.
Electric vehicles
Electric vehicles have been seen by many as the breakthrough and the solution for drastically reducing carbon emissions, but two-thirds of motorists said it was highly unlikely that they would be driving an electric vehicle before 2030.
The government is still planning to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in just under seven years. A similar ban will apply to hybrid vehicles in 2035. In the same year, most EU countries will be banning ICE vehicles.
Some helpful tips
The IET has announced some tips to help drivers in the UK save money, thus helping the environment too.
One of the tips is to adopt the 10-second rule. If the car is going to be stationary for more than 10 seconds, it is best to turn off the engine. The IET said whenever you restart your car, it does not increase your vehicle’s fuel consumption after the engine’s been switched off for a short period of time. And the best advice is to make sure your vehicle’s stop/start technology is always turned on, (if this is fitted to your vehicle).
Quality pre-owned cars
For all, you current petrol and diesel car owners who are not yet ready to take the leap of faith into an electric car, used car dealerships like WOO Carz, based in Southampton, still offer a wide range of quality used cars, with an option to upgrade them to electric cars once you feel the time is right for you. In most cases, the deciding factors will be an adequate charging infrastructure across the UK and the other will probably be based on cost. WOO Carz offers not only quality used petrol or diesel cars but a selection of used hybrid used SUVs and used MPVs.
WOO Carz offers you a choice of used manual cars and used automatic cars which all come with a full warranty, HPI check, and a full inspection. Every used car is also delivered to the customers’ home or place of work, where they’re able to test drive and check out before taking ownership of the vehicle. Even if you are still the owner of a car that has outstanding finance, WOO Carz in most cases will consider settling your finance and starting a new term on your upgraded vehicle.
WOO Carz can also conduct an over-the-phone part exchange and commit to a fair price, based on an honest account of answers from a simple list of questions. This service is free and benefits our customers by reducing their monthly payments.
To find out more about WOO Carz’s current offers and deals, call us at 02380 255 666 and speak to one of our friendly advisors, or alternatively, click here to see how much car finance you can comfortably afford, within an hour to purchase your new used car from WOO Carz.
WOO Carz is authorised and regulated by the FCA to provide finance on all the used cars we stock and source. We work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who specialise in providing car finance to people with high or low credit scores.