How to avoid wasting fuel on your road trip?

Drive calmly

This is not only a good practice for avoiding high fuel costs, but also important for staying safe on the road at all times. Always try to drive calmly as excessive speed leads to higher fuel consumption. Avoid abrupt speed changes and adapt your driving to the terrain. This way you will not only travel more efficiently and be able to enjoy your road trip and the scenery to the fullest. It’s the journey that counts, not the destination.

Plan your trip well

Some of the best moments of a trip are the surprises, like discovering new favourite camping spots to watch the sunset. However, finding an unexpected road is way less enjoyable. Plan your trip well and use the GPS to save fuel. This way you can not only avoid stops that negatively affect fuel consumption, but you can also calculate how long it will take you to reach your destination and help you choose the best roads for your route.

Avoid traffic

We realise that it’s not always possible to avoid traffic, especially in the high season. However, there are some pretty simple tricks you can use to avoid traffic and reduce your fuel consumption at the same time. Avoid rush hour traffic – this means rising early! Try not to drive your campervan through busy city centres as you will have to brake constantly and the engine will have to work harder, especially when carrying a heavier load.

Minimal use of the air conditioner

Running the air conditioner all the time will have a negative effect on your fuel consumption. So avoid excessive use of air conditioning. Our roadsurfer tip: When high temperatures in the summer make it almost impossible to drive without air conditioning, start your drives earlier in the morning or later in the evening as it gets cooler. This will also give you more freedom on the road as there will be less traffic and you will have to pay less at the petrol station!

Organise your luggage

Make sure you have everything well organised when loading your campervan so that there is no unnecessary weight in the vehicle. Try to distribute the load well at the back, sides and front of the vehicle and secure everything well so it doesn’t fall out during the journey. This way, the campervan won’t have to strain as much, and you’ll be safer on the road.

Finding the cheapest fuel

It seems obvious, but we can’t forget to mention this as a tip for saving fuel during your road trip. Take some time to check the prices of the petrol stations you pass along your route. It’s easy to do with apps like Google Maps and others that compare petrol station prices.

Avoid acceleration and deceleration

Both put extra strain on our campervan. If you drive with this tip in mind, you can save up to 20% of your fuel.

Switch off the engine when taking long breaks

Don’t forget to switch off the engine when you stop for a long time. Both the fuel tank and the battery will thank you.

Choosing the right campervan

Tell us which campervan you choose, and we’ll tell you how to travel. You’ll always travel efficiently thanks to the compact and dynamic sizes of our roadsurfer campervans and small motorhomes. Combine the best campervan with the tips above and there’s no stopping you!