Under a summer sky that promises a radiant holiday, suitcases are waiting impatiently. But a cloud hangs over the travel plans of many families: expensive petrol. Rising prices at petrol stations are forcing many families to carefully reconsider their travel choices, with particular attention to calculating fuel consumption. This more considered approach influences not only holiday destinations, but also decisions related to daily mobility. As a result, there is an ever-increasing interest in fuel-efficient cars, seen as a practical solution to reduce transport costs both during holidays and in everyday life.
Rethinking the Italian tourism model
The peninsula's particular geography, with its jagged coasts, hilltop villages and alpine valleys, has always favoured a tourism model that is heavily dependent on the automobile. This “Tourism on four wheels”, deeply rooted in the culture of national holidaysis now faced with an economic reality that calls into question its sustainability. The need to accurately calculate fuel consumption and travel costs has become a priority for many.
However, opportunities for innovation are also emerging from this challenge. Tour operators are reporting a shift in customer demands, with a growing demand for alternatives to traditional car travel. The tourism sector is responding creatively, offering solutions ranging from strengthening public transport to resorts, to introducing all inclusive which also includes travel. At the same time, a growing interest in more sustainable forms of mobilityof car sharing (car sharing), rental of electric vehicles and low-consumption cars.
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How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing Fuel Consumption
With the ever-increasing price of gasoline, vacation planning becomes a matter of economy, forcing you to evaluate options that ensure a better balance between expenses and comfort during the trip. Optimizing fuel consumption is based on three main pillars: education, technology and planning. Effective Driver Education (Eco-driving) teaches specific techniques to reduce energy costs, often supported by systems back in modern vehicles that provide real-time suggestions and allow fuel consumption to be accurately calculated.
Technology plays a central role, with vehicles equipped with advanced systems to drive predictive. Using sensors, satellite navigators and artificial intelligence, these systems can analyze the environment in real time, anticipate future scenarios and help the driver adopt a more efficient and safer driving style, thus helping to reduce waste.
Trip planning, made easy by advanced navigation apps, optimizes routes taking into account real-time traffic and energy efficiency. The approach helps to avoid traffic jams, reduce situations of stop and start (brake and go) and adopt a more consistent driving style. In high-end vehicles, especially hybrid or electric, these elements integrate to automatically adapt the driving strategy, maximizing the vehicle's energy efficiency throughout the journey.
What is the real fuel consumption of flex-fuel and hybrid vehicles?
The “Focus on the Italian Automotive Market” survey, published in July by the National Association of the Automotive Industry (ANFIA), revealed a growing interest in sustainable mobility technologies in the Italian market. In the first half of 2024, hybrid vehicles recorded a growth of 15.6% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching a share of 38.7% of the national market.
The appeal of these new technologies is not limited to the economic and ecological advantages alone: these new generation cars are in fact equipped with advanced systems that enable precise monitoring and calculation of fuel consumptionproviding drivers with detailed information to further optimize driving efficiency.
The vehicles polyfuel (flexible fuel), widely used in Brazil and to a limited extent in Europe, are designed to run on blends of fossil fuels, such as gasoline and diesel, and biofuels derived from biomass, such as plants and organic waste. These engines allow you to choose between different power options, reducing your reliance on a single type of propellant. Flexibility means cost savings, because Drivers can choose the most convenient fuel at the time of purchase.
Cars hybrid They combine an internal combustion engine (usually fueled by hydrocarbons) with an electric motor. The duality makes it possible to take advantage of the benefits of both technologies and to optimize the overall energy efficiency of the carespecially in urban contexts.
Practical tips for saving fuel during the holidays
- Anticipate traffic: Anticipating slowdowns and obstacles on the road to avoid sudden braking and maintain smooth driving not only saves fuel, but also reduces brake wear.
- Choose a fuel-efficient car: when renting a car, it is best to choose efficient models, calculating the fuel consumption of each one before deciding.
- Avoid sudden acceleration and braking: put it on speed regulator (speed control) on the highway helps maintain a uniform pace, thereby helping to reduce fuel consumption.
- Reduce the loads: Extra weight increases fuel consumption, so it is important to travel light and distribute loads to optimize vehicle performance.
- Perform periodic maintenance: Keeping your car in good condition, paying special attention to tire pressure, air filters and the ignition system, ensures that your car runs at maximum efficiency.
