Local News: Shell Says 75% of Singaporean Drivers Are Fuel Economy Conscious

Although both economic and environmental considerations are encouraging them to consider being more fuel efficient, Singaporeans still believe they can do more and are eager to receive advice on how to save fuel. They also believe that the government, industry, and motorists have a shared responsibility to help drivers save fuel.

The 2010 Shell FuelSave Report provides insights into drivers’ minds and behaviour, uncovering that how much we think about fuel economy does not relate to how much we actually do to save fuel.
While 71% of Singapore motorists say they are more conscious of fuel-saving now compared to the same study done a year ago, still half the drivers believe they are not doing enough to save fuel and cut costs.

The report has however revealed a new class of drivers who may be able to help persuade other motorists to try - a third of Singapore drivers appear to form a new community of ‘Fuel Saving Enthusiasts’, who try each day to cut costs and take at least seven actions to save fuel while they drive.

‘The 2010 Shell FuelSave Report findings from Singapore reveal a clear gap between awareness and behaviour when it comes to fuel efficiency. We say we are more conscious, compared to the global average, yet half say they are not doing enough about it,’ said Dr. Eric Holthusen, Shell’s Fuel Technology Manager for Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

The Report findings also indicate that Singaporeans significantly underestimate how much they can potentially save each year. Most drivers estimate they can save up to S$20 per month by being more fuel efficient and using fuels which improve fuel economy. The reality is they can save up to approximately S$431. This means that most drivers are under-estimating their potential savings by nearly S$280 per year. Only 5% of motorists guessed correctly, estimating S$36 in savings every month, while 17% had no idea how much they can save.

‘If people realize how much money they can save by being more conscious of their fuel economy, we believe that will be a good start to encourage them to translate awareness into action and change their driving habits and behavior towards improving their fuel efficiency,’ commented Dr. Holthusen.

The Report highlights that while nearly 9 in 10 Singapore drivers believe that being fuel-efficient is an important way to save money, 83% also say that being fuel efficient is an important way for them to personally help use resources in a sustainable way.

Singapore drivers also believe that they can only do so much with 42% saying that saving more fuel is a shared responsibility between the motorist, the industry and the government. More than 55% of local motorists also want to see the government supporting research into fuel-efficient technologies.

‘We are encouraged that more local motorists have become more conscious of their environmental footprint and about fuel efficiency. This is where the Shell FuelSave 1-Litre Challenge can show how a combination of Shell FuelSave and the right fuel-saving tips can help motorists get the most out of every drop thereby saving them even more money while teaching them how to use the fuel sustainably,’ said Ms Dawn Phang, General Manager, Retail Sales & Operations, Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd.

The Shell FuelSave 1-Litre Challenge will see participants compete to travel the farthest with just one litre of Shell FuelSave Unleaded, designed to help drivers save up to one litre with every full tank2. Featuring Shell FuelSave champions from six (6) markets (Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, China and Thailand), the job of 12 of Asia’s Smartest FuelSavers is to show how far motorists can travel using just a small amount of Shell FuelSave and by practising fuel saving habits which they will learn as part of Shell’s FuelSave Academy.

Credits: wilswong